She grew up in Gyergyóremete (Remetea) and always knew that she wanted to go to Africa one day. At the age of 22, she passed her engineering exams on a Friday, and on Sunday she set off with a bag to Budapest, where she is now – ten years later – a photographer supporting African children and families. She travels the world, has an adopted daughter in Congo, and a foundation in Transylvania for the children of the world. I listen with amazement and take notes as Emese Balázs-Fülöp tells me about her life’s journey…
Miradi
“In March, I finally got to meet my adopted daughter, five-year-old Miradi. I first visited Congo in the autumn of 2018, when I decided I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life. The Foundation for Africa brought us together in the spring of 2020 after she had unfortunately lost both her mum and dad. She lives with her grandmother and two sisters. I can’t even put into words the feeling when we first met. We knew each other from a photograph, she knew who I was, but in a church in Kinshasa, we just looked at each other from the pews for hours. She didn’t dare come up to me in the courtyard either, but as soon as I started playing with other children, she ran up and hugged my leg, indicating that I was hers. She might have even told so to the others in Lingala. From then on, we played, drew, and ate together, she sat on my lap, and in the evenings she would say goodbye crying. When I left, she could not be comforted. I had planned to bring her home in the summer, but I realized that I must not take her out of her little environment. It wouldn’t be fair to show her what’s here and then take her back. They live according to completely different traditions, and I realized I had to support her development there. I wanted to help the whole family, as it would be hard for her grandmother to see one grandchild eat and the others don’t. I send them flour and toiletries every month, but – to give them a net as well as fish – I’ve opened a small shop so they can support themselves. Together we found a place for it, painted it, and opened it. They sell water, soft drinks, dried fruit, and we bought a fridge, which is a big deal in the 40 degrees there. This is Emy’s Little Shop.”
The way
“Before my first trip to Africa, I took an experienced photographer friend to Romania, and while he was taking pictures, I sat next to him and took pictures with my phone. We went home and he told me that my pictures were much better than his and that I should work on that because I had a special perspective. Then in Africa, I said to a Hungarian photographer that I wanted to be a photographer too! I’ll never forget his answer: he’s not a photographer, he’s a photographic artist. That’s how much he helped me. I ended up self-educating myself, and today I got accepted as a member of the World Association of Hungarian Photographer Artists. One of my pictures is currently travelling through 12 countries and several others are exhibited in Stockholm. I used to work in a media company, but I quit because I realised that as a Transylvanian girl I had lost myself in the glamour. I was not happy in that environment.”
Hungaricum laude 