African Voices

The student creating African emojis to change the story of Africa from poverty to beauty

By Aisha Salaudeen, CNN
3 minute read
Published 9:37 AM EST, Wed December 18, 2019
Long-long is a protective hairstyle for girls and women with natural curly hair.
Long-long is a protective hairstyle for girls and women with natural curly hair.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Student O'Plerou Grebet taught himself how to create emojis after getting fed up of seeing just poverty images of Africa. He wanted to depict the beauty in the everyday lives of African people.
Student O'Plerou Grebet taught himself how to create emojis after getting fed up of seeing just poverty images of Africa. He wanted to depict the beauty in the everyday lives of African people.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
'Garba' is street food sold in Ivory Coast. It is made with cassava semolina, tuna fish and eaten with pepper and onions.
'Garba' is street food sold in Ivory Coast. It is made with cassava semolina, tuna fish and eaten with pepper and onions.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Toclo, a street tailor, usually a man with a sewing machine, who repairs damaged clothing in the streets.
Toclo, a street tailor, usually a man with a sewing machine, who repairs damaged clothing in the streets.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
'Tu as vu non,' a popular facial gesture in Ivory Coast meaning 'I told you so.'
'Tu as vu non,' a popular facial gesture in Ivory Coast meaning 'I told you so.'
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Cabine, a local spot where people pay to make phone calls
Cabine, a local spot where people pay to make phone calls
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Crécré is a delicious crispy snack sold near schools in Ivory Coast
Crécré is a delicious crispy snack sold near schools in Ivory Coast
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Natté couché, braids made with curly hair.
Natté couché, braids made with curly hair.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Henné, local drawings made on Mandinka women hands and/or feet during wedding and ceremonies.
Henné, local drawings made on Mandinka women hands and/or feet during wedding and ceremonies.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Zaouli is a traditional dance of the Guro people of central Ivory Coast.
Zaouli is a traditional dance of the Guro people of central Ivory Coast.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Long-long is a protective hairstyle for girls and women with natural curly hair.
Long-long is a protective hairstyle for girls and women with natural curly hair.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Long-long is a protective hairstyle for girls and women with natural curly hair.
Long-long is a protective hairstyle for girls and women with natural curly hair.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet
Ivorian digital artist, O'Plerou Denis Grebet, has created more than 300 African emojis
CNN  — 

When Ivorian artist O’Plerou Denis Grebet was looking for free stock images of Africa for a project, he only came across negative images of disease and poverty.

“I noticed that media and most articles about Africa were talking about the bad sides of the continent only. They reduced the image of it to a land in war where people are poor and hungry. These elements are true but it’s not everywhere on the continent,” he told CNN.

The photos, he said, annoyed him so much that he started to think about how to show images of beautiful parts of the continent.

Long-long is a protective hairstyle for girls and women with natural curly hair.
Long-long is a protective hairstyle for girls and women with natural curly hair.
O'Plerou Denis Grebet

Over the past two years, Grebet has designed more than 350 free emojis that celebrates the beauty of African culture in all its forms.

Learning to create emojis

Grebet learned to make emojis by watching a YouTube tutorial in September 2017.

“It was not really hard because I know how to draw with my hand, so, it’s like I just transposed the skills to the computer,” he said.

He translated the techniques to document everyday African lifestyle.

His first emoji was of Foutou, a staple Ivorian meal made from ground cassava flour and mashed plantains.

The Abidjan-based student draws inspiration for his designs from history and contemporary African life.

Grebet, 22, says he has always been artistic and spent time as a child constantly drawing.

But it wasn’t until 2017 he decided to be more deliberate about his art.