He has become, almost in spite of himself, the icon of a youth that won’t give up. Three words—determination, resilience, and passion—sum up the journey of Ngarnaissem Nearamel Hermann, better known as Hermann of Chad. Like many young people of his generation, he had to hustle to make his way in a challenging professional landscape. But where some see closed doors, he chose to look for another path.
With his camera slung over his shoulder, his gaze glued to the lens, and his finger quick to snap, Hermann now travels the length and breadth of Chad to tell his country’s story in a different light. Through his photographs, he captures faces, events, stories, and moments that might otherwise be lost in the flow of everyday life. His compelling images have garnered increasing attention, a testament to a skill honed through hard work and perseverance.
Yet nothing seemed to predict that this young man from Moundou would become a photographer. His trajectory initially appeared to be headed toward public service. It would ultimately lead him to the United Nations headquarters in New York, where he covered the 80th session of the UN, surrounded by world leaders from around the globe. An unexpected path, forged far from the life he had imagined.
The Crushed Dream of the Civil Servant
After graduating from high school, Hermann left Chad for Burkina Faso. He headed to the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM), where he nurtured his ambition to build a career in public administration. “I’ve always dreamed of being a great public servant,” he confides.
His plan was clear: get an education, acquire skills, and return to serve his country. But his return revealed a very different reality. The recently graduated young man found himself facing unemployment and a job hunt that dragged on. Two years went by without him succeeding in landing a job.
“I lost two years looking for a job; I saw my dream shatter and the doors to employment close,” he says, with a hint of sadness.
At this point, his degree isn’t helping him open the doors he’d hoped for. Like him, many young Chadians who have graduated from local or foreign colleges are struggling to enter the workforce. On top of that come other daily challenges: unreliable power, limited internet access, insecurity, a lack of jobs, and a lack of infrastructure to support careers in the visual arts.
Yet Hermann refuses to give in to discouragement.
Long hidden behind the ENAM graduate hides a lifelong passion for photography and motion pictures. As his career in public administration seemed to be fading, he decided to give this passion—which had remained in the shadows until then—a shot.
Before devoting himself fully to photography, Hermann started out in filmmaking. He gained hands-on experience working alongside seasoned professionals, learning through observation and discipline. In particular, he worked on director Carine Bado’s set as a lighting assistant and rubbed shoulders with several big names in African cinema, including Isis Kaboré, Brahoua Kouassi, and Frédéric Salou.
This exposure helped him understand the demands of the visual arts. He learned, observed, experimented, and above all, was willing to start from scratch. From N’Djamena, he pursued his training with “humility”, while constantly exploring his new craft.
His degree in public administration was then filed away in a drawer.
“I often buy and read books about photography. I frequently talk with great photographers who never stop teaching me about photography. Everything is on the Internet and in books,” he says.
For Hermann, learning is a never-ending process. Every encounter, every image, and every project becomes an opportunity to grow.
From 50,000 CFA francs to the UN
His hard work ultimately paid off. His first professional contract still stands out in his memory: shooting a wedding. His fee: 50,000 CFA francs.
As he recalls that first paycheck, Hermann chuckles before recounting the experience with a note of nostalgia.
“I photographed the wedding of a man who didn’t even know me but who trusted me. I photographed the wedding for 50,000 CFA francs, and the client was so happy and really encouraged me,” he says with a smile.
That first contract was a game changer. Other opportunities followed. Then the opportunities gradually grew in size. He was recruited by the former Minister of Youth, Ouaïdou, to become the ministry’s resident photographer.
The young photographer thus shifted from private ceremonies to institutional events. But his journey didn’t stop there.
From wedding photography to ministry-related activities, Hermann then took another step forward: New York, at the United Nations headquarters.
He found himself covering the 80th session of the UN, at the heart of an event bringing together leaders from around the world.
“I was in the midst of all the world’s heads of State. I never imagined it,” he confides, still stunned by how quickly his career has taken off.
A few years earlier, he had been desperately trying to find a job with his degree in public administration. Now here he is behind his camera, capturing moments at the heart of one of the world’s largest international institutions.
Today, the Moundou native continues his rise and is now knocking on the doors of the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Being Authentic” and Prioritizing Quality
Behind this rise to prominence, Hermann points to a simple principle: remaining true to oneself and to the expectations of those who place their trust in him.
In his career, he says he prioritizes “authenticity” and “quality”, while striving to meet his clients’ needs. This approach may well be one of the secrets underlying his success.
In Chad, he also sees a shift in the perception of photography. Long considered a secondary—or even incidental—activity, it is increasingly gaining ground in the communications of businesses, institutions, and public figures.
“You see it almost everywhere: certain companies, institutions, and even public figures have their own photographers,” he notes with satisfaction.
For him, this shift points to promising opportunities for young people seeking careers in the visual arts.
Returning to Build
His own journey also fuels his reflections on the mobility of young Africans. After leaving for Burkina Faso to train, Hermann moved back to Chad before gradually building his career. Drawing on this experience, he now urges young people to view returning home as an integral part of their migration plans.
“I always advise people to leave with a plan to return. If we all stay abroad, who will build the country for us?” he asks.
This belief also sums up his own journey: leaving to learn, returning to build a business, and putting his skills at the service of his country.
Read also: Social and Professional Integration: Inside the World of an Ivorian Photographer Living in Benin
His Vision: Training a New Generation
Hermann’s aspirations go beyond his own success. The young filmmaker nourishes a bigger dream: to see a true school of film and sound established in Chad.
For him, such an institution wouldn’t just offer passionate young people a learning and creative environment—it would also help curb the brain drain and prevent the risky exodus of talent abroad.
He says he knows many young Chadians who have film projects but are unable to bring them to life due to a lack of resources.
“I know many young Chadians with film projects, but due to a lack of resources, their projects never come to fruition,” he says.
His call is therefore clear: the Government must invest more in the fields of cinema, photography, and, more broadly, the creative industries, which he considers to be thriving sectors for young people.
His second dream is more personal, but just as lofty: to establish his own organization so that he, in turn, can train young people eager to pursue photography.
Hermann’s journey seems to have taught him one thing: when one door closes, you sometimes have to change course without giving up on your dream.
One major hurdle remains, however, namely the economic environment. The young photographer laments the challenges faced by young people who want to start businesses in Chad and the lack of funding mechanisms for their projects.
“Chad doesn’t provide a friendly environment for entrepreneurship,” he laments.
Amid the challenges of the past and the hopes for the future, Hermann of Chad continues on his path nonetheless. His camera has become not only his tool for work but also the means through which he tells the story of his country, its men and women, and their stories.
His journey—from ENAM to movie sets, from a wedding that paid 50,000 CFA francs to the halls of the UN in New York—ultimately tells another story: that of a young graduate who, faced with unemployment and closed doors, chose to make failure an opportunity.
A story of career change, but above all a story of resilience.
