Photo-journalist in the frame for honorary degree award

Lee Karen Stow, 45, will receive a Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, on January 26.

Although she has produced a varied and acclaimed body of work – including projects on street children in Romania and AIDS orphans in Malawi – the award is understood to have chiefly come in recognition of her work with women in Hull’s twin city of Freetown, Sierra Leone.

She has worked extensively in the West African country since 2007, and two years ago completed “42 Women of Sierra Leone”, a title chosen because the life expectancy of women there is 42 and its launch coincided with her 42nd birthday.

Ms Stow, who has worked in 50 countries, also contributes to newspapers and magazines including The Times, the Daily Telegraph, the Express, the Financial Times, Hello, and CNN Traveller.

She said: “The vice-chancellor phoned me and I was completely taken aback, speechless. I’m self-taught so I still have to work hard. I’ve received awards before but it’s the first one that recognises me as a photo-journalist and the message I’m trying to get out, so it’s a huge honour.”