MICHELLE OBAMA HAS JOINED INSTAGRAM WITH PHOTOS OF THE FIRST FAMILY'S AFRICA TOUR

Michelle Obama has joined Instagram - she uploaded her first image this morning showing her with a group of young women from the Martin Luther King middle school in Senegal

Michelle Obama has officially launched her own Instagram account.The First Lady uploaded her first photograph this morning just hours after touching down in Africa with her family for what will be a six-day, three-country tour.

The cell phone-shot image shows her standing smiling with a group of young women from the Martin Luther King all-girls middle school in Dakar, Senegal.

 

The school's principal, Rouguy Ly Sall, is also seen in the retro-looking snap along with her daughter Malia, 15, and niece, Lesley Robinson.

Mrs Obama, 49, captioned the frame: 'My first instagram! So inspired and so impressed by these extraordinary young women.'

Dozens of Instagram users welcomed her to the photo-sharing site and gave her first post the thumbs up.

Mrs Obama opted for a pretty floral-print dress for the first day of her Africa tou

In the space of an hour she quickly attracted 7,504 followers.

 

'Hope we get to see more of your trip!' one wrote. And another added: 'You're such a great role model, I love you!!!!'

Clearly getting into the Instagram groove, Mrs Obama also uploaded a video showing students performing a welcome ceremony dance at the school.
She then posted another picture of herself talking to teachers and students in the classroom.

 Mrs Obama, her daughter Malia (centre) and her niece Lesley Robinson (left) listen to a student presentation at Martin Luther King middle school

 

 The First Lady sits and talks with her Sengalese counterpart Marieme Faye Sall

'You all are role models for my daughters,' she wrote, adding: 'Which is why I brought them here today - so that they could be inspired by you just like I am.'

 

For the first day of her Africa tour Mrs. Obama opted for a pretty green, yellow and white floral-print dress. She accessorized with a pair of crocodile-green pumps with a slight heel.
Mrs Obama's account name and handle is michelleobama and her profile photo is the same as the one she uses on her Twitter account, showing her smartly dressed in black, wearing pearls.

President Barack Obama, second right, is welcomed by Senegalese First Lady Mariame Faye Sall, right, as Mrs Obama, left, meets Senegalese President Macky Sall

The current White House administration has slowly been tapping social networking and has added Instagram to its growing portfolio of platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Vine. 

 

President Barack Obama has had an Instagram account since last January, after his campaign election team signed him up. It currently has 2,239,332 followers.
Although that account has been inactive since his reelection in November 2012.
Mrs Obama will no doubt be uploading more photos to her Instagram account over the coming days.
This afternoon she is set to visit Gorée Island with her husband and later they will attend an official dinner hosted by the Senegalese President, Macky Sall.

Outlining the purpose of the trip White House spokesman Jay Carney, said: 'Presidential trips to regions of the world like Africa bring enormous benefits in terms of our relationship with the countries visited and the countries in the region.
'The trip itself will not be the end point of our engagement, but will enhance it, deepen it and further it.'