Aging , Care, Dignity and Care
Through long-term observation, visual storytelling, and intimate narrative encounters, the project explores how aging is experienced and negotiated in a resource-scarce urban environment. It documents the everyday realities of growing older in Kibera—moments of joy and laughter shared over communal meals, the weight of physical decline and economic uncertainty, acts of caregiving between peers, and the emotional labor of holding collective memory in a rapidly changing city. These moments reveal aging not as an isolated life stage, but as a deeply social and relational process embedded in family, community, and place.
Yasmin Aboyo
Aging with Community, Care and Dignity
“I have learned that caring for older persons is not charity, it is dignity. Every day I wake up knowing someone’s parent or grandparent depends on us, not for anything that they do not already have, but for companionship and love. We offer what we can, God provides the rest. So everyday, I have to be strong”
Zainab Hamidi
Aging with Community, Care and Dignity
“I was born and raised in Nairobi. I am a mother of six and a grandmother to many. I run a small food business, selling pilau and ice cream. Life was better when I was younger — money had more value. After my husband passed away, I faced discrimination as a woman running a business alone. I am proud of my family and my faith. Aging has taught me contentment and patience.”
Teacher Alice
Aging with Community, Care and Dignity
I’ve always been driven by a hunger for knowledge and a desire to serve. I studied at Egerton University and later at West Virginia University in the U.S., carrying the dreams of many back home.Today, at the Kibera Day Care Centre for the Elderly, I teach literacy to older residents, helping them read, write, manage small sums, and participate in life with confidence. Learning has no age limit, and every day, I see older persons rediscover their power, their dignity, and their voice.
Mary Owiti
Aging with Community, Care and Dignity
“I have lived in Woodley since 1968. I am a widow with one son, and I still run my own food joint. It keeps me active and gives me purpose. I was a nurse and loved caring for patients, though I faced racial discrimination at work. Life was easier when I was younger, but I keep going. My advice to young people is simple: be kind and be honest.”
Rooted in the personal history of Kibera—one of the largest informal settlements in Africa, shaped over decades by migration, resilience, and community life—this Visual Narrative reshapes how the world sees Kibera by documenting fashion as a tool for dignity, self-expression, strength and cultural pride. Using photography, interviews, and community-based inquiry, the work presents Kibera not as a place of lack, but as a vibrant hub of creativity, style and innovation. Extensive portraits, behind-the-scenes moments and environmental scenes paints the picture of how grassroots fashion becomes a powerful space for protest, resilience and belonging.
Peter Pius Ochieng
“I’m Peter Pius Ochieng, a designer, fashionist, and creative visionary. My passion lies in crafting unique and immersive designs that transport you to the apocalyptic wasteland—a world akin to Mad Max.”
Calton Gandani
“I use fashion as a voice—loud, vibrant, and defiant. Picture the rhythmic click of cowrie shells, the song of glass beads in motion, and the radiant gleam of polished brass catching the light. This collection is not just clothing; it is a declaration of resilience, liberation, and the power of taking up space…”
Millicent Oluoch
I would describe myself as simple and unique. I believe that it’s the simple things in life that make a difference, and this is evident in my designs.
I discovered my passion for design in high school. It all started with a simple hand needle—no machine, just my hands and creativity. I made my own school bags because buying new ones wasn’t always an option. My dad saw my dedication and never pressured me to pursue anything else. Instead, he asked me what I wanted, and I chose fashion…”
Angela Ayieko
“I particularly love plus-size modeling because it challenges the status quo. Many plus-size people shy away from modeling, but I want to change that narrative. My days are busy: I wake up at 5:00 AM, prepare Africa, get my older kids ready for school, and settle into my day. Africa sleeps until 8:00 AM and then comes back to me at 11:00 AM. When it’s time for me to walk the runway, someone else looks after her, but if she cries, I’ll breastfeed her. That’s life—you have to be hardworking to make it…”
Motherhood, Girlhood & Second Chances in Kibera
Through visual and narrative portraits, this works explores the intersections of motherhood, education, stigma and hope. It focuses on stories of strength, vulnerability and transformation. The project documents the lives of teenage mothers supported by Soraya, a community-based organization in Kibera that provides care, mentorship and opportunities for education and empowerment. Rooted in empathy and social inquiry, the work challenges stereotypes surrounding early motherhood and celebrates the resilience of young women who continue to dream, rebuild and redefine their futures on their own terms.All this, In the belief that dignity and human development depend on access to economic, social and cultural rights .
Habiba Jumah
Motherhood, Girlhood & Second Chances.
“I started Soraya because I wanted every teenage mother in Kibera to feel safety, sisterhood and a second chance. Girls call it “ SORAYA,” but what I really feel deep down is the joy of witnessing their becoming. I believe fiercely in girlhood after motherhood. I’ve seen it with my own eyes” Habiba Jumah Founder: SORAYA – Nurturing Teen Moms and Female
Zuhura Jafar
Motherhood, Girlhood & Second Chances.
My child is two and a half years old now, and seeing him grow every day fills my heart. Their smile can wipe away any heaviness.
But when he fall sick, or when I feel helpless, it breaks me. Motherhood has made me softer, but also stronger than I ever imagined.
