Culture is rarely static. When traditions move across borders, they encounter new people, places, languages, histories and ways of life. They may be preserved, adapted, reinterpreted or combined with practices from their new surroundings. Bon Odori Festival is traditionally associated with Japan’s summer Obon celebrations, where communities gather through dance, music and collective participation. In Nairobi, the festival creates an encounter between Japanese cultural traditions, the Japanese diaspora and Kenyan and other African communities.
Cosplayers introduce another layer of contemporary Japanese popular culture, while African participants engage with traditions that originate thousands of kilometres away.
Bon Odori is traditionally associated with Japan’s summer Obon celebrations, where communities gather through dance, music and collective participation.
Commissioned by The Lancet, this body of work documents the intersection of health, environment, and inequality in Nairobi and Kenya as a whole. Through grounded, observational photography, the work examines how systemic challenges, ranging from inadequate waste management and climate-related disasters to limited access to healthcare, shape everyday life in marginalized communities.
A clinician conducts an echocardiogram on a child at Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) in Nairobi. The procedure uses ultrasound waves to produce detailed images of the heart, allowing medical staff to assess its size, structure, and function, and to detect conditions such as valve defects or congenital abnormalities.
As drought conditions persist across parts of Kenya, driven by below-average rainfall and rising temperatures, urban communities are increasingly experiencing prolonged water shortages.
Global campaign aged 60 and above
#olderNot Over is a global campaign aimed challenging stereotypes and celebrating the diverse expriences and contributions of older persons aged 60 and above. The campaign seeks to promote a fuller, more authentic potrayal of older lifeafter 60, highlingting the vibrancy, wisdom and continued relevance of older individials across different cultures and societies. Oldernot over insprires greater understanding, appreciation and support for older adults, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and age-friendly world for people of all ages.
Kinuthia Wamwangi
“My proudest achievement is finishing and publishing my book on decentralisation. I encourage people to be sincere with themselves and their families. Be spontaneous. My advice to young people is to be self-aware and be the best at what they do.”
Zainab Hamidi
“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 am proud of my family and my faith. Aging has taught me contentment and patience.”
Teacher Alice
I’ve always been driven by a hunger for knowledge and a desire to serve.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.
Mary Owiti
“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 in an urburn slum becomes a powerful space for protest, community pride 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 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…”
Angela Ayieko
“I particularly love plus-size modeling because it challenges the status quo. I wake up at 5:00 AM, prepare Africa, get my older kids ready for school, and settle into my day…”
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
Rhoda Shikuri
Motherhood, Girlhood & Second Chances.
I’m 18, and my son is one year and two weeks old. He is my source of joy, along with my family and my Soraya sisters.
But the thought of someone mistreating him terrifies me. And heartbreak—no, I don’t want to deal with that again.
Shakila Mashaka
Motherhood, Girlhood & Second Chances.
“Im still young, just 17—and my son is eight months old. But when I look at him, I see joy, not burden.He makes me happy every day. I don’t like thinking about sadness; he gives me enough reason to stay hopeful.
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.