Kelvin Juma

Photographer/ Videographer

IN PURSUIT OF LIFE: WOMEN OF KIBERA

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Location: Nairobi

Nationality: KENYAN

Biography: Kelvin Juma, 27, is an independent documentary photographer based in Nairobi, Kenya. Is passionate about documentary photography with 4 years experience. Currently lives in Nairobi and is available for assignments and commissions. Works on an... MORE

Josephine teaches during a clas... students." Josephine.

1 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Josephine teaches during a class session at a local private school in Kibera. February 15th, 2021. "Close to 80% of primary school in Kibera division teachers are women as men do not have the patience in the process of passing knowledge to students." Josephine.

A medic checks temperature of a...litan Services. May 26th, 2020.

2 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

A medic checks temperature of a man before going to get tested for COVID-19 during a mass testing activity organized by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services. May 26th, 2020.

Benta Awuor,35, plaits a young ...ily struggle. March 19th, 2021.

3 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Benta Awuor,35, plaits a young girl's hair at her local salon in Kibera. Benta is a single mother raising four children . She self taught herself to do hair dressing Among other responsibilities this she has managed to put her four children through school although it is still a daily struggle. March 19th, 2021.

Random scene of women distracte...ponsibilities. June 11th, 2020.

4 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Random scene of women distracted by responsibilities. June 11th, 2020.

Cecilia (in red) help distribut... the pandemic. June 24th, 2020.

5 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Cecilia (in red) help distribute relief food to men and women of Kibera slum. Following the invasion of the pandemic, the already harsh living situation in Kibera worsened. Cecilia being a Member of County assembly for Lindi Village, helped mobilize acquisition of relief food to the most needy during the pandemic. June 24th, 2020.

A woman is distracted by the mu...hile on her way. May 14th, 2021

6 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

A woman is distracted by the mushrooming of shanty homes of Kibera slum while on her way. May 14th, 2021

A young adult girl hawks banana...of Kibera. December 11th, 2019.

7 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

A young adult girl hawks bananas in the streets of Kibera. December 11th, 2019.

Mama Komfot sews a shirt togeth...ave a lunch break on most days.

8 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Mama Komfot sews a shirt together during lunch hour at her small tailoring shop in Kibera slum. She does this as her source of income to feed her 5 children, pay school fees and house rent. Responsibilities seem a lot and this is why she cannot afford to have a lunch break on most days.

Awino prays deeply on the first...e harsh times. July 19th, 2020.

9 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Awino prays deeply on the first Sunday at her local church after re opening following previous closure of Churches to curb the spread of COVID-19. Being the breadwinner, Awino is one of the many victims who lost their jobs during the pandemic. She is religious woman and was relieved to be able to seek Gods face during these harsh times. July 19th, 2020.

Violet walks home with her 9 ye... a little pay. June 19th, 2021.

10 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Violet walks home with her 9 year old daughter after a special church mass. Kibera slum. Violet has dedicated her life to church especially after losing her husband in in 2017. Being a mother of three, she does cleaning work when she is not doing her strict daily prayers for a little pay. June 19th, 2021.

Benta Agola serves cake to chil...parenting. December 21st, 2019.

11 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Benta Agola serves cake to children after a school party she organized for the sake of Christmas eve. Benta is an early childhood teacher and a community organizer who owns a small school funded by well-wishers and herself. She goes out of her ordinary responsibility to house some of the children who are homeless or have a difficult time staying their homes due to irresponsible parenting. December 21st, 2019.

A woman takes her children out ...stmas day. December 25th, 2019.

12 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

A woman takes her children out for a fun day on Christmas day. December 25th, 2019.

On a busy early morning, a woma...bera slum. Janurary 20th, 2020.

13 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

On a busy early morning, a woman helps her daughter carry the requirements for a boarding school. Kibera slum. Janurary 20th, 2020.

Atieno tries to put on a hat on...of Nairobi. January 20th, 2020.

14 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Atieno tries to put on a hat on one of her twin daughters as she takes them to school in the morning in Kibera slum. Atieno would then go to work as a casual laborer in the leafy suburbs of Nairobi. January 20th, 2020.

A woman carries a 20 liter jerr...ibera Slum, January 20th, 2020.

15 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

A woman carries a 20 liter jerrycan of water on her head to make to be used at a local restaurant a few meters away. Kibera Slum, January 20th, 2020.

Sharon and her family make danc... after all. December 3rd, 2020.

16 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Sharon and her family make dance moves in celebration during her graduation party ceremony at a local Catholic Church. Sharon and her mother struggled with paying college school fees and having to drop out on three occasions. Their resilience and the little money from selling maize and groceries paid after all. December 3rd, 2020.

Alice and her brother hawk sock...ther Joash. October 19th, 2019.

17 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Alice and her brother hawk socks and children's clothing on a cold, rainy day. Alice is the first born in a family of 6 and struggled with casual labor with low wages. She saved up the little and decided to self employ herself to help take care of the family and in the same way she has employed her brother Joash. October 19th, 2019.

An old woman carries firewood o... ends meet. October 24th, 2019.

18 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

An old woman carries firewood on her back for selling, from a forest about 5km from Kibera slum. Cutting down trees is prohibited in Kenya but many women from the slum have to risk this in order to get little money to make both ends meet. October 24th, 2019.

Eunice sorts out home made hand... Communities. March 27th, 2020.

19 of 19 © 2024 Kelvin Juma

Eunice sorts out home made hand sanitizers, before distributing to the community of Kibera for free, made by her and a group of women to help curb the spread of COVID-19. This initiative is supported by a local non governmental organization known as Shining Hope For Communities. March 27th, 2020.

Close

Thumbnail of Josephine teaches during a class_o students." Josephine.

Thumbnail of A medic checks temperature of a _olitan Services. May 26th, 2020.

Thumbnail of Benta Awuor,35, plaits a young g_aily struggle. March 19th, 2021.

Thumbnail of Random scene of women distracted_sponsibilities. June 11th, 2020.

Thumbnail of Cecilia (in red) help distribute_g the pandemic. June 24th, 2020.

Thumbnail of A woman is distracted by the mus_while on her way. May 14th, 2021

Thumbnail of A young adult girl hawks bananas_ of Kibera. December 11th, 2019.

Thumbnail of Mama Komfot sews a shirt togethe_have a lunch break on most days.

Thumbnail of Awino prays deeply on the first _se harsh times. July 19th, 2020.

Thumbnail of Violet walks home with her 9 yea_r a little pay. June 19th, 2021.

Thumbnail of Benta Agola serves cake to child_ parenting. December 21st, 2019.

Thumbnail of A woman takes her children out f_istmas day. December 25th, 2019.

Thumbnail of On a busy early morning, a woman_ibera slum. Janurary 20th, 2020.

Thumbnail of Atieno tries to put on a hat on _ of Nairobi. January 20th, 2020.

Thumbnail of A woman carries a 20 liter jerry_Kibera Slum, January 20th, 2020.

Thumbnail of Sharon and her family make dance_d after all. December 3rd, 2020.

Thumbnail of Alice and her brother hawk socks_other Joash. October 19th, 2019.

Thumbnail of An old woman carries firewood on_h ends meet. October 24th, 2019.

Thumbnail of Eunice sorts out home made hand _r Communities. March 27th, 2020.

Public Story

IN PURSUIT OF LIFE: WOMEN OF KIBERA

Copyright Kelvin Juma 2024

Date of Work Jan 2019 - Ongoing

Updated Jul 2021

Location Nairobi

Topics Documentary, Journalism, People, Photography, Photojournalism

Inside Kibera slum, the largest informal settlement in the capital of Kenya, women have a world of responsibilities. Despite the new and existing challenges, women strive to pursue their livelihood in the mysterious absence of men. With so little, they do so much. In a cycle of poverty they exhibit strength, resilience which in turn creates hope for their offspring and the people around them.
These images cover the pre COVID -19 and the actual pandemic period, highlighting the struggles, industriousness and little successes of the women in one of the largest slums in Africa. Globally, women share a strong sense of responsibility. This is their unifying factor that moves the world. This project aims to stir up an existing global conversation about women-inclusive world. A conversation that now needs urgent deliberate action.

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