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Winifrid Luena

Documentary photographer and Photojournalist

Ongeza na zako by Winifrid Luena

Ongeza na zako

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Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Nationality: Tanzanian

Biography: Winifrid Luena is a Tanzanian photojournalist and documentary photographer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is interested in themes of identity, representation and history of East and South African communities. Since 2019 he started to... MORE

Esther (16) uncovers a sheet as...Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

1 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

Esther (16) uncovers a sheet as she comes out from a steam bathing of boiled traditional herbs, the practice that is known as ‘fukiza nyungu’ in Swahili, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, April 2020.

An ancestors’ healing practice known as fukiza nyungu in kiswahili gained high popularity amid the spread of the Corona to contemporary generation. Since the practice showed a great relief in healing respiratory issues, a nation dedicated special weeks for encouraging people to practice it as measures taken to curb the spread of the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Elias Jengo (84), artist, teach... pursuing other personal goals.

2 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

Elias Jengo (84), artist, teacher and art professor at the University of Dar es salaam, Department of Creative arts, works on one of his new paintings that he started to create during self-isolation at his home studio after the closure of the university due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, April 2020. ‘My new painting titled ‘The Global Queen’ is designed to document the mood of the time when Corona received wide publicity.’ Prof. Jengo says.

All schools and universities were closed, many offices and businesses were closed too as the measures taken to curb the spread of the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19). People stayed in their homes and spent their time engaging in pursuing other personal goals.

Paulo (11) jump courageously an... playing music for long period.

3 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

Paulo (11) jump courageously and successfully over the rope during the daily evening session of physical exercising challenges with his mother and sister at their home, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, May 2020.

In different areas of Dar es Salaam, people set aside evenings for physical exercising, especially those that challenge and help in improving respiratory system such as running, jumping rope and playing music for long period.

Young girls play a handmade che...the same time just to have fun.

4 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

Young girls play a handmade checkers game, as the other girl watches and waits for them to finish it so that they can play cards at their home, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, June 2020.

After the closure of all schools on March 17, as measures to curb the spread of the disease, children from the same neighborhood who were always playing football and tag game outdoor together in larger group changed their games to checkers, drawing and playing cards, which were new games they were learning and playing at the same time just to have fun.

Commuters giving a way for a fu...s imposed for public transport.

5 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

Commuters giving a way for a full-seat-level daladala (public transport) to leave the bus stop as they look for another free-seat-level daladala available to take, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, April, 2020.

All public transport vehicles reduced the number of passengers that they were carrying, not to exceed beyond seats number. And for all travelers it was mandatory to wash their hands before traveling and to wear protective face mask which were safety operating measures imposed for public transport.

Passengers washing their hands ... to wash their hands regularly.

6 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

Passengers washing their hands with liquid soap and water at a bus stop’s hand-wash station labeled ‘ Stop the spread of Corona, wash your hands here before you travel’ , Dar es alaam, Tanzania, April 2020.

Government and citizens installed special point for people to wash their hands in many places of the city. In homes, shops and offices buckets hand wash points were installed, while barrels hand wash points were installed in crowded places such as churches, markets, and bus stations. Through medias, billboards, broadcasting vehicles and posters people were encouraged to wash their hands regularly.

Ginger seller puts, with the as...in their small business stands.

7 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

Ginger seller puts, with the assist of the buyer, the purchased amount of ginger in the sack at the popular ginger market, Kariakoo-Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, May 2020.

To meet the high demand of ginger as an ingredient in daily meals as well as herbal medicine from the residents of Dar es Salaam increased its amount and value in the market. Most of the customers are women who bought it for different family’s uses as recipe in meals, while others bought to resell for retail price in their small business stands.

A man wearing protective face m... to Tsh. 2000 (less than 1USD).

8 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

A man wearing protective face mask looks for a face mask to buy from a street sellers of homemade clothing face mask known as ‘wamachinga wa barakoa’ in kiswahili , Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, May 2020.

Demand for protective face masks rose sharply in the city which opened an opportunity for a new market. A new kind of street sellers emerged everywhere in the city, known as ‘wamachinga wa barakoa’ in kiswahili who are selling homemade protective face masks that are made from fabric of African patterns and batik for price range of Tsh. 500 to Tsh. 2000 (less than 1USD).

A child washes his hands with l...e action to protect themselves.

9 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

A child washes his hands with liquid soap and water with the help from his mother at a public hand-wash point outside the public toilet, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, April 2020.

Mothers were at the forefront of caring for their children by protecting them against the disease, educating them more about the disease also encouraging them to take action to protect themselves.

Street sellers of fruit, vegeta...ivities everywhere in the city.

10 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

Street sellers of fruit, vegetable and organic food selling their product in an arranged batches at the informal market along the major transport station, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, April 2020.

Due to the large number of residents in Dar es Salaam relying on daily income-generating activities in their livelihoods, self-protection were given priority in everyday activities. Wearing protective face masks became essential, common and were integrated in everyday people’s activities everywhere in the city.

An old man wearing protective f...ivities everywhere in the city.

11 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

An old man wearing protective face mask crosses the street in the downtown area, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, April 2020.

Due to the large number of residents in Dar es Salaam relying on daily income-generating activities in their livelihoods, self-protection were given priority in everyday activities. Wearing protective face masks became essential, common and were integrated in everyday people’s activities everywhere in the city.

Maria (50) comes with Paul&...e action to protect themselves.

12 of 12 © 2024 Winifrid Luena

Maria (50) comes with Paul's remaining boarding school items, bucket and sleeping net, while she escorts him to school during the reopening of schools, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, June 2020.

Schools reopened in the last week of June . Safety operating strategies implemented in schools areas, where public hand wash points installed, wearing protective face mask became mandatory and students are encouraging to take action to protect themselves.

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Public Story

Ongeza na zako

Copyright Winifrid Luena 2024

Date of Work Apr 2020 - Jun 2020

Updated Oct 2020

Location Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Topics Black and White, Covid19, Daressalaam, Documentary, Essays, Everyday life, Historical, Hope, Pandemics, Photography, Photojournalism, Reporting, Street, Tanzania

Ongeza na zako’ is a Swahili contemporary saying that poses a question on one's ability to think through an issue and come up with the response that would solve it in the most effective way based on one’s position to it. Translating to ‘contribute yours as well’ the statement affirms the necessity of collective decision making in cultures and cities operating on the margins where chaos is not a sprint but a marathon and where solutions to critical issues of health, wealth, access and security are daily practice.

These sets of photos aim to situate the everyday response of people to a critical global event by questioning biases within our understanding urgency. Each offers glimpses of a city inherently familiar with uncertainty and that is conversant without being different to the growing bank of strictures and phrases that characterize this moment. In this way the work seeks to reject a material conception of emergency and its conflation of well being and status, health and economics.

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