Slums have always been synonymous with criminals and sex trade workers. Outsiders tend to be dismissive or afraid of people who grow up in places like Nairobi’s slums. However, Julius Mwelu, 22, who grew up in one of the Kenyan capital’s largest slums, Mathare, is hoping to dispel this perception, and is trying to show the slums as a pool of enormous talent waiting to be tapped.
"There are many good, well-behaved and talented people in and from the slums such as Conjestina (a famous female boxer in Kenya), and Oliech (a Kenyan footballer playing in the French league). In addition to talented sportsmen and women, there are also innovative entrepreneurs and even photographers.
"I started taking photos in my early teens when I met an American tourist. She was visiting the slums and noticed how keen I was to take a picture using her camera. Later, she gave me and 31 other children, who were mainly orphans, disposable cameras and taught us a few things about point-and-shoot photography. We became part of a Fuji-sponsored 'shoot back' project.
"Using photos we were able to show people outside the slums our world the way we saw it - as children growing up in the slums. We wanted to record the good and the bad things; we lived here, we did many things here. Despite some social and economic problems we were also generally happy here.
"I have not stopped taking pictures since then, although from the initial group of 32 only nine of us are left. The rest either got married or were killed in the slums, or generally moved on with their lives elsewhere. I believe that the young people here will change the future of the slums. Life can be better if we are nurtured and supported to exploit our talents.
"Two days ago, I launched the Mwelu Foundation to help some of the children in the slums. I want to transfer the photography skills I have learnt so far to the children in the slums. I have taken in 16 children aged between 10 and 14 years. Most of them are orphaned and are from diverse ethnic backgrounds. We plan to meet on Saturday mornings to talk, sing and share our experiences; but mostly to teach each other photography.
"I will do my best to supply the children with disposable cameras each of which costs US $2. I am hoping to help the children, singly or in partnership, with willing humanitarian organisations, to sell their pictures and/or exhibit them locally and abroad. I want to give these children hope in life.
"When we are able to sell the photos, the children will be able to earn some income to sustain them and enable them to remain in school.
"The Mwelu Foundation also aims to encourage children to give back to the community by attending to the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, the elderly, and people living with disabilities.
"I think it is important that people invest in the people living in the slums because the slums are growing very fast with the standards of living becoming worse. Most of the residents are women and children; the men have gone out to look for work and rarely return when they succeed. The best people to invest in are the children.
"I look forward to a future when the outsiders will not judge slum dwellers without taking time to understand them and why they live the way they do.
"We are proud of who we are despite where we live."
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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
