"Kings of Kibera"


  • Photographer
    Rodney Rascona
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention
  • Company/Studios
    Rascona Inc
  • Date of Photograph
    March 2011

"Kings of Kibera" presents a series of young men who while resilient, are without hope, money, education or opportunities...theyre so close to programs within the Kibera slums of Nairobi Kenya and yet they most likely will remain trapped within slum culture if you will, for the rest of their lives surviving"off the grid". While there's no shortage of money being invested by the western world to help end hunger, provide mosquito nets to stop malaria, or to provide low cost medicine for Hiv/Aids sufferers, many live within ear shot of investors and well meaning individuals alike, yet they personally live, remain, far beyond the benefit of programs meant to raise a communities standard of living. Kings all of them, they use dance as part of their way to deal with the strife, poverty, the anger and the dashed promises uttered from the lips of the well meaning.

Story

Throughout the world there's no shortage of money being invested by the western world community, private concerns, official NGOs and governments alike, to support feeding programs to help end hunger, provide mosquito nets to stop malaria, advocates and workshops to educate women on their rights or to provide low cost medicine for Hiv/Aids sufferers. Still many remain, walking the grounds of Kibera who are simply trying to survive. Many live within ear shot of investors and well meaning individuals alike, yet they personally live, remain, far beyond the benefit of programs meant to raise a communities standard of living.

"Kings of Kibera" presents a series of young men who while resilient, are without hope, money, education or opportunities...theyre so close to programs within the Kibera slums of Nairobi Kenya and yet they most likely will remain trapped within slum culture if you will, for the rest of their lives surviving"off the grid". While there's no shortage of money being invested by the western world to help end hunger, provide mosquito nets to stop malaria, or to provide low cost medicine for Hiv/Aids sufferers, many live within ear shot of investors and well meaning individuals alike, yet they personally live, remain, far beyond the benefit of programs meant to raise a communities standard of living.

King all of them, they use dance as part of their way to deal with the strife, poverty, the anger and the dashed hopes uttered from the lips of the well meaning. Missionaries, faith based and government leaders of all kinds, visitors for a day, when they come face to face with the struggle and the vile living conditions, anyone with a beating heart in their chest wants to make a difference. It's just that for these young men, the "great ideas" or the "chance of a lifetime" or "the aid for everyone" simply didn't make it to their doorstep. Still proud, humble really to the man, they came together for me through friends for a chance at being seen, of being heard...so they danced for me, even when the rains came, no money for a boom box and one broken headlamp for lighting, they continued to dance for me, with the hope that i too - beyond the handshakes and the smiles, will bring something good to them beyond mere hollow words...of my good promise.

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