In February, our Bright Futures members took their first steps into mindfulness photography, guided by documentary photographer Vanessa Kastner. Over two days, the young mothers learned to observe the world with intention and use photography as a way to express their personal stories. That session introduced the seven themes at the heart of this practice, Calm, Curiosity, Creativity, Connection, Courage, Compassion, and Celebration, and it set the foundation for what was to come.
Phase 2 ran over three weekends, with photo walks through Kibera taking place during the week between sessions. This phase was facilitated by Saskia, an award-winning photojournalist and creator of photography workshops that bridge divides and support healing. Where Phase 1 introduced the ideas, Phase 2 put them into practice in a sustained and meaningful way. Each woman was given her own camera for the duration of the program. Having a camera to hold, carry, and return to each week gave the women a sense of ownership over the process and their images.
The photo walks were supported by a team of supporting photographers. They were present throughout, walking alongside the women and offering support as needed, as fellow photographers moving through the same streets. These walks became one of the most important parts of the project. The women moved through areas of Kibera that many of them had never visited before, discovered new streets, stopped to look at things they had previously walked past without noticing, and formed connections with people and places they had not encountered before despite living in the same community.
One moment that stood out was the group’s visit to Mzee Adam Hussein, a veteran journalist based in Kibera, who welcomed them and shared his experiences and insights. The discussion connected the women’s own growing practice to a longer tradition of storytelling rooted right in their community.
Selected photographs from the walks were printed and brought into the weekend sessions for group discussion. Looking closely at the prints together, the women asked questions and talked through what each image was saying.
We are grateful to Saskia for bringing her skill, her time, and her commitment to these sessions. We are also grateful to the supporting photographers who were present throughout, in the workshop and on the walks, and who gave the women both practical support and the company of people who share a love of photography. The women have grown so much both in their confidence and in their knowledge. The way they hold a camera now is different from how they held it on the first day, and they have gained a skill that they could turn into a potential career or just use to document their every day lives in a new way.
Moving forward, we are hoping to hold an exhibition of the photographs they have taken. It would be an opportunity for the women to share the way they see their community and their unique perspectives with a larger audience.
