British High Commission launches Koinonia Children Self portraits Book

The long awaited book ‘Koinonia: Self portraits by Nairobi Street Children’ was officially launched on Monday, April 18. The afternoon event was held at the lush manicured lawn at the British High Commission in Upper Hill, Nairobi. The white sumptuous tent, the photo and drawing exhibits and the books display as well as the expectant audience created an apt ambience.

Present at the launch, was UK High Commissioner Rob Macaire, Koinonia Community Director Father Renato Kizito Sesana, British artist David Fulford, members of the press and other distinguished guests.

This charity publication has photographs and drawings made by 21 street boys from Kibera slums in Nairobi. Kibera is the largest slum in Nairobi, and the second largest urban slum in Africa. Thus the children had more than a story to share about the place they call home. This is evident in the themes advanced in their pictures and drawings. Thus in collaboration with the Koinonia Community, Fulford through a workshop collected the content of the book in 2006.

The workshop focused on 'Self-Portrait', and encouraged the boys to consider various elements that constitute a self portrait; the people, objects and surroundings that define an individual in their environment. Using simple 'point-and-shoot' disposable cameras, the boys then left the classroom, with an idea to collect images that would in some way define themselves.

The boys who took part in the workshop and consequent making of the book were present and were elated that their story could now be told to an even larger audience through the launched book. The photo exhibit as well as the power point slides spoke volumes of the innocent perspective of the street children who took part in this initiative. Their ages ranged from 7-14. For instance there was a drawing of a City Hopa, a bus service provider common along Kibera; there were also drawings of a man in colorful attire.

The book is graced on the cover with a picture of an iron corrugated makeshift in Kibera; the dark house contrasting with the ripe yellow background of the books’ hard cover. The content largely draws from the visual self-portraits that present each boy’s personal visual world. Leading through the narrow streets and into the slum dwellings of Kibera, the boys’ images provide an intimate representation of children's lived experience on the streets of Kibera. The book goes for 38.6189 US Dollar and the proceeding from the sale of these books will be donated to raise funds for Koinonia Community projects.

“Such projects help bridge the gap among the people” the UK High Commissioner, Rob Macaire said during his speech at the launch.

The ecstatic and entertaining performance by the rehabilitated street children from Kivuli center (Kivuli Acrobats), one of Koinonia’s programs, brought the afternoon ceremony to an end .The acrobatic show and charismatic African dances by the boys left the audience in admiration. This goes without saying that a lot of talent is tapped in Koinonia Community, which through workshops, trainings and nurturing of these talents will open more avenues for the empowerment of marginalized groups such as orphans and street families.

Fulford said that this was 'the third and most significant book launch', thanking the team that journeyed with him through the 5 year realization of the book.

 “The project began here in Kenya and it is important to celebrate this book with all the children who have been involved and for them to have the chance to share their stories with people here in Nairobi,” said Fulford.

"A display of the original mono-print drawings from the book also showed off the boys’ creative talents," he added.

Similar events have previously taken place at Present London and Partners Spade New York.