Woman

Series documenting one day in the life of Elizabeth, a single mother living in the slum of Gataka near Nairobi, Kenya.

Neatly packed rations of charcoal for sale.
The charcoal shop – a small metal shed with no electricity that also doubles as a storage unit for Elizabteh’s wares.
Elizabeth’s youngest daughter Nice (3) already takes a keen interest in the family business.
Her daughter Miriam (20) looks after the shop when Elizabteh is busy with the daily chores.
Elizabeth’s house – built with rough cement blocks held together by mortar made from cow dung and sand – threathens to fall down with every heavy rain.
Jim and Puss have both seen better days.
Every day I cook for the children, my own and my two sisters’, when they are hungry they will come and eat…
…and afterwards they go back out to play or back to school – and I start cleaning again.
The doors and windows were painted with colourful splashes of paint by Elizabeth’s youngest son Felix (16); the checked blanket on the right hides the shower, in truth no more than a bowl of heated water, some soap and a towel.
On the way to the river we pass the large houses Elizabeth’s brothers have built …
…built with profit made from the sale of her father’s land.
A: “Did you ever ask your brothers why they sold the family’s land?” E: “If I would go to them and ask why, they would beat me and chase me out. A woman has no business asking these questions here.”
The last steep climb up the hill from the river – not an easy route to take on any day, but much less so when carrying big barrels of water.
“If you give something freely and with a good heart, by the end of the week it will be returned to you five times over”