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Celebrities

These are a few of my favourite celebrity images taken over the years…. Just to keep you interested!

 

Mandela at a ceremony celebrating the completion of the tertiary planning stage of The Nelson Mandela Children`s Hospital in Johannesburg funded by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, where the legend`s 90th birthday was also remembered. South Africa, July 2009

Nelson Mandela

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nelson K`Naan – Somali-born hiphop artist singing live the remix version of his song “Waving Flag”, chosen as the Coca-Cola anthem for the official FIFA World Cup 2010. K`Naan toured with the World Cup Trophy and performed here in Cape Town at the celebration party of the arrival of the World Cup Trophy on South African soil. December 2009

K’Naan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah Obama, grandmother to American President Barrack Obama and Goodwill Ambassador for Grandmothers Against Malaria Initiative (GAMI), seen here distributing PermaNet mosquito nets with Ida Odinga, wife of Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga -  in the Obama`s home area of K`Ogelo, Western Kenya. January 2010

Sarah Obama & Ida Odinga

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yvonne Chaka Chaka, South African singer and Goodwill Ambassador for Roll Back Malaria, during World Malaria Day in Livingstone, Zambia. May 2008

Yvonne ChakaChaka

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mission on malaria awareness to Goma by the UNICEF Japan Committee and Japanese football star Hidetoshi Nakata (centre), here with Asuka Imai, Field Officer for UNHCR (centre right in blue) and members from UNICEF Japan Committee during a trip to Kibati 1 Camp for Internally Displaced People (IDP) run by UNHCR in DRC. 13 May 2009

Hidetoshi Nakata

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musa Otieno – one of Kenya`s most successful and decorated footballers. June 2009. With supposedly over 100 appearances for the Kenyan national team, Otieno also owns and operates a community outreach foundation in Kenya called the Musa Otieno Foundation which seeks to become a centre of excellence in youth football in Africa by not only nurturing talent but also producing disciplined and patriotic footballers that will put Kenya on the world map of football.  This is one image from a series taken for billboard advertising to promote the work of US company `Alive N` Kickin` which strives to help children exercise their right to play, to create employment for communities in Africa and to help raise awareness of preventable disease,  achieved through the African manufacture and distribution of sports balls and the provision of appropriate health awareness materials for young people. June 2009

Musa Otieno

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL IMAGES AND TEXT COPYRIGHT GEORGINA GOODWIN

 

 

 

Portraits from a Colonial Past part I

Part I

I’m unable to name the establishment where I took these portraits of their longstanding staff members of over 25 years service due to their law and request but I hope you will agree that the images speak for themselves without any need for embellishment or detail in writing.

 

ALL IMAGES AND TEXT COPYRIGHT GEORGINA GOODWIN

Birthdays

Summer in suburbia, life just outside Nairobi, ‘up the hill’ in Limuru. Housewives and children’s birthday parties amidst valleys of tea. Fresh air and breathtaking vistas, except in winter when the day is cloaked in mist. A dream childhood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All images copyright Georgina Goodwin (www.georginagoodwin.com)

BOMU Medical Clinic – Kibera in Nairobi

Photographing the official opening of:

BOMU HOSPITAL – Health. Hope. Humanity

From a small unit in Mkomani Mombasa in Kenya, BOMU has grown to a fully-fledged hospital brand now with 5 facilities – 4 on Kenya’s coast, and now the newest one in Nairobi’s biggest slum Kibera. BOMU has been around for 33 years, grown 400% and supported 10,000 families since it started. Some big statistics. And they’re definitely still going…..

With our elections coming up in August I am keen to uncover and connect with as many strong and prominent and influential Kenyans as possible. Those educated, smart, new generation models that I hope desperately will replace the old guard. I hope because they are our only hope: for a FUTURE, NEW, FUNCTIONAL, UN-CORRUPT, CONNECTED, HONEST, SUSTAINABLE KENYA. pray.

I connected with Tom Mboya, son of the late Tom Mboya who was a prominent Kenyan politician during Jomo Kenyatta‘s government, founder of the Nairobi People’s Congress Party, a key figure in the formation of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), and the Minister of Economic Planning and Development at the time of his death. Mboya was assassinated on July 5, 1969 in Nairobi.

Wonderfully for us Kenyans there are a few of these next, and even perhaps next next, generations of the old guard that stand out in history. Tom Mboya is one. Perhaps you don’t know but I am also one. My grand-daughter was Sir Michael Blundell, he was leader of the white community towards independence for Kenya. “Africa for the Africans”. If you type in Google “History of Kenya“, scroll down, you’ll find my grampa at the start of line 5 of Constitutional Debates. He was Knighted “Knight of the British Empire – KBE” by Queen Elizabeth II. Being knighted KBE is higher than what the lovely Queen normally bestows on those she chooses to honour for their services to the crown, which is usually an OBE – Order of the British Empire. So my grampa did well.

For further info on Sir Michael Blundell please visit: 1) politician in Kenya, 2) Orbituary, for review of his second book “A Love Affair With The Sun: A Memoir of Seventy Years in Kenya”). So I feel fairly comfortable with the best of them.

The Chief Guest was Jonathan Scott Gration, the US Ambassador to Kenya, and his wife Judy. Also attending and acknowledged for the legendary status in Kenya’s recent history were Dr. James Mwangi – CEO of Equity Bank, famous Kenyan singer Eric Wainaina, and the lady who’s vision it all is Mrs Hayati Anjarwalla – E.D. BOMU Hospital.

Also attending was John Githongo – CEO Inuka Trust, which has been instrumental in many changes and developments in the modern-day Kenya, changes such as this. John Githongo (born 1965) is a former Kenyan journalist who investigated bribery and fraud in his home country and later, under the presidency of Mwai Kibaki, took on an official governmental position to fight corruption. In 2005 he left that position, later accusing top ministers of large-scale fraud. The story of his fight against corruption is told in Michela Wrong‘s book It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower.

US Ambassador to Kenya Jonathan Scott Gration and his wife Judy arriving and meeting Mrs. Hayati Anjarwalla, E.D. Bomu Hospital, in Nairobi’s Kibera Slum

John Githongo meets US Ambassador to Kenya Jonathan Gration and his wife Judy.

US Ambassador, John Githongo, Mrs. Hayati Anjarwalla, CEO Equity Bank Dr James Mwangi and others at the top table stand to attention during the Kenyan National Anthem

Mrs. Hayati Angarwalli, 'Force of Nature and vision behind the BOMU hospitals feeds US Ambassador to Kenya Jonathan Gratian's lovely wife Judy some celebratory cake

US Ambassador to Kenya Jonathan Gration and his wife receives gifts from Mrs. Hayati Angarwalli, 'Force of Nature and vision behind the BOMU hospitals. Onlooking is John Githongo CEO of Inuka Trust with Tom Mboya , and Martin Miruka, Founder, CEO and Lead Strategist of ATOM-tdf, a Business Innovation and Brand Strategy firm based in Nairobi, Kenya

Dress made entirely out of condoms. Designed by BOMU staff member Faiz Luhar. Green/black dress worn by BOMU staff member Sophie.

Dress made entirely out of condoms. Designed by BOMU staff member Faiz Luhar. Dress worn by BOMU staff member Edna.

FOR MORE INFO ON: CHANGING KENYA

Please stay tuned and contact me Georgina Goodwin on daudie@gmail.com

Slice of Society

Herewith a very few select images from a 40th birthday party, themed ‘Grease’. Quintessentially a slice of ‘society’ in Nairobi…

The World Of Women

The Alliance Francaise in Nairobi is a non-political institution that not only promotes the French language and helps to develop an appreciation and understanding of French and Francophone cultures but which also promotes artistic and cultural diversity. In this regard they are calling for amateur and professional photographers to submit work in an international photography competition on the theme of The World Of Women, to be judged by a professional jury composed by Alliance Francaise de Nairobi. The chosen photos/finalists will be exhibited at the AF Nairobi on the occasion of the Festival CulturElles 2010 which marks International Women’s Day 2012.

The concept of ‘The World Of Women’ from my perspective explores the worlds of possibilities or non-possibilities that women have to face in their lives, often on a daily basis. I’m taking a risk by exposing that I’m submitting to the competition as I may or may not make a placing which of course will be disappointing, but the point is these images and the concept will at least get some exposure through those of you who read this. Thank you.

Image 1  ‘FUTURES’

Two young girls dressed for church on Sunday in Nairobi’s Kibera slum are held protectively and strictly by their obviously religious and stern mother. The passing young women, modernly and scantily dressed, reminds of the many different lives that women lead either by choice or because they have had to.

Image 2   ‘DIFFERENT WORLDS’

A bikini model waits self-consciously next to a group of masai women during a swimwear photo shoot in Amboseli National Park in Kenya. The image captures the incredibly different worlds and cultures from which these women come and from a larger perspective what they also represent ie. modern world of fashion, magazines, wealth, freedom of expression for women vs. ancient tribal culture, role of women in community, survival, very little independent/individual expression.

Image 3  ‘LEFT ALONE’

This is a portrait of Ida Makena, 23, outside her ‘home’ made from donated tent material, in Shalom City in Kenya’s Rift Valley, a displaced peoples’ camp set up after the country’s post-election violence. Her life is a series of ‘non-choices’ in one photograph, left alone by her husband, by the Kenya Government, by violence, she continues to tend to her daily chores of clothes washing and cooking despite her obvious hardship.

Image 4  ‘INNOCENCE’

Dressed in her best white dress next to ordinarily dressed boys, awkwardly playing with her shoe, the photograph captures the innocence of a girl before the influences and potential difficulties catch up and begin to take hold of her life in Nairobi’s Kibera slum.

All images and text copyright GEORGINA GOODWIN

Shelter Children Rehabilitation Centre – Ngong

I found out about this amazing orphanage from a friend of mine who is away from his children at present and is missing them terribly. To ‘give something back’ and for his own enjoyment to be with children he spends time there and on this occasion I joined him. What I found were incredibly organised, well mannered and smart children, and resources donated from many kind people from all round the world since the orphanage was set up around 12 yrs ago.

The centre has around 350 children and is run by Mary Wambui, the Director and Agnes, the General Manager. Most of those children are away at boarding school, so during my visit there were the younger ones only, around 40. Some of the children have been rescued from child marriages, some do have a parent somewhere but is somehow incapable of looking after them, the majority are orphans.

Many children I photograph in Kenya are unable and unwilling to answer any questions I direct at them, even to answer what is their name. The Kenyan education system does not teach children to think for themselves, they are only taught parot-fashion and to copy. At this orphanage I found each child  well spoken, addressed me directly and politely, and their individuality very evident. I will be visiting this orphanage/rehabilitation centre to begin to tell their stories. Here are a few opening photographs:

 

Election Violence 2007-2008 Kenya

I do not wish to ‘over-show’ these images but they do have a place on my blog.

They represent the beginning of my photography career as I see it, and the passion and seriousness that I feel for what I do. And so I am posting at least some, as a reminder, a warning, a record and as examples of some of my work, in some cases taken under difficult circumstances during the post-election violence that occurred in Kenya during the last few days of December 2007 and the first three weeks of January 2008.

My work was used by Reuters and McClatchy Newspapers New York and was distributed by the photo agencies GranAngular and Africa24. Some of my images were short-listed for an award in 2008 for the Bayeux Calvados for War Correspondants.

Twitter: @ggkenya

The First Grader – Special Screening

I was asked today by Blue Sky Films EPZ  to cover the special screening of a movie called The First Grader. The movie is about the true story of an 84 year-old Kenyan villager and ex Mau Mau freedom fighter who fights for his right to go to school for the first time to get the education he could never afford. School children play a huge, important role in this film and so to thank them and those children who featured in the film, the crew put together a special screening to around 300 children from schools in and around where the movie was shot in 2009 near Nairobi, Kenya – a small village in the Rift Valley called Kisamis. Many of these children had never seen a film before.

The First Grader was released in the US and UK in May and is premiering in Nairobi at The Junction cinema Tues 14 June. It is scheduled to be released in Kenya at the cinemas in August apparently.

It is fantastic, make a note and GO SEE IT!

Directed by  Justin Chadwick Writer: Ann Peacock Stars: Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge and Oliver Litondo

 

 

www.georginagoodwin.com

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