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  • Photo taken near the begining of the slum area. Nairobi has two major slums, Mathare, and Kibera (ranked the largest slum in sub-Saharan Africa). These photographs are from Mathare. width:720;;height:483
  • My Kenyan friends in the car were concerned about these two, so they insisted I shoot ithrough a rolled-up window (something I had to do often in this area). width:720;;height:515
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  • Woman selling plastic containers outside the Meta Meta Bar. I love the colorful strips of fabric for the "door," width:720;;height:456
  • When I first saw "hotel" on these shacks I wondered who would stay is such a place, but then my Kenyan friends explained that the word hotel can also mean a bar, or a place to get cooked food. width:719;;height:481
  • There are thousands of these little shops in the slums. They are called "kiosks" (not quite the same as a kiosk at a US mall...) width:719;;height:481
  • This guy made himself a display table out of rocks and burlap. width:720;;height:489
  • Young boy at gas pump (the nozzel is pulled through the security grate. "Simu ya jamii" means "community phone available here." width:720;;height:468
  • Furniture makers width:720;;height:482
  • This man was the only person I saw smoking a cigarette in all of Kenya. Amazingly, Kenya is a "smoke free" country. It is against the law to smoke cigarettes anywhere in the country. width:719;;height:481
  • Matress tower. width:720;;height:480
  • Lots of small metal shops in the slum. They mostly make this type of security grill (which are used everywhere). width:719;;height:481
  • Heavy load of potatoes requires a two-man effort. width:720;;height:541
  • These carts are pulled by hand. This is a place that rents them out. width:720;;height:380
  • These carts are pulled by hand. This is a place that rents them out. width:720;;height:483
  • Hand drawn carts for rent at the Sun-Shine Hotel. These carts are logs lashed together on a car axel. width:720;;height:459
  • Chelsea Cutz and D-Base Electronics. width:720;;height:483
  • Love these hand painted illustrated signs. This one is especially colorful. width:577;;height:720
  • I love the hand painted signs, especialy the salons and barber shops. This fellow was wary of me. width:719;;height:481
  • Outdoor kitchen. width:719;;height:481
  • Eggs and live chickens and roosters. width:719;;height:481
  • A vendor of fancy leather handbags. width:720;;height:550
  • Closer shot of the vendor and his fancy bags. width:720;;height:483
  • This vendor has clothing and kitchen stuff. width:720;;height:483
  • Kenyan vendors like to creatively stack things. width:720;;height:400
  • One of the few people in the slum that enjoyed having their picture taken. The guy in the middle doesn't like it, so he's holding a yellow water bucket in front of his face. width:720;;height:508
  • A slum "hardware store." The vendors put a lot of effort into arranging everything very carefully. Hard to imagine that all this stuff has to be packed up and stored at night, then every morning it is all laid out all over again. width:720;;height:578
  • No running water in the slums (or in most villages, for that matter), so everyone has to have containers like these to fill up wherever water is available and then carried back "home." width:720;;height:471
  • Looks like a slow day for sales of water containers. width:720;;height:541
  • I was surprised to see this structure in the middle of the slum. It is mostly empty land filled with shacks make from corregated metal sheets and other found materials. width:720;;height:551
  • The only artistic graffitti I saw in my entire week in Kenya. width:720;;height:431
  • I don't know what these two are talking about, but they were surprisingly well dressed considering the area. width:719;;height:481
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  • The Holy Jerusalem Church. width:719;;height:481
  • Caption? your guess is as good as mine. width:719;;height:481
  • In Kenya, greetings involve lots of elaborate hand-shaking and big hugs, but for couples, public display of affection is frowned upon. These two just "touch" hands. width:719;;height:481
  • Cutz and the Base Pub width:720;;height:556
  • Benjaz Photostudio. "Quick passports, birthday parties, funerals and general photo works" width:720;;height:635
  • "Street Boys" are AIDS orphans that live on the street in cities and towns throughout Kenya (this photo was taken in Mehru). They get by through begging and petty thievery. These boys were very nice and posed for a number of photos, and all they wanted in return was for us to buy them tea (tea in Kenya is half milk and 4 spoons of sugar, so it's like a pick-me-up). The boy on the right is probably high on "miraa," which looks like a bunch of tiny plant stems, and is chewed. width:720;;height:467
  • I thought the pants and shoes of the Street Boys tell us a lot about their life on the street. width:720;;height:507
  • I had to grab this shot quickly as he ran past me. This AIDS orphan still has a great sense of humor as he mimics my camera, in spite of his circumstances. width:479;;height:720
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