In October 2024, Jameel Observatory post-doctoral researcher Tahira Mahomed convened a community ‘photovoice’ project in northern Kenya to illustrate some of the opportunities and challenges of camel keepers and producers – with images and narratives from the perspectives of the community members.
Participants in a ‘photovoice’ project with young pastoralists in Kenya’s camel production chain
Amidst the backdrop of one of the worst droughts in over forty years, the Horn of Africa has demonstrated remarkable resilience. Nearly 11 million livestock have perished due to the harsh conditions, yet pastoral livelihoods have not only persisted but often thrived. This resilience is underpinned by adaptive practices such as strategic mobility, species diversification, and market engagement. One notable adaptive strategy is the shift to camel production, especially in low and middle-income herd owners.
The aim of the photovoice project was to share insights from the lives and livelihoods of young pastoralists involved in the camel milk marketing value chain in several communities of Isiolo in Northern Kenya.
With participants from five communities – Kulamawe, Kinna, Biliqo, Booji, and Isiolo Town – the project recruited eleven participants, explaining the aims of the project and sharing skills on taking photographs. In the second phase, they took mobile phone photos from their daily lives, sharing them in a WhatsApp group. Then, the group met to discuss their photos and the messages they wanted to share.
A first selection of photos was compiled into a series of posters displayed at the 4th Pastoralist Leadership Summit, held in Wajir from 8-10 December 2024.
View photos and posters dispayed at Wajir under the following themes: