David Mbuthia Mwangi

Documentary and Artistic photography inside Mathare
slum\residential

My name is David Mbuthia Mwangi 40 years old. I live in Mathare Slum, Nairobi, Kenya. 
I started taking pictures as a teenage on film Camera back in early September 1997 with 35mm a point shooter Camera the so called clears-hot at age of 13 years in the slum of Mathare. A year later, one of my tutors Professional photo Journalist (Lana Wong) who based in America Washington D.C discovered this great talent and advised me to use an Analogue Film Camera so as to learn balancing shutter a speed, a aperture and ISO in a project called SHOOTBACK
With the camera I made a clear shot of a child standing by a window. He was standing against light and you couldn’t completely see his face, the picture was epics and it made my tutor impressed and she gave me insight on how to be a shining star since then I embarked photography journey to use light and darkness as a sign of hope to the people living in the slums. This really motivated me in whom I learnt that someone can express his or her feelings without violence or force.

I do it because not all people will have a chance to reach the slums and see by themselves all that happens there. So the photo images enlightens people all over the world when I share them through social media and this I feel can bring change of life in the slums.

My motivation is to change lives of the people in the slums making it a better place for us all. This can only be achieved by empowering the people by educating them to live positive side of life and eliminate the bad image of slums. E.g. Drug abuse, crime life, gender based violence etc.

I hope this society will be able to formulate policies that will help to reduce the suffering of our brothers and sisters in the slums.

I believe that this is untold story that needs to be shared in images, and the timing is perfect to depict hope amidst a pandemic, and through my work I advocate for much-needed change, raising global awareness of the sustainable development through a dialogue generated through art, promised on the old-age “a picture can tell a thousand stories  
 
In my photography experience in slums I have encountered may challengers e.g. 

• Risking of losing your camera in the slums.
• Lack of funds to enhance your work/project.
• Some people deny you a chance to take them a photo, even demanding money and others force you to delete it.
• Due to lack of good equipment makes it hard to take some shots, sometimes you need to get very close to the object to get clear.

I have never worked for any agency, and I have never received any support in my 25 years’ experience in photography. I have been working for voluntary/charitable jobs/ Goodwill Ambassador.