{"id":3271,"date":"2019-07-05T06:37:44","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T06:37:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/?p=3271"},"modified":"2019-07-07T06:44:26","modified_gmt":"2019-07-07T06:44:26","slug":"enterprising-young-somali-refugees-in-dadaab-take-up-photography-as-a-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/2019\/07\/05\/enterprising-young-somali-refugees-in-dadaab-take-up-photography-as-a-career\/","title":{"rendered":"Enterprising young Somali refugees in Dadaab take up photography as a career"},"content":{"rendered":"

DADAAB (SoOHA) –\u00a0<\/strong>Ibrahim Mohamed Mukhtar<\/span>, 28, is running a thriving photography business in northeastern Kenya\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Dadaab camp\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>employing four other Somali refugee youth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having lived in Dadaab since he was a baby,\u00a0<\/span>and coming from a poor family,\u00a0<\/span>Ibrahim started making a name for himself as a photographer after leaving primary school in 2017.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>I\u00a0<\/span>bought<\/span>\u00a0my<\/span>\u00a0first camera\u00a0<\/span>for $300 on credit\u00a0<\/span>from a local shop\u00a0<\/span>owner who allowed me to pay in<\/span>\u00a0installments<\/span>,\u201d Ibrahim told Radio Ergo.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spotting a gap in the market, he\u00a0<\/span>starting charging just 10 shillings a photo to draw in the customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>I use<\/span>d to walk a<\/span>r<\/span>ound\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>suburbs of Dadaab\u00a0<\/span>meeting<\/span>\u00a0people and tak<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0their<\/span>\u00a0photos<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>At t<\/span>hat time I was alone and people\u00a0<\/span>were getting to notice my work<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two years on, he has invested $2,800 in four<\/span>\u00a0cameras and\u00a0<\/span>two computers<\/span>\u00a0to process the pictures.\u00a0 He makes enough to pay his staff and still put away\u00a0<\/span>Ksh<\/span>\u00a0500<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>\u00a0day\u00a0<\/span>in savings. He can comfortably s<\/span>upport\u00a0<\/span>his mother and sibling<\/span>s, and\u00a0<\/span>his wife.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>I\u00a0<\/span>don\u2019t need<\/span>\u00a0resettlement\u00a0<\/span>abroad\u00a0<\/span>or a job\u00a0<\/span>working for someone else<\/span>,\u201d Mukhtar said. \u201cI also get c<\/span>onstant encouragement from\u00a0<\/span>my\u00a0<\/span>wife\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0my life ha<\/span>s dra<\/span>matically improved<\/span>100<\/span>\u00a0per cent.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There are\u00a0<\/span>16\u00a0<\/span>young refugees working in\u00a0<\/span>photograph<\/span>y in the\u00a0<\/span>camp and the\u00a0<\/span>nearby\u00a0<\/span>town.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ali Abdi Mohamed, 23,\u00a0<\/span>is winding up at<\/span>\u00a0Waberi Secondary School<\/span>\u00a0and working with<\/span>\u00a0two friend<\/span>s<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0They earn around<\/span>\u00a0K<\/span>sh<\/span>\u00a070,000<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>\u00a0month<\/span>\u00a0as photographers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Ali\u00a0<\/span>began posting\u00a0<\/span>his\u00a0<\/span>photos\u00a0<\/span>on social media.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>I had the\u00a0<\/span>ambition to be a photographer.<\/span>\u00a0I had been using my phone\u00a0<\/span>until<\/span>\u00a0someone gave me\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0camera as\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>present.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0T<\/span>hat is when I officially started this work<\/span>. As<\/span>\u00a0time went by<\/span>\u00a0I<\/span>\u00a0managed to buy another\u00a0<\/span>camera,<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0he\u00a0<\/span>told Radio Ergo<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ali hopes<\/span>\u00a0to pay his way to\u00a0<\/span>university next year and\u00a0<\/span>wants\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0become\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>professional photographer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>This work has given\u00a0<\/span>me\u00a0<\/span>hope<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0I want\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>pursue\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>further to fulfill my dream. Hopef<\/span>ully,\u00a0<\/span>I can make a living from\u00a0<\/span>this work<\/span>,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0he said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The entrepreneurial spirit of these young photographers is appreciated by\u00a0<\/span>Hassan Osman, the chair<\/span>man<\/span>\u00a0of Hagader<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0camp<\/span>\u00a0in Dadaab.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The lives of these young<\/span>\u00a0people\u00a0<\/span>have changed<\/span>\u00a0for the better<\/span>. They have\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>contributed to<\/span>\u00a0improving the standard\u00a0<\/span>of\u00a0<\/span>living of their families. There are many who\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>facing\u00a0<\/span>unemployment<\/span>\u00a0as\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>aid agencies<\/span>\u00a0have<\/span>\u00a0laid off many young people because of the repatriation,<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0he\u00a0<\/span>said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Source: Radio Ergo<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DADAAB (SoOHA) –\u00a0Ibrahim Mohamed Mukhtar, 28, is running a thriving photography business in northeastern Kenya\u2019s\u00a0Dadaab camp\u00a0and\u00a0employing four other Somali refugee youth. Having lived in Dadaab since he was a baby,\u00a0and coming from a poor family,\u00a0Ibrahim started making a name for himself as a photographer after leaving primary school in 2017.\u00a0 \u201cI\u00a0bought\u00a0my\u00a0first camera\u00a0for $300 on credit\u00a0from …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1253,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-displacement-and-asylum","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t