Photo Mart

Your purchase of these photos will help some of the least of His children in Kenya to go to school.

Some of these photos were shot near Meru, where we lived with the local people. There are also photos from around Isiolo, from Kitale and the Pokot region in Western Kenya and on the road to Marsabit in Northern Kenya - all places that tourists seldom, if ever, visit.

The wildlife photos were taken in Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves, where many tourists do go on safari, and about an hour from where we lived.

We hope that these images will help you to understand what life is like for many children, women and grandmothers in Kenya.

The path that these girls in Kitale are on leads to their homes, which are huts made of sticks and pieces of plastic, and located in the middle of a maize field. They, and whatever families they have, are squatters on land that they don’t own – and they don’t go to school because there’s no money for uniforms and books.

It was Parents’ Days at St. John Bosco Children’s Centre – and, after the festivities, this young man and his mother took shelter under the eaves of a classroom. God provided the rain – and these few minutes of togetherness – something that wouldn’t have happened if this boy was still on the streets of Kitale.

Girls from Marima Children’s Home in Kobu rejoiced at the groundbreaking ceremony for Tumaini Girls’ Centre. It is being built by Ripples International, a NGO in Meru, and it will be a safe place for defiled girls who can't continue to live in homes where they have been abused.

Ngaremara, between Isiolo and Samburu National Reserve, is a hot, dry place – and safe water there is expensive. Often families can afford only a few gallons for the day’s cooking and drinking needs. And girls are the usual means of transporting water from the well to their homes, which may be several kilometers away.

“I Want to go to School Too”

A little girl in Arimet, near Isiolo, picked up her older sister’s school bag and headed off to the school. Typically, in this pastoral region, only one child in a family goes to school. Boys spend their days herding goats and cattle – and girls collect wood, cook meals and care for young siblings and old people.

Every day is laundry day at St. Clare Girls’ School in Nchiru, near Meru. It is home and school for 300 girls. Many are from Samburu and Turkana pastoralist families.

These curious young students are boarders at the new Kacheliba Girls’ Primary School in Pokot country, north of Kitale, and quite close to the border of Uganda.

This is a typical Samburu family in the area north of Isiolo – a fairly old man with his young wife (possibly his second wife) and their children – two of whom are in school.

Four Little Samburu Girls

USAID and Ripples International help children in Arimet, near Isiolo, go to school by providing them with uniforms and school supplies. Some girls however, spend their days fetching water and firewood, and caring for small babies.

“Samburu Girl and Her Brother ”

She hasn’t been to school and doesn’t know how old she is. She cares for her baby brother – and soon she will have a baby of her own to care for as well. She lives with her pastoralist Samburu family in the semi-arid region near Isiolo – and their tribal tradition is for girls to marry when very young.

Samburu Mother and Children

Young mothers, in their manyattas near Isiolo, are often left on their own to care for their children, while their men are off herding cattle where there is grass. They often have five or six children because they know that several of them will die – and they hope the others will care for them when they are old.

Women, girls and goats gather at this well in Epeding, near Isiolo. Their lives are easier since World Vision drilled this bore hole, and installed a pump and trough.

Three Generations in Chumvi

Turkana grandmothers often look like they could be mothers of babies. In fact, some of her own children may be about the same age as her grandchildren. Daughters are often married off at very young ages. And they have babies to care for while they are in their teens – when they are still children themselves, who should be in school and enjoying their young lives.

Three Generations in Ngaremara

Young, educated Turkana women are the captains of groups of ten or twelve guardians of children sponsored by Ripples International. When distributions of maize and school uniforms from USAID are made every quarter, they keep track of who gets what. Those who receive “sign” with their thumbprints.

Turkana Teenager and Sibling

Pastoralist families moved to Kitali from the Lake Turkana area. Since they don’t own land there, they are living in the middle of a maize field – in Jamanoor, a camp of make-shift huts. Many teenage girls there are not going to school – they are instead looking after young siblings while their mothers do casual labor.

“I Want to Read Too”

Two teen girls read from the progress reports that Ripples International in Meru has provided – and their friend, who is a mother to her brother, wishes she could go to school.

Two young mothers-to-be dance at the groundbreaking ceremony of Tumaini Girls’ Center, near Meru. Their beaded collars are borrowed from their mothers, and tell everyone that their fathers are wealthy.

“Wish You Were Here”

She is from Marima Children’s Home in Kobu and she’s telling her story at the groundbreaking ceremony of Tumaini Girls’ Centre, a safe haven of Ripples International. It is a place where girls, whose lives have been shattered, are helped with counseling to feel some joy in their lives.

Joy was abandoned by her mother shortly after birth and spent her first three years in a children’s home in Meru. And then her grandmother took her into her home.

Forced to Move or Rebuild

Many Turkana families in Kitale are squatters on land that doesn’t belong to them, and often their mud and stick huts are destroyed. Some move to another slum, while others try to rebuild. Children often sleep on cold ground.

Alice’s husband died two months before her youngest daughter, Josephine, was born. With help from St. John Bosco Children’s Centre in Kitale, her girls are in school.

The new road is a washboard – so rough on vehicles that drivers prefer being on the trails in the sand. Much caution is needed as the sand keeps drifting in to fill the tracks.

A young lioness is on her own in Samburu National Reserve. She needs to learn to hunt for herself – however, she is curious and quite easily distracted.

It’s early in the morning in Samburu National Reserve, just a short drive from Isiolo – and this young Reticulated Giraffe is stretching out for the tenderest of acacia thorns, which are several inches long and have very sharp ends. Giraffes can eat and digest them easily.

Two adults and two youngsters enjoy togetherness on the savannah in Samburu National Reserve. They are part of a herd of between ten and fifteen reticulated giraffes.

Buffalo Springs National Reserve, adjacent to Samburu National Reserve, is a flat, open and arid plain with grassland – an ideal environment for large herds of Beisa Oryx, with the head and body of horses, hind legs of antelopes, lions’ tails and long, sharp, twisted horns. They are creatures of myth and heraldry – some believe they are the origin of the legendary unicorn.

“What do You Want?”

A leopard in Samburu National Reserve had just killed a gazelle and stowed it up on a tree branch – and then saw a lioness who wanted that gazelle for her own breakfast.

Photo Mart
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Your purchase of these photos will help some of the least of His children in Kenya to go to school. Some of these photos were shot near Meru, where we lived with the local people. There are also photos from around Isiolo, from Kitale and the Pokot region in Western Kenya and on the road to Marsabit in Northern Kenya - all places that tourists seldom, if ever, visit. The wildlife photos were taken in Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves, where many tourists do go on safari, and about an hour from where we lived. We hope that these images will help you to understand what life is like for many children, women and grandmothers in Kenya.

Click here for purchase information. Click on thumbnails to see larger images and stories behind the photos. Images copyright © 2011 and 2012 by Marilyn Parker. All rights reserved.

Click here for purchase information. Click on thumbnails to see larger images and stories behind the photos.

“I See You” The path that these girls in Kitale are on leads to their homes, which are huts made of sticks and pieces of plastic, and located in the middle of a maize field. They, and whatever families they have, are squatters on land that they don’t own – and they don’t go to school because there’s no money for uniforms and books. return

Waiting in the Rain It was Parents’ Days at St. John Bosco Children’s Centre – and, after the festivities, this young man and his mother took shelter under the eaves of a classroom. God provided the rain – and these few minutes of togetherness – something that wouldn’t have happened if this boy was still on the streets of Kitale. return

Dancing With Thanks Girls from Marima Children’s Home in Kobu rejoiced at the groundbreaking ceremony for Tumaini Girls’ Centre. It is being built by Ripples International, a NGO in Meru, and it will be a safe place for defiled girls who can't continue to live in homes where they have been abused. return

The Water Kiosk Ngaremara, between Isiolo and Samburu National Reserve, is a hot, dry place – and safe water there is expensive. Often families can afford only a few gallons for the day’s cooking and drinking needs. And girls are the usual means of transporting water from the well to their homes, which may be several kilometers away. return

“I Want to go to School Too” A little girl in Arimet, near Isiolo, picked up her older sister’s school bag and headed off to the school. Typically, in this pastoral region, only one child in a family goes to school. Boys spend their days herding goats and cattle – and girls collect wood, cook meals and care for young siblings and old people. return

Laundry Day Every day is laundry day at St. Clare Girls’ School in Nchiru, near Meru. It is home and school for 300 girls. Many are from Samburu and Turkana pastoralist families. return

Outside Looking In These curious young students are boarders at the new Kacheliba Girls’ Primary School in Pokot country, north of Kitale, and quite close to the border of Uganda. return

Samburu Family This is a typical Samburu family in the area north of Isiolo – a fairly old man with his young wife (possibly his second wife) and their children – two of whom are in school. return

Four Little Samburu Girls USAID and Ripples International help children in Arimet, near Isiolo, go to school by providing them with uniforms and school supplies. Some girls however, spend their days fetching water and firewood, and caring for small babies. return

“Samburu Girl and Her Brother ” She hasn’t been to school and doesn’t know how old she is. She cares for her baby brother – and soon she will have a baby of her own to care for as well. She lives with her pastoralist Samburu family in the semi-arid region near Isiolo – and their tribal tradition is for girls to marry when very young. return

Samburu Mother and Children Young mothers, in their manyattas near Isiolo, are often left on their own to care for their children, while their men are off herding cattle where there is grass. They often have five or six children because they know that several of them will die – and they hope the others will care for them when they are old. return

At the Borehole Women, girls and goats gather at this well in Epeding, near Isiolo. Their lives are easier since World Vision drilled this bore hole, and installed a pump and trough. return

Three Generations in Chumvi Turkana grandmothers often look like they could be mothers of babies. In fact, some of her own children may be about the same age as her grandchildren. Daughters are often married off at very young ages. And they have babies to care for while they are in their teens – when they are still children themselves, who should be in school and enjoying their young lives. return

Three Generations in Ngaremara Young, educated Turkana women are the captains of groups of ten or twelve guardians of children sponsored by Ripples International. When distributions of maize and school uniforms from USAID are made every quarter, they keep track of who gets what. Those who receive “sign” with their thumbprints. return

Turkana Teenager and Sibling Pastoralist families moved to Kitali from the Lake Turkana area. Since they don’t own land there, they are living in the middle of a maize field – in Jamanoor, a camp of make-shift huts. Many teenage girls there are not going to school – they are instead looking after young siblings while their mothers do casual labor. return

“I Want to Read Too” Two teen girls read from the progress reports that Ripples International in Meru has provided – and their friend, who is a mother to her brother, wishes she could go to school. return

Samburu Teenagers Two young mothers-to-be dance at the groundbreaking ceremony of Tumaini Girls’ Center, near Meru. Their beaded collars are borrowed from their mothers, and tell everyone that their fathers are wealthy. return

“Wish You Were Here” She is from Marima Children’s Home in Kobu and she’s telling her story at the groundbreaking ceremony of Tumaini Girls’ Centre, a safe haven of Ripples International. It is a place where girls, whose lives have been shattered, are helped with counseling to feel some joy in their lives. return

Joy's Home Joy was abandoned by her mother shortly after birth and spent her first three years in a children’s home in Meru. And then her grandmother took her into her home. return

Forced to Move or Rebuild Many Turkana families in Kitale are squatters on land that doesn’t belong to them, and often their mud and stick huts are destroyed. Some move to another slum, while others try to rebuild. Children often sleep on cold ground. return

Alice and Her Girls Alice’s husband died two months before her youngest daughter, Josephine, was born. With help from St. John Bosco Children’s Centre in Kitale, her girls are in school. return

Road to Marsabit The new road is a washboard – so rough on vehicles that drivers prefer being on the trails in the sand. Much caution is needed as the sand keeps drifting in to fill the tracks. return

“Who Are You?” A young lioness is on her own in Samburu National Reserve. She needs to learn to hunt for herself – however, she is curious and quite easily distracted. return

Lone Giraffe It’s early in the morning in Samburu National Reserve, just a short drive from Isiolo – and this young Reticulated Giraffe is stretching out for the tenderest of acacia thorns, which are several inches long and have very sharp ends. Giraffes can eat and digest them easily. return

Giraffe Family Two adults and two youngsters enjoy togetherness on the savannah in Samburu National Reserve. They are part of a herd of between ten and fifteen reticulated giraffes. return

Beisa Oryx Buffalo Springs National Reserve, adjacent to Samburu National Reserve, is a flat, open and arid plain with grassland – an ideal environment for large herds of Beisa Oryx, with the head and body of horses, hind legs of antelopes, lions’ tails and long, sharp, twisted horns. They are creatures of myth and heraldry – some believe they are the origin of the legendary unicorn. return

“What do You Want?” A leopard in Samburu National Reserve had just killed a gazelle and stowed it up on a tree branch – and then saw a lioness who wanted that gazelle for her own breakfast. return