Bright star in Mathare slum

Jeff Mohammed

Jeff Mohammed, 20, has overcome great odds to become a talented, award-winning documentary and filmmaker. He tells JOAN BARSULAI how he has excelled with borrowed equipment

What was your childhood like?

I was born in Mathare in 1992. I am the firstborn in a family of three. My life started out well but when my parents suddenly passed on, I was taken in by another family. I grew up dirt poor in a shack and went to school in Mathare.

What was it like growing up under such tough circumstances?

You can only understand slum life if you have lived in one. Life was hell. There were no opportunities, drugs were rife at every corner I turned, and dropping out of school was the order of the day. Keeping hope and staying on the straight and narrow path was a matter of great self will.

When did you first come into contact with a camera?

When I was 15 years old. A photographer by the name of Julius Mwelu, who had also grown up in Mathare, opened a film and photography school called the Mwelu Foundation in Mathare. He immediately took me in. I always had a passion for telling stories and giving a positive light to anything negative that was happening around me. It was my way of making sense of the world around me. I had such high hopes for Mathare, even at such a young age. There were so many things to be learned every day.

I remember Julius handing me a three-dollar point and shoot camera. I walked around with it, taking pictures of what I liked.Later I showcased them. I loved photography so much that went out of my way to learn it. It gave me a great sense of calmness.

When did you first gain recognition?

In 2008, a white woman from the US started projects in the slum. We did photography for her thesis and thereafter held an exhibition in Mathare, which was the first of its kind in the area. The exhibition was a great success, and we got featured in the local media.

When did you transition from photography to filmmaking?

I met another foreigner who was in Kenya on research. He introduced me to filmmaking, and I helped him translate Makmende (a fictional story about a Kenyan super-hero) from Sheng to English for his research. I declined the pay he offered me and instead requested him to allow me to use his equipment. I made a documentary, One Goal, One Hope, a story about a 21-year-old one-legged football player who was determined to become a world-renowned football player.

How was this documentary received?

I remember when it first came out, people called me from all over the world, many crying and saying what a sad story it was. The documentary won an award at the Kenya International Film Festival. It also did a lot of screenings in Croatia, the US and it also became the subject of talks in various universities in the US. I got a nomination at the Aljazeera Film Festival in Qatar, Doha. I was 18 years then.

How did this change your life?

The response was surreal. I started thinking as a filmmaker. I got totally absorbed in filmmaking and all that it entails. The following year, I borrowed equipment once again and did a second documentary dubbed Poa-Rowe. It is an environmental film about the degradation of the Nairobi River by Mathare inhabitants. The river starts clean in Muthaiga, but by the time it reaches Mathare, it is in raw sewage form. In this documentary, the river talks about its experiences as the inhabitants make it filthy and putrid every single day. This documentary won an award in the Slum Film Festival last year.

With exposure from the documentary, I got together with old partners and did a photo exhibition called Seeing With My Own Eye. It was done in Colorado and Mathare.

I also did another exhibition, Shoot Nations, based on experiences in Mathare, and this got shows in Dakar and London.

Your work seems to have travelled the world and many people have heard about you. What do you reckon are your greatest achievements so far?

Whenever I get a hold of a camera to shoot a film, that, for me, is a great achievement. I am a shy orator and I tell stories best behind a camera.

Another great achievement was when I won an award courtesy of the Kenya International Film Festival. I sneaked out of school to receive the award and I got the chance to give a lecture to college and university students.

What do you do for fun?

I like music concerts. I also enjoy watching safari rallies and swimming.

What inspires you to do what you do?

I am greatly inspired by my love for photography. I am inspired by change as well; many think only slum people have stories to tell, but everyone from everywhere does as well. I would like to change the world, not just by showcasing the slum, but also telling stories of lives of people from other places.

What was your childhood dream?

My dream was to tell stories, and the camera enabled that dream to come true.

Who do you admire?

Hillary Ng’weno. He followed his heart, even though he did not get any training in media to succeed. He followed his calling and wasn’t afraid to do so.

What interests you?

I am greatly interested in working for the media; I think I would thrive in it.

What are your future plans?

I do not want to go to college just yet. I want to continue as a filmmaker and hopefully work in the media, and then specialise in what I like. There is currently no college in Kenya offering a diploma in photography. Kenya National Examination Council is conducting a survey with intentions to start such a programme.

In the meantime, I came to this world to help people, love them and become successful, and I hope to become a successful camera story in the future.

What are your challenges and struggles?

I have so many stories to tell, but I have no equipment. If I had a camera, I could do much more. 

What is your life like at the moment?

I live in Mathare North with my younger brothers, who are in high school. We raise ourselves. I have a saying: “Once you are 14 years old in the slum, you are old enough to take care of yourself.”

How can people access your documentaries if they want to watch them?

You can just Google them or go to YouTube and watch them. They are free online.

What message do you have for young people, especially those living under difficult circumstances and feel there is no way out?

It is really hard even for me. There are more heroine dealers than teachers where I come from. But in life you have to have faith. Faith is what gives us hope for tomorrow. Not many will believe in you, so you have to invest in yourself. Making it is a battle only one person can win — you.