Flovian lives in Korogocho, the fourth largest slum area in Nairobi, Kenya.

The name Korogocho, a Swahili term meaning “crowded shoulder to shoulder", describes the congestion, insecurity perpetuated by criminal gangs, drug and alcohol abuse, lack of economic opportunities, and high poverty levels associated with the area.

Flovian Kenya DREAMS project 10 — Flovian chats to her neighbors at the end of the day. Photo courtesy of PEPFAR Kenya.

Having come from a broken home with 10 siblings, Flovian escaped her reality by using drugs. She left home at 17 to live with a friend, and faced constant harassment and exploitation where she did odd jobs to survive.

Flovian enrolled in a DREAMS Media and ICT training project and successfully completed the elemental phase of the project that focused on life skills, etiquette, ICT, photography, and filmmaking.

“I now practice photography as a career and I get jobs and get paid for it. I specialize in stock photography."
Flovian

Flovian Kenya DREAMS project 2 — Flovian on a shoot. Photo courtesy of PEPFAR Kenya.

Flovian Kenya DREAMS project 6 — Flovian works at getting the right angle. Photo courtesy of PEPFAR Kenya.

In 2018, Flovian was nominated one of the extraordinary photographers to take part in a stock photography project in South Africa.

She formed and registered a photography business with fellow talented DREAMS girls and is earning a living with her photography skills.

"If it wasn’t for DREAMS, I would be dead or out there in the streets or even doing sex work.”
Flovian

Flovian Kenya DREAMS project 9 — Flovian directs her subjects and crew to get the best possible shot on a photoshoot in Mathare. Photo courtesy of PEPFAR Kenya.

Flovian Kenya DREAMS project 5 — Flovian works out at a local gym in nearby Huruma estate. Photo courtesy of PEPFAR Kenya.

Physical fitness is a requirement in photography and Flovian regularly works out in her local gym. She also loves listening to reggae on a rooftop where she sees her whole neighborhood.

Flovian Kenya DREAMS project 11 — Flovian on her way to the next photography shoot in Mathare slums on a bodaboda (motorcycle taxi). Photo courtesy of PEPFAR Kenya.

Girls with DREAMS

This profile is taken from the PEPFAR Kenya “Our Lens Sauti Zetu (Our Voices)” photo book — a compilation of images captured by DREAMS girls highlighting their own stories.

The following DREAMS girls were the eyes behind the lens and beautifully captured the stories of the young women featured in the project: Dorcas Akinyi Onyango, Agnes Wanjiru Mugure, Flovian Atieno, Faith Akumu, Francisca Ndinda, Effie Awino, Fatuma Lando, Dorothy Oyuga, Linet Odira, Hellen Atieno.

Text and images from “Our Lens Sauti Zetu (Our Voices)” are used with permission from PEPFAR Kenya. Learn more about Girls with DREAMS.