Visual storytelling in marginalized spaces like Kibera and communities such as Wanakolo is fundamentally an act of representation, where choices in framing housing, identity, and belonging either reinforce stereotypes or affirm human dignity. 

In preparing this section of the sight, special interests is on how communities find new ways of upgrading informal spaces that are collaborative, productive and sustainable. 

By creating an honest, respectful visual archive, we aim to build tangible evidence of systemic neglect alongside the community's persistent survival, offering a record that demands historical accountability.

To guide our long-term visual documentary project and frame future visual storytelling or journalistic pieces, we are building a living visual archive rooted right here in Kibera. 

Our first core focus is mapping a profound material transformation happening around our community. By focusing our lenses on the shift from temporary mabati (corrugated iron) structures to permanent TwistBlocks, we want to analyze how this physical upgrade fundamentally shifts how people see us. It is the visual evidence of an informal settlement shedding the derogatory label of a temporary "slum" and claiming its right to be recognized as a permanent, dignified neighborhood.

As visual storytellers who call these spaces home, our personal histories give us an edge that outside journalists routinely miss. We know where to look. We understand the deep sense of domestic pride hidden behind a modest doorway, the intentionality behind a family’s indoor lighting choices, and the complex, supportive logic of our community layouts. 

This archive is our chance to explore how photography can act as a powerful form of grassroots restitution. We are documenting reality on our own terms, exposing systemic development neglects while simultaneously celebrating the community’s incredible, self-funded resilience.

A major part of this journey involves capturing the sharp, visual contrast between the looming, state-led demolition threats we often face and the community's bold, permanent, modular investments. 

But telling this story requires a deep commitment to the people living it. We are actively drafting practical guidelines for informed consent and collaborative storytelling to ensure that everyone in Wanakolo and Kibera is treated as a true partner rather than a mere subject. Crucially, we are establishing frameworks to share these visual assets directly back with the community, handing over the photos to be used for local grassroots advocacy.