Olwage’s latest work, The Right to Play, shows empowered girls playing in a carefree world. The work is symbolic of creating an uplifting environment for girls to provide and allow them the freedom to play and dream. Some may want to be a pilot, a teacher, or even a doctor, and there are many who may want to become lawyers in order to fight for the rights of girls and to push for access to education.
This recent project of hers fits perfectly within her practice which has been centered on long-term collaborative projects, where she aims to create a space for people through an active participation in the creation of the images.
Read our Q&A with the artist to learn more.
How and when was the project born?
In June 2021 I was commissioned to direct a short documentary on Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya who founded Kakenya’s Dream, a nonprofit organization that leverages education to empower girls, end harmful traditional practices including female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage, and transform communities in rural Kenya. Part of the project was created during my participation in the PHmuseum Documentary Photography Masterclass and my tuition for the masterclass was generously supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF).
During my visit to Kakenya’s Dream school I had the privilege to spend time with the girls there. I was blown away by the way the school shaped their confidence and the transformation that happened when girls were given the opportunity to finish their education in an environment where they were supported and encouraged to dream.
From a young age, many girls are told what their future will look like. The expectation is: you grow up, you get a husband and you have children. And that’s your life. Every day, girls face barriers to education caused by poverty, cultural norms, and practices, poor infrastructure and violence.
Lee-Ann Olwage
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