"I just wanted to have a child because I love children and wanted to hold mine."

My name is Fena, I’m twenty-one years old. I live in Kibera, I was born here, raised here, and studied here.

My mum is from Kakamega, she’s a single mum. She is the one who raised us, two girls, two boys.

My mum works as a housemaid, but she got an issue with her blood pressure that doesn't allow her to stand for long. Right now we’re the ones supporting her, my brother and my sister. It’s been more than five years now, and she regularly goes to the clinic to get her pressure checked and get medication.

I don’t know my father. He left us when we were little. We don’t know if he’s still around or if he’s passed away. Even my grandmother, his mother, doesn’t know. He just disappeared when we were little until now, we’ve never seen him.

It’s hard but there’s a program for women that’s educating me. They pay for my fees to study beauty and hairdressing.

When I finish the course and graduate, I can maybe open my own salon or a beauty spa. My favourite part of beauty is doing hair, I like doing hair.

At the end of this month, I’ll officially be six months pregnant. I don’t yet know the gender, but I’d like to find out. This is my first child.

I’m excited- sometimes worried, sometimes excited. But I’m excited to see my first baby although I do worry about being in labour or being required to have a c-section.

I’m together with the child’s father, we met along the streets in Soweto. He works as a delivery rider. He’s twenty-five, this is his first child. We’re just dating for now but we have plans. He said that when he gets the money, he’ll help me open a business.

Right now I live with my mother but I might go stay with him because he says that he wants to raise his child.

I might want to have other children in five or ten years to come.

I want to use the implant for family planning. They give them out for free in hospitals. It will be my first time using it.

My mum was angry at first when she found out but she came to accept it. She told me it’s better for me to have the child than have an abortion.

I’d want to be financially stable, I need financial resources. If I had the money right now I’d want to buy a UV lamp that would enable me to be a mobile nail tech and work on clients from their homes. That would be nice.

We planned the pregnancy. I just wanted to have a child because I love children and wanted to hold mine.

I want to give a good life to him or her when they come. Whatever my children need, I'll provide so they can have a good life. I want them to go to a private school.

I’d tell them I love them. I want them to be God-fearing, kind and self-respecting. If I had the ability, I wouldn’t even raise them in Kenya. Life here…no, it’s hard. Sometimes there’s no electricity, no water, not enough security. I want them to grow up where there is good security.

photographer's note

Truphena was a very shy person and not so comfortable in front of the camera. Regardless, she allowed us to meet her mother and also accompany her to the clinic. She is very excited for her motherhood journey and I truly wish her the best.

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