{"id":1,"date":"2019-10-04T11:59:23","date_gmt":"2019-10-04T11:59:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dfw-ch.com\/humanitarian\/?p=1"},"modified":"2025-12-28T20:08:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T20:08:57","slug":"ballet-school-in-the-kibera-slum-kenya-august-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dfw-ch.com\/humanitarian\/ballet-school-in-the-kibera-slum-kenya-august-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Kibera (Kenya) – a ballet school in the slum"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″ offset=”vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

KIBERA – Working in the slum of Nairobi (Kenya)<\/h2>\n

In August 2019, Catherine Habasque and Pier Giorgio Regazzo travelled to Nairobi to work with the young ballet students of Project Elimu<\/strong>, founded by Mike Wamaya in the Kibera slum.
This encounter became a profoundly moving and transformative experience \u2014 one that revealed not only the challenging living conditions of the children, but also their strength, kindness, discipline and extraordinary inner light<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Each day, DFW worked with around 200 children<\/strong>, providing separate ballet classes for boys and girls. With a selected group of thirty students, intensive rehearsals focused on precision, discipline, responsibility, teamwork and artistic presence<\/strong> \u2014 values at the core of dance and of DFW\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n

Together, a short ballet piece was created to help support fundraising for the centre and its classes. The children themselves chose the title:<\/p>\n

\u201cFinding the Future.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The work stands as a symbol of hope, courage and the belief that art can open new possibilities.
The piece can be viewed here: https:\/\/youtu.be\/Fib1Xwz4U-c<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Supporting Talent \u2014 Eugene\u2019s Journey<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Within the talent development program, DFW began supporting Eugene<\/strong>, a gifted 12-year-old dancer from Kibera, enabling him to continue his ballet education outside the slum at Dance Center Kenya<\/strong> in central Nairobi.<\/p>\n

His dedication, perseverance and artistic commitment have taken him far.<\/p>\n

2025 update:<\/strong>
Eugene is now studying at an arts university in the United States<\/strong>, pursuing his dream and beginning his professional path as a dancer \u2014 a powerful testimony to what opportunity, guidance and resilience can achieve.<\/p>\n

\n

Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n

DFW remains committed to this beautiful and life-changing project and plans to continue developing its work in Kibera, supporting access to artistic education as a force for confidence, structure, dignity and hope<\/strong> for children of the community.<\/p>\n

Many of the photographs from this project were taken by
Catherine Habasque and Pier Giorgio Regazzo<\/strong> \u2014 and some of the intimate portraits were captured by the children themselves, offering their own perspective on their world.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″ offset=”vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner el_class=”youtube-video”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fGd53r02dOI”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/Fib1Xwz4U-c?si=QzVlwjHxmItGiVp1″ css=””][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/BMCP7mx9-1k”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”IN THE STUDIO” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1734421904453{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_separator color=”white” css=””][vc_masonry_media_grid style=”lazy” items_per_page=”15″ element_width=”3″ gap=”2″ css=”.vc_custom_1734593833727{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}” grid_id=”vc_gid:1766952423579-efc6e4a3-1006-10″ include=”72,74,80,79,77,76,75,82,81,71,70,69,67,508,509,510,526,495,66,507,506,505,504,503,502,501,500,496,494″][vc_custom_heading text=”EUGENE” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1734422112082{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_separator color=”white” css=””][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1734593995414{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1734673571689{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Eugene in Kibera<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_masonry_media_grid css=”.vc_custom_1734673661765{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}” grid_id=”vc_gid:1766952423579-0fad3939-dd41-6″ include=”496,495,73″][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1734673560492{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Eugene in Dance Center Kenya<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”6″ css=”.vc_custom_1734673647316{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}” grid_id=”vc_gid:1766952423579-42c168f1-dd5b-9″ include=”541,540″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”KIBERA” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1734522688125{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_separator color=”white” css=””][vc_masonry_media_grid style=”lazy” items_per_page=”15″ element_width=”3″ gap=”2″ css=”.vc_custom_1734594076444{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}” grid_id=”vc_gid:1766952423580-45163a42-1663-5″ include=”94,95,96,97,98,99,100,107,87,86,106,105,85,84,104,103,110,109,102,101,108,88,89,90,91,92,93,111,118,117,116,115,114,113,112,119″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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