Saviour Omondi Juma

My name is Saviour Omondi Juma, and I am a Kenyan mixed-media artist born in 2003 and raised in the vibrant but challenging environment of the Kibera slums. My journey into art began in 2009, and by 2014, I discovered the transformative potential of working with recycled materials.

My work portrays the beauty of African people’s faces, their traditions, and the unique way of life in Africa, with a particular focus on the resilience and survival in slum communities. Using reclaimed materials such as metal, plastic, and wood collected from Kibera’s dump sites, I create artworks that symbolize my experiences growing up in an environment surrounded by both challenges and inspiration.

In addition to my personal practice, I founded the Sun Valley Collective, a group of fifteen young artists from Kibera. Together, we empower and educate our community through art. Drawing inspiration from our immediate environment, we channel our creativity into drawings, paintings, wood carving, and metalwork. Our collective not only fosters skill-sharing among its members but also serves as a platform for expressing individuality and addressing community issues through art.

I am deeply passionate about passing on art skills to the next generation. I teach children aged 5 to 12 from the local community, helping them discover their creative potential and use art as a means of expression. Through our collective works, we aim to inspire and uplift, demonstrating the power of art to transform lives and foster a sense of pride and belonging.

My inspiration comes from the faces of people around me, the environment I grew up in, and the living standards in Kibera. Through my art, I strive to foster understanding—of culture, of the challenges faced by those in slums, and of solutions that can bring meaningful change. I believe art has the power to uplift and improve the living standards of people in my community, creating a more prosperous and hopeful environment for everyone.