P H OTO GRAP HY TILL MUELLENMEISTER
TILL MUELLENMEISTER
was born in 1981 in Cologne, Germany. After briefly studying political science and economics, he went on to study photography and media focusing on photojournalism at the University of Applied Science in Bielefeld. He graduated in 2010. A six-month internship for Swiss and Kenyan dailies “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” and “Daily Nation” in Nairobi, Kenya resulted in him covering the 2007/2008 election and the unrest that followed. He has worked as a freelancer since, working for newspapers and magazines such as “Die Zeit”, “taz”, “Handelsblatt” and “Der Spiegel”. Other photography-related work included international co-operations and freelance work for UNHCR , SOS Children´s Villages, GTZ Gemeinschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit. He has travelled to numerous European and African countries producing photojournalistic reports. In 2010 he became a member of Laif photo agency and was nominated for the Black and White Spider Award. In 2011 he won the VG Bild sponsorship award and received the documentary photography award from Wüstenrot Stiftung.
ELECTION CRISIS
Keny a, Post El ection Crisis, 2008
„Post Election Crisis“
ber 27, 2007, left more than 1200 people dead and more than 450.000 flee their homes. Supporters
The ethnical motivated violence that broke out, after
of Kibaki‘s opponent, Raila Odinga of the Orange
incumbent President Mwai Kibaki was declared the
Democratic Movement, alleged electoral manipulati-
winner of the presidential election held on Decem-
on. The Kikuyu, Kenya’s largest tribe, have dominated
Kenya both politically and economically since inde-
a result of the economical and political imbalance
pendence from Britain in 1963, stirring up ancestral
of the country. The outbreak of violence left one of
rivalry with the Luos and leading to jealousy and
Africa’s most stable and fast growing economies in
frustration among other communities. Thousands of
pieces.
shops and business were burned and destroyed as
SEX FOR FISH
Keny a, Lake Vi ctoria, 2012
„Sex for Fish“
change for fish is exposing a new generation to HIV. According to statistics from the United Nation‘s Food
Is a practice within some Kenyan fishing communities
and Agriculture Organization, HIV prevalence among
in which young female fish sellers develop sexual
Kenyans in the fishing industry was 30.5% in 2006.
relationships with fishermen and middlemen in ex-
IRIN reports that the practice, known as jaboya, of-
ten is the only way for fish traders to make a living.
resorted to making available their younger“ female
In addition, competition for a „catch that is often
relatives -- many of whom are younger than age 18
less than plentiful means offering their own bodies
according to IRIN.
is no longer enough, so desperate traders have now
FLOWER FARMS
Keny a, Naivasha, Kamere Slum 2012
„Flower Farms“
farmers and fishermen. The human census in 1969 showed just 27,000 people living in the surrounding
Thirty years ago, hippos and Maasai cattle herders
areas. Today, the population is nearly 300,000 and
shared the shoreline of Lake Naivasha in the Rift
security guards with walkie-talkies patrol the few
Valley of Kenya with the small local community of
paths left open for local people and animals to get
down to the lake. The most visible changes to the
people who have flooded into the area since the
lake in the past 30 years, and the cause of much of
global flower industry moved in. Naivasha is now
its problems, are the giant sheds and greenhouses
Europe‘s prime source of cut flowers. Living condi-
of more than 50 major flower farms that now line its
tions in the villages and slums surrounding the lake
shores, and the settlements of more than 250,000
are miserable. Low and irregular wage payments and
forced overtime are commonplace, affecting workers‘
Employment is usually contracted on temporary or
ability to provide childcare or access health and
casual bases and union activity strongly discouraged.
education services. Sexual harassment and exposure
The resultant job insecurity leaves workers unaware
to harmful chemicals - resulting in skin irritation,
of their basic rights, or otherwise simply unable to
breathing problems and miscarriages - are rife.
demand them.
ROAD TO PARADISE
Tur key, Gr ee k B order, 2010
“Road to paradise�
and Greece has become the main route for migrants crossing into the European Union. It was only in the
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the north-western
beginning of 2010 that the migration routes chan-
part of Turkey, close to the borders of Greece. In
ged and the majority of refugees started crossing the
recent years, the 126-mile border between Turkey
land borders in Evros / northern Greece. According
to the European Commission, more than 80 percent
South Asia and Africa fleeing war, hunger or political
of illegal immigrants enter the EU via the border
persecution in their home countries. The dream of a
with Greece, especially after increased sea controls.
better life drives them on their dangerous journey to
Most of the refugees coming from the Middle East,
Europe.
SUFISM
Germ an y, Kal l Sรถ tenich, 2007
„Sufism“
spiritual orders of Sufi Islam. Sufism or tasawwuf, as it is called in Arabic, is generally understood by scho-
The Osmanische Herberge is located in the town
lars and Sufis to be the inner, mystical, or psycho-
of Kall-Sötenich in West- Germany. Its the center of
spiritual dimension of Islam. Today, many Muslims
the Naqshbandi order, which is one of the major Sufi
and non-Muslims believe that Sufism is outside the
sphere of Islam. Sufis, which is what practitioners of
experienced on this journey, Sufis produced an enor-
Sufism are called see themselves to be on a spiri-
mously rich body of literature, often using a specia-
tual journey toward God. In order to guide spiritual
lized technical vocabulary.
travellers and to express the states of consciousness
THUG LIFE
Ken y a, N ai rob i, Kibera Slum, 2012
„Thug Life“
in the Nairobi slum areas are drawn to a life of crime. While many of those involved in crime are
As a result of unemployment, increasing life costs
young, only a minority of youths are criminals but
and the shortage of opportunities for gainful em-
feel that they have no other chance in life. The UN
ployment, an increasing number of young people
Habitat study on youth and crime in Nairobi found
the major grounds on which young people are arrested are theft, assault, drug possession, mugging, and manslaughter. The weapons most commonly used by young criminals are guns, swords,
pangas (machetes), and knives.
WOUND OF WAR
Bo sn ia, Srebren ica, 2007
„Wounds of War“
of virgin white. It comes from within this confounded building, and the memories it holds: a disused warehouse on
The snow lies deep, the air is still and seven degrees
the country road that runs through the village of Kravica in
below zero but the shiver is not from cold. It comes from
eastern Bosnia. “ by Ed Vulliamy / Guardian
somewhere within this accursed terrain, covered by a layer
Kravica is a small mountain town near Srebrenica in the
east of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the Bosnian War,
described by the Secretary-General of the United Nations
the town was the site of the July 1995 massacre, when
as the worst crime on European soil since the Second
7,942 Bosniak Muslim men and boys were systematically
World War. Twelve years later the wounds of war are still
slaughtered by Serbian troops and paramilitaries under the
deep and visible.
command of General Ratko Mladic . The mass murder was
RUNNING LIFE
FOR A BETTER
Kenya, Great Rift Valley, 2012
„Running for a better life“
participating runners regularly exceeds the ten thousand mark. In contrast to many other countries in the world running is not a
In Kenya Running Is Not a Popular Sport but a Necessity and
hobby as such in Kenya, running is much more. It is a necessity
an Opportunity. Running cannot really be called a popular sport
and a great chance as most of the top Kenyan runners come
in Kenya. There is no series of races in which the number of
from poor backgrounds. Through their successes they can afford
a better life for themselves and their families. In fact, many have
headlines and attracts as much international attention as their
earned enough money through starting and winning prizes
runners. Last year Kenyans have won 70 percent of all the 150
and do not have to worry about money anymore for the rest of
street races of worldwide significance. Most school children run
their lives. Running is Kenya’s biggest export success. Besides
up to 5 km on their daily way to school. As they run home for
its safari tours, nothing else in Kenya makes as many positive
lunch and then back to school, they run 20 kilometers each day.
To safe time they run the long distance. The paths to schools are
money in Europe and America and invest it at home in the
on unsealed roads and are often hilly. Meanwhile, the runners
western highlands. This has become a significant economic
success has gained an economic significance in western Kenya
factor there which helps to create new jobs.
where most of the top runners are from. Kenyan runners earn
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