Umoja in Vienna:
Lives and Dreams from Kisumu Meet Open Hearts
Together with many dear people, we enjoyed our exhibition Umoja in Vienna this June. At the Spittelberg Cultural Center, the gallery was filled with the everyday realities and dreams of the Make Me Smile Community in Kisumu, captured by Magdalena Hassek and Natasha Margarete Ochieng.
The vernissage allowed discussion of dreams and global realities openly with emotions flowing freely. The spontaneous dancing later that evening made everyone move. It brought to life a topic that is deeply close to our hearts as an organization: hope and dignity in the face of shared human struggles.
The people in Kisumu have the same hopes as we do in Europe: access to education, a safe home, warm meals – and dreams of a better future for their children and a life of independence for themselves.
At Make Me Smile, we are proud to support people on their path toward a more self-determined life. Our projects combine basic needs with long-term social change, enabling individuals and communities to take steps toward a life of dignity and opportunity.
One of them is Silas, a farmer and father. He shares:
“My dream for the future? I hope that this kind of farming will improve my life – and allow me to earn money for my children’s school fees. At the very least, a better life and enough food for my family, both now and in the future.”
Through our permaculture project, Silas learned sustainable farming methods – moving away from one-time seeds and soil-depleting monocultures. These new practices are helping him and his family to enrich their land and harvest more successfully.
Over the weekend, visitors at the Amerlinghaus also got to experience his story – and many others – also told personally by Magdalena Hassek.
Our dream to bring this exhibition to Vienna could only come true thanks to the wonderful support of the Spittelberg Cultural Center, the Amerling Beisl, our donors and our always dedicated helping hands and highly valued volunteers. We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!
And for those who couldn’t experience the exhibition in person – here’s a little glimpse into it.