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Luce: As Uncle knows, we have photographed different subjects…which of my images are your favourite and why?

Young Mothers - by Luce Steenkamp

This body of work is set on three of six farms in the ‡Khomani San community that were received after a successful land claim, as belonging to the last remaining First People. In 1995 they lodged a claim for the restitution of 400,000 ha of land in the Kalahari Gemsbok Park. After years of negotiation and verification, the claim was finally settled on 21st March 1999. In the years after the land claim was settled, little development occurred with growing social decay and disintegration, lack of real support from government, divisions within the now desparate community, and no significant improvement in the welfare of most community members being the order of the day.

The provision of services to this relatively remote area is very slow with limited water on the farms, inadequate housing, a lack of income generating opportunities, and a lack of infrastructure including that needed for communication; it all results in the physical and virtual isolation of this community with little access to information and the outside world. This perpetuates the status quo and the sense of disempowerment that the San community, both adults and children, experience.

There are many factors that contribute to and exacerbate the situation within the ‡Khomani San Community and these include (but are not limited to): Substance abuse is wide-spread in the community and this leads to further social decay resulting in domestic violence, child abuse, and increased risk of HIV transmission, ‘teenage pregnancy’ and social dysfunction.

It was difficult to decide which of these challenges to focus on in my photo project, but young women having children as teenagers is one of the problems that concern me mostly as I am a single mother and know how it is to raise kids on your own and it is one of the results of ‘teenage pregnancy’. I also know this is a subject covered by many other photographers, but I do feel that this is unique as a story from me as an insider who cares about the welfare of my community.

I focused on four girls between ages 17 and 19 years old with different backgrounds in education, family history and traditions. During this project I tried to figure out why they get pregnant and if they are happy with the situation they found themselves in. Some are in the situation looking for a better life outside and for financial support, which they cannot find at home. It was also clear that they regret the choices they made, but is was also mixed emotions cause somehow they were fine with their lives and kind of accept it as it is. Two of them are eager to finish high school and get further education to better their lives and those of their families. As you see the vastness of the Kalahari and openness you will realise that the environment and climate also influence how we people feel and it also effects how we think.

This does not cover all and will need different layers which are the way moving forward. Next layer will focus on the boy’s side and bring in their involvement into the images as well as other aspects not covered yet.

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