#ukerewe

Mermay alt. prompt No. 2: Tropical

Time & Medium: 6 hrs, Procreate

This was a huge undertaking for me as I wanted to explore tribal fashion amongst the Sukuma people. My inspiration was the members who live near the banks of Ukerewe (Lake Victoria) in Tanzania. I could not identify a specific name for their beadwork, but the clothing was inspired by elaborate kanga patterning. If anyone has any resources for the beading, please let me know!

More info under the cut :]

Women dashed around open kitchens dotted across the playground of Bubango Primary School, preparing to feed the hundreds of children who now call the school in western Kenya their home.

About 400 families from Budalangi, in Busia County, have been living at the school since April, when the Nzoia River that flows from Kenya's western highlands into Lake Victoria burst its banks in the worst flooding the area has seen in decades.

After more than a year of unusually heavy rainfall, over 800,000 Kenyans have been displaced by flooding, according to the government.

The situation has been made worse by flooded rivers channelling huge volumes of water into Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, causing it to spill over onto its shores - a phenomenon called "backflow".

"We lost everything when our homes got inundated with water. Houses have been destroyed, livestock and crops swept away," said Hesborne Opondo, 45, who lost his shop to the rising lake.

His wife now sells flatbread to others living at Bubango school to support their six children, he added.

Scientists warn that other massive flood events may be ahead as climate change strengthens, and some have urged the three countries that share the lake - Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania - to work together to put systems in place to lessen flood damage.

Once guzzled at social ceremonies, this potent libation long ago fell out of favor on Tanzania’s Ukerewe Island. But one aging brewmaster is keeping the tradition alive.