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DESPERATION IN THE DESERT MIKE NYOK
DESPERATION IN THE DESERT
MIKE NYOK
In the foreground of this powerful painting a young man stands in a
rubbish pit, crying out in despair. He is starving and lost, with no
clear way to earn money for food. Nearby, a young boy labours in
the desert heat, pushing a heavy cart. Time is money. Both figures
are trapped in a harsh present. Yet in the distance, a city rises hinting
at work, opportunity, and a better future though that future feels
impossibly far away. The only hope is to earn enough to break free
from camp and move to Nairobi, two days away by bus. In doing so
though they would lose their refugee status – protection and any aid
they might be allowed.