Patient Baliana - Three brothers, one vision

Patient Baliana - Determination and dreams in Kakuma

When Patient arrived in Kakuma in 2013, he was just a child. “At first, life was hard — it wasn’t the life I was used to,” he says. “But the longer I lived in the camp, the more I started making friends. Now it feels like my second home. Life here isn’t the kind of good you dream of, but it’s good with what we have.”

He was 15 when his creative journey began. Before that, he spent most of his days playing football — his first love — though opportunities in Kakuma were limited. “Football was my everything,” he says. “But one day I saw Pascal, my older brother, capturing photos outside. I thought, I want to do this.”

That moment changed everything. Patient spoke to a filmmaking teacher at Season of the Time Media Productions (STMP) and was accepted into the class;

“That’s where everything changed — I discovered my passion for photography. Since then, it’s become my way of expressing myself and telling stories that matter. If you take photography away from me, you take everything away.”

His inspiration often comes from everyday life. “When I used to work on the road I would see things that maybe only I noticed — moments no one else saw. I want people from other parts of the world to see what I’m seeing. I want to show life in Africa, how refugees live, and our culture.”

Today, Patient, who’s now 19 years old, splits his time between working in Steve’s studio — where he handles portrait sessions and bookings — and spending evenings out photographing daily life around the camp. “STMP isn’t just a learning centre,” he says. “It’s my home. It made me know who I want to be.”

He looks up to both Pascal and Steve, calling them his role models;

“My brothers showed me that through storytelling and creativity, you can make change.”

As for his hopes, Patient’s vision is clear. “I want to be known as someone who brings change. Refugees are often seen as people who can’t do anything, who have no talent. I want people to look at my work and see that even a refugee can take good pictures and tell powerful stories. I want to change minds about what refugees can do.”

“When people see my portrait, I want them to know that I’m humble, creative, and a guy who will never give up.”