Sunrise, Kianyaga, Kenya, where the local population is mostly composed of small scale farmers. Like most farmers, their legal issues revolve around land ownership and succession. Exacerbated by corruption in the Land Registry and in the courts, their legal problems are immense and hopeless: the rich folks can bribe their way through any hurdle, while the poor folks have nowhere to turn to. Even the lawyers of Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre, a Canadian organization conducting research on the impact of legal aid on the development of the local population, are often unable to navigate through the maze of bribery, “lost” paperwork, delays and the general incompetence of the legal system of the area. December 4, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Sara Moki, legal aid recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre, with her children, Victor and Victoria. Sara is battling a child support case against her husband. Sara now works as a casual labourer in rice fields nearby trying to put together enough money to feed her children and to pay for their school. Elimu was able to win her case, but the enforcement of the judgment still proves to be difficult. In Ciagini village, Mwea, Kenya on December 4, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Girl in Riagicheru village, Kianyaga, Kenya, area of legal aid work of Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre. December 5, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Cicily Wariu, legal aid recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre, tying her hair on the way back to work in the field. At her home in Rubingaci village near Kianyaga, Kenya. Cicily is trying to restore the ownership of her father’s land, fraudulently taken over by a relative. Great grandmother of 6, Cicily has no means to pay for the legal fees, which hinders her case. Her trust in the judiciary system in Kenya is very low. December 5, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Woman with child, on board a taxi waiting for departure. Usually small sized sedans, the taxis are filled with up to 7 passengers, not counting the driver, before they leave to their destination. In Kianyaga, Kenya, on December 5, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Victoria, wife of Morris Moreigi Josia, small scale farmer and legal aid recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre in Kianyaga, Kenya, in the kitchen in their house. Morris bought a piece of land in 1995 from a person who died soon after, his legal problems started when the seller’s family refused to surrender the land. Morris has evidence that the land was then fraudulently sold to a third party, with the transaction paperwork carrying the signature of the original seller, dating years past his death. On December 8, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
A girl runs across the soccer field in Kianyaga, Kenya, on December 8, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Morris Moreigi Josia, small scale farmer and legal aid recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre in Kianyaga, Kenya, with his grandchild. Morris bought a piece of land in 1995 from a person who died soon after, his legal problems started when the seller’s family refused to surrender the land. Morris has evidence that the land was then fraudulently sold to a third party, with the transaction paperwork carrying the signature of the original seller, dating years past his death. On December 8, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
William Njagimbanya, 67, mason, legal aid recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre in Kiamwaghi village, Kianyaga, Kenya, with his wife in front of their house. William received a parcel of land as part of a dowry, but after the donor’s death the land was re-sold by the donor’s family to the Anglican Church of Kenya. Elimu is helping William fight against an eviction order and prove his ownership of the land in question. The paperwork for the case is missing, and the case is currently stalled. On December 8, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Ian, grandson of a coffee farmer Patrick Mugo, recipient of National Health Insurance Fund benefits training by Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre in Kiandai village, Kianyaga, Kenya. On December 9, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Matthew Murai, legal aid recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre in Kiandai village, Kianyaga, Kenya, at his home. Matthew has a legal problem with the local land registry, which has his land paperwork representing it smaller than it really is, which causes issues with the succession process. The lang registry office is being very uncooperative with fixing this discrepancy, costing him a lot of money to present witnesses and evidence. He is getting increasingly frustrated with the bureaucracy and corruption at the land registry, having wasted more than 20,000 Kenyan shillings in failed attempts to rectify the situation. December 8, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Daughter of Susana Cirio, legal aid recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre in Kiandai village, Kianyaga, Kenya, helps her mother with house work. Susana is fighting a legal case against a bank that is trying to repossess her father’s land used as a collateral for a business loan. Due to unfortunate circumstances, made even worse by corruption and fraud, the loan repayment became impossible and the land is at risk of being auctioned. December 9, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Children of Aliketa Wanjira Kaguru, National Health Insurance Fund benefits training recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre in Kiandai village, Kianyaga, Kenya, in front of their home. Their mother, Aliketa, benefitted from her NHIF policy, which covered her medical expenses when she was having a masectomy, over 90,000 KSH ($1,000 US). December 9, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Isabella Wamunyu Kori, National Health Insurance Fund benefits training recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre in Mowenesi village, Kianyaga, Kenya, in front of her home. Isabella benefitted from her NHIF policy, which covered her knee surgery, making it possible for her to continue working and supporting her family. Isabella has also participated in the GreenPower hydro projects, helping with digging land for the dam and tunnels, but due to the GreenPower hydro projects being abandoned now has to buy electricity from Kenya Power. December 9, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Students of the secondary school in Mucagara, Kenya, site of a library donated by Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre. December 10, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Students of the secondary school in Mucagara, Kenya, site of a library donated by Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre. December 10, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Students of the secondary school in Mucagara, Kenya, site of a library donated by Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre. December 10, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Boy in Kianyaga, Kenya, flashes the “peace” sign. December 10, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Jason Ngondi Ndambiri, legal aid recipient from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre, in Kamagambo village, Kianyaga, Kenya, tells about his legal case. A common event in Kenya: his brother-in-law has decided to cut off all his sisters out of their father’s will, and Jason is helping his wife fight the case in court, with the help of Elimu. December 11, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
Margret Wambogo, recipient of National Health Insurance Fund benefits training from Elimu Impact Evaluation Centre in Murukuthu village, Kianyaga, Kenya. Margret used to be Mau-Mau, a supporter of the rebels fighting against the British rule, for which she had been detained for more than 3 months, beaten and forced to work. After the independence she has received 300,000 KSH in compensation from the British, but most of that has been used to pay for the part of her medical expenses not covered by NHIF, when she became hospitalized after breaking her leg. December 11, 2014. Photo: Art Zaratsyan for Photographers Without Borders
