Biography

My name is Simeon Blaise Kijege. I’m Congolese by nationality and aged 47 years old. I’m married and a father of 7 children. I started photography in the nineties. I did a 6 months course and when I finished, I bought my first camera. Since then, I do photography. It’s my regular occupation. It has made me to be known by a lot of people. Photography is my only source of income. In 2011, I bought a DSLR camera, whereby I improved and got familiar with a digital camera. Due to insecurity and violence, I decided to flee Congo to Malawi for safety. When I reached Dzaleka, I had my old camera. I started working with it and after 2 years, I bought other photography equipment like a tripod, lenses, and a new laptop as well. I have faced so many challenges, such as doing services for people and not getting paid, as well as cell phones having to be replaced. Reduced job opportunities in photography means I no longer get as many customers as I used to get before. Lack of enough training and trainers is also a challenge for me. What I would advise is that people should learn different skills or they should join photography in order to sustain their lives.