Monika Krystyna

I had the pleasure of doing some photo and video choreography for the Flone Initiative - a trust based in Kiambu, Kenya. The Flone Initiative’s mission is to change the behaviours and mindsets regarding women who work in the transportation sector, creating safe spaces for all women and girls who travel.

Update on my life in Nairobi. It's been 5 months now and I'm nearing the halfway point of my contract with Engineers Without Borders. This post features photos and experiences from my travels in and around Nairobi and Kenya, the coast, the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Centre and other spots in Nairobi. 

Blog post from my weekend spent at Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate National Park in Kenya. Highlights of this trip were definitely riding around on bikes past grazing giraffes and zebra, and jumping into Lake Naivasha a safe distance from the hippos.

I spent a weekend with Abraham, a Sales Representative at the start-up social enterprise I'm working for called LishaBora based in Kenya. Abraham is also a dairy farmer and LishaBora is working to improve the profitability, scalability and sustainability of smallholder farmers like him and his family across Kenya.

Bird watching in Nairobi. Travel blog of adventures in East Africa and Kenya.

My parents 50th wedding anniversary. So much love for my family. 

Nairobi National Park is the only national park on earth that borders a capital city. It was quite a remarkable feeling to watch lions walking through the tall grass with skyscrapers in the distance and planes flying overheard. It's actually one of Africa's smallest national parks, but it sure didn't feel that way to me with all the abundant wildlife around. It is home to 4/5 of the 'Big 5' which includes Lions, Leopards, Buffalo, Elephants and Rhino's. They are called the Big 5 not because they are the biggest (although they are amongst the biggest), but rather because they've been hunted for something of perceivable value in the past. Sadly, there are no more Elephants at Nairobi National Park.

A 10-day journey through the beautiful country of Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills. Visiting Volcano National Park with golden monkeys, Lake Kivu for stunning sunsets and learning about the nation’s history in Kigali and it’s journey of transformation.

I travelled to Kampala from Nairobi by overnight bus and spent the next 7-days exploring western Uganda, primarily to see the Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi National Park from the Rushaga basecamp. Western Uganda is a beautifully lush green landscape with fertile ground that is said to have the capacity to “feed the world”. Ugandan’s are incredibly friendly and welcoming, known across East Africa for their beaming smiles.

I moved to Nairobi, Kenya in November 2017 through Engineers Without Borders Canada as a Long Term Fellow. This blog post is about my first couple months adjusting to life in a completely different culture. Nairobi is a surprising city, and definitely does not meet the stereotypes of the misconceived views of the African Continent.

My first time doing nightclub photography at Habitat Living Sound in Calgary, Alberta. Learning new skills in flash photography and portrait photography in an indoor setting with varying light compositions.