Future of Work: In Images – Sylvia

MEET SYLVIA

Every Tuesday, Sylvia and her students light up the dance floor at Da Bar Club in Kisumu. Salsa is both an art form and a business for Sylvia, who enriches the cultural vibrancy of her city whilst earning a living doing what she loves.

Sylvia’s journey into the world of dancing began as a student, and it was her love for the art that propelled her to transition into a professional performer. Sylvia mesmerizes audiences by performing at events throughout the city and has transitioned into an instructor too.

Faced with challenges in finding suitable dance spaces in Kisumu, Sylvia works tirelessly to create opportunities for enthusiasts and increase the size of her fledgling dance school. But dance will always be more than just a business to Sylvia, who wants to cultivate a culture of artistic expression within her community.

“When I am on a dancefloor, I feel relaxed.”

Sylvia

Driven by an unwavering passion for her craft and an aspiration to make salsa a lifelong pursuit, Sylvia dreams of opening her own dedicated dance studio where aspiring dancers can train with her, also driven by a shared passion for salsa and a desire to expand the dance scene and industry in Kisumu.

Sylvia Melga, a devoted salsa dance instructor in Kisumu, is driven by an unwavering passion for her craft, aspiring to make salsa a lifelong pursuit.

“At first I was a student and then I fell in love with the art and decided to transition to an instructor.”

Sylvia’s talent extends beyond the studio as she captivates audiences at social events, where her enchanting salsa performances attract those who share a deep appreciation for the art asking her to perform at their events.

Faced with challenges in finding suitable dance spaces in Kisumu, Sylvia eagerly anticipates the day when she can open her own dance studio, providing a dedicated space for training and artistic expression.

“When I am on a dancefloor I feel relaxed.”

Sylvia Melga is on a mission to cultivate and expand the dance scene in Kisumu, working tirelessly to create opportunities for enthusiasts and elevate the city’s cultural vibrancy through the joy of salsa.

The importance of the informal economy in Kenya cannot be overstated; it accounts for 24% of Kenya’s GDP and also employs five times more workers than the formal economy.

TRANSFORM has been working to understand the current realities and future possibilities for the millions of entrepreneurial Kenyans who hustle to sustain livelihoods across the informal economy (read more about the context of the work here).

Brink, Procol Africa, Busara, Laterite, Ideas Unplugged, and TRANSFORM have collaborated throughout to deliver this work, alongside hundreds of ecosystem actors and informal economy entrepreneurs.

These blogs offer an insight into the lives of some informal workers we spoke to over the course of the project, told through images.