A Swedish woman has provoked the wrath of Kenyan Twitter with an Instagram post where she wrote that a girl from a poorer area of Nairobi would end up having a child with a man she didn’t know, and becoming a sex worker to support her family.
Instagram user @jossajohansson, whose full name is Josephine Johansson according to Kenyan news site Nairobi News, recently uploaded a photo of herself hugging a young girl in Kibera, one of Nairobi's informal settlements. The caption reads like a letter, and begins:
Dear Child,
You inspire me. You inspire me to be the best person to everyone around me, even my enemies. Because I would never even want this for my worst enemie [sic]. The best thing I could ever dream of is to become succesful, to have a big family in a big house in a beautiful country. When I asked you what your biggest dream was, you said “to dance” …..
Johansson continued, writing about how unlikely it was that she would meet the girl again. Then she said:
In two years you are going to meet a grown up man that you have never met before, you two are going to have a child, and then if you are lucky he's gonna stay with you, but he will probably leave you alone with your child in your small house made of mud and tree's [sic]. You will probably sell your body to someone else to earn money for your child.
Johansson ended her caption by writing to the child, "I just want you to know that there is hope, there is. Dreaming could be your saviour, dreaming could keep you alive. Dear child, keep safe."
People caught hold of Johansson's Instagram post and began to call her out for it.
I'm gonna need y'all to read this...what in the entire FUCK??
@callheridil Where she live
@callheridil Im so tired of ppl using others with less money as inspiration or motivation to "live better" and not try to help them in any way, they just visit, take pics, pat themselves on the back, and leave.
Another person critiqued the need many people feel to document their good deeds on social media.
@younggnunn @callheridil Fully agree, it’s the same concept when people record giving food to the homeless, why do you need to film it? Just give them food and be a good person instead of feeding your ego. Does my head in
Very disgusting how some white people come to Africa to just take photos and trash us!! People like Josefine Johansson (@jossajohansson on IG) should be banned from ever stepping foot in Africa leave alone Kenya!! https://t.co/1LUMNtflD2
They said her post was an example of "slum tourism," and brought it to the attention of Kenya's cabinet secretary for tourism and wildlife.
Slum tourism needs to be canceled. It needs to go @tunajibu
@xtiandela @jossajohansson Wakanda bullshit is this? She'll meet a man in 2years? Too much crap from one human being! 🤨🤨
@jossajohansson please, on behalf of ALL Africans out there, NEVER, EVER go back to our continent in the name of “charity” to stroke your ego & insulting our children/people with your stereotyping....😡😡😡 You are NO LONGER welcome there. Thank you!!!
One person reported Johansson's post to Instagram, but was told she had not violated community guidelines.
"It does not violate our Community Guidelines"...so suggesting that she'll turn to prostitution because of the color of her skin isn't a violation?! https://t.co/KHbiKgyANI
Others said that her post played into the "white savior" narrative associated with aid work in Africa.
I’m really tired of this White Savior Narrative. Y’all go to Africa and donate a few cans of Progresso past the best by date and take a few Instagram and think you changed the world. Please stop
Following the backlash, Johansson edited the caption with an attempt at an apology.
She changed her caption...to this. So you're a hero now? Just stop
"I didn't mean that part of the text like that was exactly what her future would look like," she wrote. "And in a way, I could actually be a little hero."
She added that she had given "water, food, money, and clothes" to many people throughout her "journey" traveling around Nairobi where she spread "knowledge of human rights and spread hope to people living in the worst conditions. So yes, I'm probably more hero than some of you are."
BuzzFeed News has reached out to Johansson for comment.