On Saturday, June 27, Kait and I went on a walking tour of Kibera. Kibera is the largest slum in Kenya and the 2nd largest in Africa. Our guide, James, has lived in Kibera his entire life and is a model for slef-less living. He met us outside of the slum and walked us through the neighboring areas on our way into the heart of the slum. I don't have a lot of pictures becuae the local people don't like having pictures taken by muzungu (a white person/English speaker). Not that I blame them at all,
I think most people have a mental picture of what a slum is. We have probably all seen photos and clean water campaign materials with children gathering water from trash filled streams. Those images only paint part of the picture. Walking through Kibera is a complete sensory experience. The smells and sounds, the texture of the road, the sight of children playing in the muddy streets and women collecting water. There were animals - pigs, chickens, cats, dogs, goats - wandering everywhere and runoff water from the roads into open sewer lines and the stream. It was undoubtedly the most challenging place I have seen.
The government has been doing projects to improve the lives of the residents. They are building public shower and toilet facilities. They are working to improve the condition of some of the bigger roads. There are new apartment complexes being built that will include proper sanitation and better shelter. You can read this BBC article to learn more about the work the government has been doing.
James took us to his mother's house in Kibera. It is a very small 1 room home. His mother and younger siblings live there together on a dirt floor that sometimes floods. They have electricity, but no running water. The electricity in Kibera is extremely expensive and poorly wired. People routine cut and re-run wires to steal electricity from the other households. Unfortunately, with the patchwork of wires, accidents happen. At the end of June, two young boys were playing in some water and there we live electrical wires and they ended up dying.
James also took us to his home. He moved out on his own but sometimes struggles to pay his rent. He pays 2000 Kenyan shillings (approx $20) per month. Which is at the top end of the rent in the area. His mother by contrast pays $9 per month. To get to his home, you have to walk between houses that are barely 2 feet apart from each other. Most of the homes are made from packed earth and an iron sheet for the roof. These homes do not regulate temperature well and do not have windows.
James doesn't have a steady job so he relies on the money he makes from giving volunteers tours and odd jobs here and there. He graduated from high school and is trying to go to University. Even though life is hard for him, he is one of the happiest, most giving people I have ever met. He runs the Kibera youth football league. He and a friend started with just 2 players and now they have multiple teams and have formed a league. They play other Kibera teams and teams from all over Kenya. He has secured sponsorships for some of his players to attend an international football (soccer) camp in Europe this summer. All of these things, he does as a volunteer.
After leaving the heart of the slum, we walked to meet the ladies of Power Women. This group of women is support group and small business made up of women working to empower others in Kibera. They are an vey well organized, successful group. I hope to connect the leader of the group I am working with and the leader of power women. Power Women host sewing classes for local girls and women to learn a practical skill. They sell jewelry and clothing that they make and even have a day care so that mothers can look for work or go to their jobs without the worry of child care. All of the money they bring in, is reinvested in the women in the group. Women can take loans from the group to pay school fees, rent, or medical bills if they are unable to pay in a given month. These women, like James, we very inspiring. They are finding joy and ways to help others even when they are struggling themselves.
It was a difficult morning, but I am glad I did the tour. Public health is absolutely the right field of study for me. I am interested in seeing how the government projects progress. Again, there are no simple solutions. The problems in and the politics surrounding Kibera run deep.
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