Dan's Adventure

The electricity rationing in Nairobi means that I am sitting in the dark in Abie’s home. Abie lives along with an estimated one million of Nairobi’s residents in Africa’s largest slum, Kibera. Her home, like many others is constructed of corrugated iron and is only a few meters squared. Abie lives there along with seven other members of her immediate family. At either side are more homes, all condensed into a very small space. Abie, Joshua and Hibie all volunteer for the Youth in Community Development Organization. They aim to raise awareness of the problems faced by those living in Kibera by taking people such as myself to visit their homes and show us how the people there live. They also work to raise awareness within Kibera of HIV as they estimate that over 50% of Kibera’s population is infected, but very few are willing to accept the fact and seek medical assistance.

“How are you?” shout the young children as we approach, repeating it over and over when we answer them. All happy, running around and playing, they know no different. Our hosts were also born in Kibera and have lived there all of their lives. They too seem happy but are very aware of the problems people there face and are determined to help them in anyway that they can. Walking through Kibera we encountered nothing but friendly and welcoming people and at no time did any of us feel threatened. It would not however be possible to visit Kibera without a local.

Kibera is surprisingly close to central Nairobi and is in fact only 10 minutes walk from the hostel I’m staying at. Its a stark contrast to the golf course and expensive apartments that border it. The majority of Nairobi’s population live in Kibera, yet the government seems to do nothing to help them. The people living there do everything they can to earn a living and pay their way. Everywhere within the slum, there are people selling all sorts of goods from either stalls or sheets along the edge of the road. Fruit is sold from wheel barrows, corn is cooked on small stoves, and second hand shoes are polished and shined to be resold. Those that don’t work in Kibera itself walk miles each day into central Nairobi to find manual labour.

The lack of sewage system or garbage collection means that Kibera smells, it smells bad. As we get further and further into the slum the stench gets stronger. I suppose those that live there get used to it, but I’m amazed that anyone is able to live in such conditions.

Kibera was one hell of an eye opener.