Although I knew this was going to be a day where I was going to witness a lot of poverty I was looking forward to seeing the life and happiness within such conditions. I have to say I felt uncomfortable taking photos and tried to imagine if some foreigner came into my neighborhood and took photos of me mowing my grass, unloading my groceries, and hanging out. It would feel like an envasion of my privacy. I hope I did not offend anyone today, but I want to share with my students how some people do live in the world and how through education and teamwork things can slowly turn around.
Sereh arranged a guide for the two of us. Kibera is a maze of mud and trash alleys and pathways with tin roofed shacks with mud walls. In the last 4 years the Swiss have helped build a restroom for about 300 people there to use. Chickens roam around, unkept dogs lounge about, kids are playing in the dirt... People are selling all sorts of things... Charcoal, second hand clothes, fish, vegetables, etc.
As part of our visit we visited Serah's friend Mama Caroline in her home where she makes all kinds of art with beads and wire. Since she is HIV Positive her husband left her so she joined a women's group to learn the crafts and does it full time. There is a school in Canada that sells her work for a fundraiser to send Kenyan students to school. She only spoke Swahili and her spirit was shy, but very sweet!
The other thing I really wanted to do was visit the non-profit Carolina for Kibera.
They are doing so much for the people of Kibera and it started at the University of North Carolina! I found out about it when I came across a documentary called Without a Fight that they had produced. www.withoutafight.org
Serah and I showed up without an appointment and they kindly tok so much time with us. A student named Sara from the University of Vermont showed us around and took us through a mile of small alleys until we got to the Nutrition Center where we met Esther and the babies with malnutrition. They educate the mothers on nutrition and have the children from the morning until 4pm to play with them, feed them, and monitor their health.
Naptime for the kids in the Nutrition Center
We also got a tour of the clinic from the computer where they check in to the pharmacy. I even saw a baby get a vaccine! It was an impressive clinic. Two communities within Kibera can go for free if they are willing to be part of the research being done my the US Center for Disease Control and the Kenyan Medical Society. You can read lots more on the Carolina for Kibera website above.
There are many other programs CFK offers such as Safe Places for teenage girls. They are educating the residents of Kibera and going them tools to better themselves.
Serah is the reason I actually made it to Kenya! She has arranged the whole trip and is wise, feisty, and good hearted. We had a fantastic meal of tilapia, kale, and posho and talked about all sorts of things over lunch. I am blessed to get to spend so much time with this woman and to learn from her and grow.