Life in Kibera slum

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Created on 10 January 2012

The conditions of the people who live in Kibera slums are similar because most of the houses are made of mud and having leaking roofs because they are made of old iron sheets. The whole of Kibera slums also have no drainage system and a result the sewage spread all over especially on the valley side and on trenches. The area therefore stinks very badly and children and grown ups continue to inhale the bad odor. Pit latrines are also few and so many people especially children help themselves on the path ways. Grown ups also help themselves on the pathways at night when darkness settles. There is no provision of water and therefore people buy water from the water vendors in jars. Due to the poor sanitation, many people get sick with various diseases like cholera, malaria, typhoid, TB and sexually transmitted diseases due to prostitution and careless living.

It is also important to note that the biggest percentage in the slums has no formal employment and therefore they are always in search of casual labor on a daily basis to try and make ends meet. Women are mostly involved in casual labor of washing clothes in the surrounding middle class and up market estates. They also do small businesses of selling groceries, charcoal and other basic commodities. These small businesses are not sustainable because the little money they get goes to food and shelter and they end up not taking their children to school because they cannot afford education. Men involve themselves basically with casual labor at construction sites and they have to wake up very early in the morning. There is no guarantee of getting this job because there are thousands of unemployed youths and grown ups who are in search of these casual labors on a daily basis. They have to walk long distances in Nairobi industrial area every morning in search of these jobs.

Johnson Migwi

Director TAPA, Kenya