Kibera

This morning we visited Kibera, the world's second largest slum. Over 1.5 million people are crammed into under a square mile of corrugated steel roofed, mud or concrete shacks.

There is no septic system, sparse electricity, no running water except the occasional water tank that often runs out. And even that is not drinkable. There is no drainage except the roads and pathways which are dirt and when it rains becomes they turn to foul smelling, disease ridden mud. Everywhere there is trash, the ground seems to be held together by plastic bags.

Our guide was a pastor of a church that is a school/daycare during the week. This is the path down to his house where he lives with one of his sons in a two room, about 120 sq ft, cement walled and floored, steel roofed box, for which he pays $180 dollars a month. He has electricity, (the breaker box looks like death waiting to happen) and a 10 inch, almost color TV. (he had a nicer one but it was stolen in the post election violence)

And yet, the people seem, for the most part, to be fairly happy and friendly despite the terrible living conditions. There are kids playing with their toys made from trash and they all smile and shout over and over and over the only English they know at us, "ow aru, ow aru, ow aru, ow aru..."

The women laugh and talk as they wash laundry standing in ankle deep mud. This seemed to be a sort of laundromat.

And some are not so happy...

Tobias and I came to the conclusion that the people in power keep Kibera alive but only barely alive for a number of reasons. One is that with Nairobi's 50% unemployment and the desperation there is always a huge supply of cheap labor. And a few people are getting really rich off of the rent as their maintenance costs are very close to nil.