First Quarter Update: Kibera Projects (Jan 2008 - April 2008)
I would like to start by (on behalf of people in Kibera) thanking you all for your support - moral and financial. You have literally changed the lives of many people and continue to do so.
You have built businesses, created employment and given people hope.
And as one of you said to me 'with hope anything is possible'.
The Achievements:
1. 31 businesses opened
2. Kibera Youth Initiative for Community Development Resource Centre opened
3. Mama Tunzas Children's home suported through crisis
4. Kiberas first Organic Farm started
5. Bathroom/ Toilet Facilities Block project initiated
The Challenges:
1. Projects with the men's group stalled
2. Drug/ Alcohol abuse
3. Mama Tunza's Children's Home
4. Setting Limits as KYICD grows
5. Raising more funds
As there is a huge amount to report so I am going to go through this in a mainly bullet point format - if there is anything that you would like more information on please do get in touch and I will do my best to fill you in.
The Challenges:
1. The men's group (bridge of hope)
- KYICD were meant to help them open 4 businesses. Only one has opened the carwash which is still running but we have not given them any further funding because there has been low accountability and ownership of the project by the men.
- we would still like to work with them but feel that they need to fullfill the following conditions:
- formal registration of their group and opening of a group bank account
- 'in house' training by kibera youth reform - another successful community based organisation
if they manage to do the above and we see a change in their operations then we shall work with them to get the scrap metal business opened. We shall also facilitate their business training
through SACOMA an organisation that specialises in dealing with small, medium enterprises (SMEs).
Lessons learnt:
- how to manage what groups see as 'who owns the project/ business'
- how to consider other social factors e.g. drug/ alcohol abuse
- how to engender social responsibility in the group (e.g. when their own personal crises arose)
2. Drug/ Alcohol abuse
This is rife in Kibera especialy among young people especially the men. KYICD realised that if our goal is sustainability this is a key factor that cannot be ignored. To that end we are
working on setting up a drug/ alohol rehabilitation programme.
This programme will initially take the place of counselling and workshops in the office space.
KYICD also hope to partner with organisations in nairobi that provide services that we can tap into without a huge capital outlay required.
3. Mama Tunza's Children's Home
Mama Tunza approached KYICD and said that she would like a bigger piece of land near where she is at present as her already very crowded home now homes 87 children and schools 230. It is quite
chaotic.
We have been buying supplies and co-ordinating medical facilities for the home however it now transpires that there is a larger organisation called faces of kibera who are wanting to move the
home out of kibera to ensure better facilities for the children.
While this seems like a great idea I know of various other similar projects that have failed as despite the squalor the residents have not actually wanted to leave Kibera. Mama Tunza also said
to us she would rather stay in the locale but with better facilities.
Also once the home moves it becomes more difficult for children who need it to access it. There is also the issue that Mama Tunza who operates in kiswahili may not have an equivalent place in a new management structure.
The piece of land she wants to move to in Kibera is also not without controversy - at least 20 families are currently settled there and it is worth noting that there are no title deeds in kibera even if KYICD were to facilitate the purchase of such a plot.
Lessons learnt:
- information management when dealing with a project that has many parties with vested interests
- the difficulties in improving facilities for people with great need - what do they want?
- when to engage and when to withdraw
At the moment KYICD are definitely not going to get involved in any future plans that the home has and are also wondering about wether or not it is best to continue with the supplies we have
been giving due to concerns about how they are being managed.
please give your thoughts on this matter if you have any.
(kindly note that all the money that has already been donated for use specifically by the children's home has already been used up.)
4. Setting the Limits
The projects are growing. The success of the Organic Farm (more about this later) has seen community leaders from EVERY district in Kibera approach KYICD to ask if we can facilitate the same in their neighbourhood.
Business ideas are being received on a daily basis.
We have moved from what was an essentially emergency mission to help people get back onto their feet into a situation where we would like to foster those magic words of all words 'sustainable development.'
To that end we know that we cannot do everything - so what can we do?
The principles behind this was to support grassroots work - everything was meant to facilitate ideas by the people of Kibera for the people of Kibera and to that end all the money you have so graciously sent has been directed.
KYICD have decided the following:
- all the money raised will be continue to go directly to the peole of Kibera, i will still continue to volunteer for the projects as do most of the people who have been called in to consult (there are 2 exceptions which will be explained later in the mail).
- (with guidance when necessary) decision making will continue to be based in Kibera
- KYICD will only give financial contributions to other groups that are registered and meet basic standards such as having a group bank account etc.
- KYICD will only give micro-credit that is 'revolving' - i.e. to be returned to the group so that others may benefit from it
- KYICD will only accept 'silent' corporate sponsorship i.e. if their is no branding etc involved so that ownership remains with the people in Kibera
5. Raising more Funds
We need more money, however the aim is for KYICD to become self-sufficient in 3 years. we are working on figures at the moment to get a better idea of how much we will need. However to give
you some ideas:
- it costs about 250,000KSH (1800 pounds/ $3850 US) to get an organic farm up and running (that includes the fact that the site has to be cleared in the first place as most are probably going
to be on rubbish dumping sites) - though we are working hard to see if we can bring that down.
- it costs 40,000KSH a month (300 pounds/ $600 US) to keep the resource centre running note that most of this money goes to employing 2 young people from Kibera that are doing a lot of community work there.
Lessons Learnt:
- The difficult transition from being an emergency operation which saw the bulk of the work being done by myself and other volunteers to becoming a sustainable community based organisation. They
need the resource centre in Kibera - I don't live there.
- Cultivating sustainability by nuturing creative talents on the ground - the 2 young people now running the resource centre are exceptional and there are many such waiting to be 'discovered'.
The committee of the Youth Reform group are also outstanding.
With all of that said - here is what we have done with the money that has been raised so far.
1. 31 businesses have opened in Kibera! Many of the Jitadihi women's group have been able to return to Toi Market - that would not have been possible without your help. All the businesses
that opened or re-opened are still running 4 months later - a good start!
2. KYICD have opened a resource centre on the Karanja Rd in the heart of Kibera. These offices have 2 computers, printer, internet facilities and are already providing a place for young people
to do amongst many other things:
- have a safe space for meetings
- receive training
- write up business proposals/ cv's - gain access to computer facilities
- hold workshops
- connect with people from around the world/ gain access to education materials
The resource centre is employing 2 young people from Kibera - Augustine (a trained accountant) and Celestine. The phone number is +254 (0)202387712. Do feel free to give them a call, drop by for a vist - arrange to visit the projects with augustine.
The best thing about the resource centre is unlike many other NGOs who have their primary offices in a different part of the city to the people they are serving this space is completely accesible to young people in kibera.
Even if they cannot afford transport - they can walk to it.
KYICD have also managed to secure free SME business training support from SACOMA as well as free marketing training from ATOM both market leaders in Kenya in their areas of expertise. This is going to be used to bolster those who access the micro-credit.
3. Mama Tunzas Children's home
Clothes, Foods, Medical assistance - KYICD has facilitated them. It has also partnered the home with a local school that has been visiting the home regularly taking supplies and fostering friendships from different backgrounds.
4. Kibera's first Ogranic Farm
I was very worried about this project because it was the only project I had suggested. Would an outside idea be taken up by Kibera Youth Reform and claimed as its own? Everyone thought I was
completely mad - it is not possible they said to grow food in Kibera.
Well it has happened and it is going to be organic!
For a more detailed description of the people I roped in to help and how it has happened see:
http://greendreams.edublogs.org One of the farm consultants - Zak is being paid 10,000KSH (75 pounds $150 US) for his efforts (one of the exeptions i mentioned earlier)
For that he is on the ground every other day for the month of may training Youth reform.
Many Thanks to Su Kahumbu of Green Dreams and Johara Bellali an environmental engineer who are volunteering their time to make this possible. Already the comfrey trees bordering the plot are
growing and as of Sunday 11th May vegetables have already been planted!
A grain storage specialist who knows how to keep food fresh for 50 years plus after it has been harvested has agreed to come in and do a training for the Youth Reform so that some grain stocks can be built up from the first harvest.
The energy and feeling around the shamba (farm) is electric.
Everyone wants to know how it was possible, who funded it, where did all the tools, the things - even the earthworms! come from - but mainly can they have one for their neighbourhood? I am hoping to meet with community leaders this Saturday to see if it possible.
The areas we hope to target first are: Soweto, Silaya and Makongeni
OK - i admit it my personal challenge was to have this farm up and running by these long rains - Its happening - i'd like to see the same for the other 19 or so areas by the next long rains towards the end of the year!
5. Bathroom/ Toilet Block
This was a project proposal by Kibera Youth Reform. 2 showers and toilets that would provide much needed facilities in an area known for its flying toilets (people do their business into a plastic bag and then throw it as far away from their residence as possible).
The original costing came to about 280,000KSH (2100 pounds, $4000 US) KYICD challenged Youth Reform to come up with 10% of the money and within a month they handed me 28,000KSH cash. It was time to get the project going! Johara has not only come up with a design that should work to maximise scarce water resources - the building is going to be natural...
... she has managed to get Simon who is an expert on lime plastering and builing natural buildings to work on the project. He is the other exception and has agreed to train the Youth Reform for 10,000 KSH (75 pounds, $150 US).
like Zak this is next to nothing comapred to what their expertise would usually cost.
Well - I think that has probably given you enough of an idea of what has been going on. People are yet to feel the effects of the political solution on the ground though - many internally disaplced people are being forced to return home and don't feel safe - yet.
many will not return home - the plethora of issues remain.
Erick continues to excel in his job at Acted - he got 33/36 at a recent assesment and if the project gets funding he should hopefully get a years contract from mid-June. He hopes to get his interim driving licence next week.
I am still juggling motherhood, work and kibera though the resource centre opening has helped immensely. I look forward to the days when you will be receiving these emails from augustine and to the first harvest from the farm!
STOP PRESS:
Augustine has received a buisness proposal from amongst the youth group who looks like she might be the first recipient of the official revolving fund. She wrote a viable business plan and he is working on with her cash flow projections for the next year.
I have started to look for major funding for the farm projects. The options we are exploring so far are government community development funds and also looking at charitable organisations that sponsor this type of work.
If you have any suggestions/ leads - do let me know.
As usual please feel free to forward this email to anyone you feel might be interested. The website should be updated in the next week - and we are working on a new one for the farms!
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
the success continues
I was in the heart of Kibera when the power-sharing agreement betwen Mwai kibaki and Raila Odinga was being signed. In some ways it was quite surreal.There were lots of people crowded around televsisions they could get access to and there was a hushed silence.
There were however no cheers or exclamations of joy. Just a collective sigh of relief and a wait and see attitude. My current position is one of cautious optimism. The fact is that even if everything from here on in is smooth - there is still a lot of work to do.
I am pleased to say that we have had visitors from the UK who are amongst those of you who contribute to the projects. They have agreed to write down their impressions so that I
can circulate them in the next email update.
There are now 30 businesses up and running. In the end because enough money was effectively raised we were able to support every member of the women's group. They are now supporting 4 young women through college/ apprentiships.
They are also trying to liaise with another women's group to extend the business to business support to help get other women to become self-sustaining. I mentioned in the last email that I was appraoched by another self-help group called Lukongo Muchanganyiko women's group.
They are a group of stay-at-home mothers who had been badly afected by post-election violence and did not have access to any other forms of help. Many of their husbands were casual labourers and had lost their jobs.
We were able to help them start to rebuild their lives through a donation that saw 20 women
receive 3,000KSH each. Although they do not have any businesses I was impressed to see that they were already a registered group who had been sharing scarce resources with their community.
The men's group were running over budget for the carwash so I asked them to review what was going on and to be very careful in their budgeting for the other businesses suggested before further funds were to be released. They are working on it.
To be fair to the men - prices for quite a lot of things in Nairobi including building supplies
have been quite erratic in the last couple of months as violence has made transporting goods across the country difficult to say the least.
Also they have now constructed an office for the carwash without asking for extra money to do so.
As many other NGOs working in Kibera have found, it is more often than not the women who are more savvy and organised when it comes to projects and tend to get things working a lot quicker in microenterprise.
In fact some that I have come across have been surprised to find that I was working with a men's group. To me the men are key, a lot of the looting and burning that went on during the troubles was due to yong men who had nothing to lose.
Once things are in place with the carwash we are then going to move onto the men's group other project proposals including a scrap metal business etc. I have also been approached by another group I am keen to work with.
The Kibera Youth Reform who have HIV/AIDS projects and a burgeoning football team are all
self-rehabilitated criminals who are living back in the community they originally came from in
Kibera. Not an easy thing to do.
I look forward to receiving their proposal in the near future. They comprise both men and women and are trying to find positive ways to leave their previous life of crime behind them for good. I was enthused by my meeting with them.
I have also since heard from other sources that the neighbourhoods where some of these (quite hardened) ex-criminals used to live are a lot safer since their self-initiated rehabilitation project started.
The work as you may have gathered is now moving depper into Kibera from the Makina Ward which is closer to the edge of Kibera into Katwekere and Ayani. Places where there are barely roads and the facilities even harder to come by than I have previously described.
EMERGENCY PROJECTS:
The treasurer of the men's group has a young daughter who was badly burnt whilst rushing past a cooking stove on which tea was boiling. It is the type of accident that is typical of life
Kibera - avoidable if people only had decent living conditions.
She would not have been dealt with in hospital had fortuiously some money been donated in cash that day and I was able to avail the funds immediately. She has undergone quite a lot of surgery already and we await to see how her health improves - and if she will recover the use of her arm.
It is quite possible I may have to try and raise funds for the family in the not to distant
future in order for her to be discharged from hospital. The chair of the men's group also has a child currently facing health challenges who we were able to support.
Brian is a delightful 4 year old with cerebral palsy who has been having serious problems with eating and required surgery. Good quality but reasonably priced medical
care was found which will see him get the surgery for just 7000Ksh (50 pounds/ 100 dollars).
I am learning fast how difficult it is not to become involved in other aspects of the people who
I am working with's lives. There is no safety net in Kibera and it is hard not to step in when
there is great and obvious need.
THE FUTURE:
One thing that has been concerning me greatly is the act that there is probably going to be a famine in Kenya given the serious disruption of farming activites in the Rift Valley (Kenya's
bread basket).
So there are 2 steps we are looking at:
1. suporting a great project to get seeds out to displaced people and farmers before the rains (please indicate if you would like to hear more about and i will send you the details)
2. I have got some farmers already to agree to help groups in Kibera set up Kitchen gardens so that local residents will be able to feed themselves in the coming months. They are organic farmers which is an added bonus.
This week also sees the start of the health clinic opening at the children's home. Our volunteer paediatrician (who has a wealth of experience working with doctors without borders) visited the home yesterday and was able to treat sick children.
Thankfully as money has been coming in reguarly we are able to buy the medication required and also the medical supplies that were sent from the Uk have been extremely useful. We hope to make this a regular occurence.
Yesterday also 10 children and 2 teachers from my mother's school took a bus load of donations to the children's home. It was an important visit as many of these middle class children had no idea how their contemporaries were living only a few kilometres from where they study and play.
They came up with the brilliant idea of inviting the children from the home to come and use the school's playground once a month and we hope to start this after the Easter holidays. It was an eye-opener all round.
ENDING ON A POSITIVE NOTE:
Erick continues to make waves at his job and the Food for work project has been so successful he was chosen to represent Kenya at a conference in Uganda and took his first flight last week.
Early indications are that the French Government will continue to sponsor the project.
Thank you once again for all your support - thanks especially to Laurel Wilson, her family and Prick up your Ears for organising a very successful Night for Kenya raising lots of money for the projects - the photos of which we hope to post on the website very soon.
I will be updating the website in the next few days so please continue to bear with me if all the information is not up there as quickly as you might like to see it. There's no big office with lots of staff dealing with this all - just me...
We continue to hope that Kenya will rise Phoenix like from the ashes.
Please feel free to continue to circulate my emails to those who would like to hear positive news coming out of kenya.
There were however no cheers or exclamations of joy. Just a collective sigh of relief and a wait and see attitude. My current position is one of cautious optimism. The fact is that even if everything from here on in is smooth - there is still a lot of work to do.
I am pleased to say that we have had visitors from the UK who are amongst those of you who contribute to the projects. They have agreed to write down their impressions so that I
can circulate them in the next email update.
There are now 30 businesses up and running. In the end because enough money was effectively raised we were able to support every member of the women's group. They are now supporting 4 young women through college/ apprentiships.
They are also trying to liaise with another women's group to extend the business to business support to help get other women to become self-sustaining. I mentioned in the last email that I was appraoched by another self-help group called Lukongo Muchanganyiko women's group.
They are a group of stay-at-home mothers who had been badly afected by post-election violence and did not have access to any other forms of help. Many of their husbands were casual labourers and had lost their jobs.
We were able to help them start to rebuild their lives through a donation that saw 20 women
receive 3,000KSH each. Although they do not have any businesses I was impressed to see that they were already a registered group who had been sharing scarce resources with their community.
The men's group were running over budget for the carwash so I asked them to review what was going on and to be very careful in their budgeting for the other businesses suggested before further funds were to be released. They are working on it.
To be fair to the men - prices for quite a lot of things in Nairobi including building supplies
have been quite erratic in the last couple of months as violence has made transporting goods across the country difficult to say the least.
Also they have now constructed an office for the carwash without asking for extra money to do so.
As many other NGOs working in Kibera have found, it is more often than not the women who are more savvy and organised when it comes to projects and tend to get things working a lot quicker in microenterprise.
In fact some that I have come across have been surprised to find that I was working with a men's group. To me the men are key, a lot of the looting and burning that went on during the troubles was due to yong men who had nothing to lose.
Once things are in place with the carwash we are then going to move onto the men's group other project proposals including a scrap metal business etc. I have also been approached by another group I am keen to work with.
The Kibera Youth Reform who have HIV/AIDS projects and a burgeoning football team are all
self-rehabilitated criminals who are living back in the community they originally came from in
Kibera. Not an easy thing to do.
I look forward to receiving their proposal in the near future. They comprise both men and women and are trying to find positive ways to leave their previous life of crime behind them for good. I was enthused by my meeting with them.
I have also since heard from other sources that the neighbourhoods where some of these (quite hardened) ex-criminals used to live are a lot safer since their self-initiated rehabilitation project started.
The work as you may have gathered is now moving depper into Kibera from the Makina Ward which is closer to the edge of Kibera into Katwekere and Ayani. Places where there are barely roads and the facilities even harder to come by than I have previously described.
EMERGENCY PROJECTS:
The treasurer of the men's group has a young daughter who was badly burnt whilst rushing past a cooking stove on which tea was boiling. It is the type of accident that is typical of life
Kibera - avoidable if people only had decent living conditions.
She would not have been dealt with in hospital had fortuiously some money been donated in cash that day and I was able to avail the funds immediately. She has undergone quite a lot of surgery already and we await to see how her health improves - and if she will recover the use of her arm.
It is quite possible I may have to try and raise funds for the family in the not to distant
future in order for her to be discharged from hospital. The chair of the men's group also has a child currently facing health challenges who we were able to support.
Brian is a delightful 4 year old with cerebral palsy who has been having serious problems with eating and required surgery. Good quality but reasonably priced medical
care was found which will see him get the surgery for just 7000Ksh (50 pounds/ 100 dollars).
I am learning fast how difficult it is not to become involved in other aspects of the people who
I am working with's lives. There is no safety net in Kibera and it is hard not to step in when
there is great and obvious need.
THE FUTURE:
One thing that has been concerning me greatly is the act that there is probably going to be a famine in Kenya given the serious disruption of farming activites in the Rift Valley (Kenya's
bread basket).
So there are 2 steps we are looking at:
1. suporting a great project to get seeds out to displaced people and farmers before the rains (please indicate if you would like to hear more about and i will send you the details)
2. I have got some farmers already to agree to help groups in Kibera set up Kitchen gardens so that local residents will be able to feed themselves in the coming months. They are organic farmers which is an added bonus.
This week also sees the start of the health clinic opening at the children's home. Our volunteer paediatrician (who has a wealth of experience working with doctors without borders) visited the home yesterday and was able to treat sick children.
Thankfully as money has been coming in reguarly we are able to buy the medication required and also the medical supplies that were sent from the Uk have been extremely useful. We hope to make this a regular occurence.
Yesterday also 10 children and 2 teachers from my mother's school took a bus load of donations to the children's home. It was an important visit as many of these middle class children had no idea how their contemporaries were living only a few kilometres from where they study and play.
They came up with the brilliant idea of inviting the children from the home to come and use the school's playground once a month and we hope to start this after the Easter holidays. It was an eye-opener all round.
ENDING ON A POSITIVE NOTE:
Erick continues to make waves at his job and the Food for work project has been so successful he was chosen to represent Kenya at a conference in Uganda and took his first flight last week.
Early indications are that the French Government will continue to sponsor the project.
Thank you once again for all your support - thanks especially to Laurel Wilson, her family and Prick up your Ears for organising a very successful Night for Kenya raising lots of money for the projects - the photos of which we hope to post on the website very soon.
I will be updating the website in the next few days so please continue to bear with me if all the information is not up there as quickly as you might like to see it. There's no big office with lots of staff dealing with this all - just me...
We continue to hope that Kenya will rise Phoenix like from the ashes.
Please feel free to continue to circulate my emails to those who would like to hear positive news coming out of kenya.
Thursday, 7 February 2008
Carwash Expenditure Breakdown
Machinery - 17,100
Blocks - 6,000
Cement Bags - 3,500
Wiremesh Sheet - 1,200
Balast - 3,200
Sand - 5,000
Labour (28 men
@ working 6 days) - 24,000
Blocks - 6,000
Cement Bags - 3,500
Wiremesh Sheet - 1,200
Balast - 3,200
Sand - 5,000
Labour (28 men
@ working 6 days) - 24,000
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Bridge of Hope
ECONOMIC SITUATION IN KENYA:
The economy has come to a standstill. There is no part of the country that has not been affected. The tourist industry which brought in about 65 billion Kenya shillings last year has already lost 60 billion shillings so far.
For the first time in Kenya's history in December last year all hotels at the coast were fully booked over the Christmas period. Many people were entering the high season with great optimism.
A friend of mine's family business is a remote luxury eco-camp in paradise (Kiweyu) was one. They were fully booked for the high season. Every last guest has cancelled. They have 100 staff.
The charter company that flies to them stopped doing so overnight so they found themselves suddenly stuck 7 hours by dhow away from lamu (the nearest town to them) with no notice.
More than 20,000 workers in the tourism sector have been laid off already.
If the current crisis persists we can expect another potential 120,000 job losses with another quarter of a million indirectly connected to it affected. That is just one industry.
The Rift Valley is Kenya's bread basket. With the illegal roadblocks transport has ground to a halt and so while grains and milk are rotting in stores in one part of the country, other parts of the country are starving.
Food shortages are imminent as many farmers and farm workers are displaced. I mention this because some people have been uneasy about giving money while things are so bad.
They feel it will just go to waste if businesses get destroyed again and people will be back at square one.I strongly feel the opposite and my visit to Kibera confirmed that.
If people have jobs, businesses, livelihoods they will try and find a way to protect them as they have something to live for and are also less likely to loot and burn. Part of this current situation is about the haves and the have nots.
Makina where the projects you have been supporting are based is already much safer than Ayani or Katwekere where people have nothing to lose. When I spoke with young men in Makina they said that they were too busy to even protest.
The French Government sponsored Food-for-Work program is keeping them engaged but they need to pay rent and need money like anyone else for survival. The fact that there is potential of earning money is a huge incentive.
One young man I spoke to was disarmingly honest. He said 'When they used to come and tell me to cause chaos before I used to go - but now I have a route to earn some money, I have work to do. I am not idle and I don't want to risk losing my job.'
In part, some of the reason that there has been so much violence in the slums is because of young disenfranchised men who literally have nothing to live for. They have no sense of ownership or in some cases even the hope of developing that sense.
HOW YOU HAVE HELPED
This Saturday just gone, Erick and I went shopping for Mama Tunza's children's home and went into Kibera. It was a beautiful day and I was pleased to note that people had started to re-build on the way to Toi Market.
Just behind Uchumi in Adams Arcade and Woodley the roadside was lined with (mainly) women selling their fruits and vegetables and mitumba (second hand clothes). In fact we bought mangoes from one such woman to take to the children's home.
Going along past the DC's office through Line Saba into Kibera was the same. There were many more signs of life and it was clear that people had been cleaning up. There were no roadblocks, no burnt out cars on the road as we approached Makina.
A well known graffiti artist Solo 7's work was caputring the mood. Instead of earlier slogans 'No Raila, No Peace' they had moved to a more muted Justice + Truth = Peace and finally by the time we got to Ayani 'Chagua Amani' (Choose Peace).
Admist his work were some very beautiful street paintings calling for the police to stop killing innocent kenyans & asking for political reconcillation. In Makina many of the young men that hang around in groups near the road were now familiar to me.
Although there are no visible road blocks in some parts of Kibera (especially places like Katwekere and Kisumu Ndogo where I did not venture) cars are still being stopped and you have to pay in order to be allowed past.
Erick assured me that the reason I have not experienced this is because in Makina and Olympic people are aware of the projects and are keen to support them. The men's group had been working hard.
They had bought the machine to clean the inside of cars and had dug and concreted a well - they had opened a file for all the receipts and given me a breakdown of the funds used.
They had also been meeting regularly and whittled the group down to 50 from 62 as they said the other 12 were not being serious. Out of the 50, 28 were actively involved in the carwash project.
Others are going to get involved in the other businesses when they start.
A local councillor - aspirant had provided the men's group with an attic office to support project activities. It has quite a view over Kibera and a burgeoning collection of pot plants in the near corner at the top of the steep stairs.
As it happened my car was filthy so even though the carwash was not fully open I was their first customer. They did a stirling job - the only difficulty was to get them to accpet payment.
Whilst they were cleaning the car - potential new customers stopped by.
I then went on to visit 11 of the 12 women's businesses that have opened. The only one I didn't manage to visit was because the owner had travelled upcountry for a funeral.
It was amazing to see what had been accomplished in such a short space of time.
However I will let the attached photographs speak for themselves.
As I walked around visiting the businesses, I was approached by different people - was there anything I could do to help them? I explained that I was dealing with groups that were already organised and self regulating.
Another women's group has therefore said that they are going to submit a proposal. There are however 3 men who I did feel have particularly compelling cases and so even though they are not part of a group I think they are worth supporting.
In all the following cases sponsors have already come forward who are willing to cover the costs but I thought I would tell you all about the cases to highlight the snowball effect I feel the projects are having.
1. The Tailor - Fred has made clothes for me in the past and works in Kibera's City Council Market. He also teaches orphans and refugees tailoring but during 'the troubles' one of his two sewing machines was looted.
He was also attacked with a panga (machete) when he tried to protect his neighbour from thugs during ethnic clashes. It only costs 8,000KSh (about 60 pounds) to replace a machine that will provide employment and help others.
2. The Welder - Husband to the leader of the women's group his business was looted and burnt. He has since obtained secure premises within the city council market and promises to take on apprentices upon receiving the starting capital of 5000KSh.
3. The Mitumba Salesman - James did not actually lose his business through the current troubles and is not based in Kibera. He is actually an example of some of the problems that have left so many young men disenfranchised.
James was a street child who used to hustle in the shopping centre in the area I grew up. He managed to earn enough from washing cars to eventually start a second hand clothes business in a small kiosk on the roadside near Karen Roundabout.
Along with many other kiosks these were torn down by the city council and the merchants lost all their stock. I will be the first to admit that these kiosks were an eyesore and were on the road reserve etc.
however they earned a livelihood for the poeple that ran them.
(remembering that every self employed kenyan supports about 17 people)
It was also interesting to note that these kiosks were destroyed about the same time that a kenyan mega-chain supermarket that sells absolutely everything was built in the area.
No provision was made for the kiosk owners at the local market - they lost it all.
As is often the case - the rich were getting richer and the poor - poorer.
James suffers from severe asthma and needs regular medication he cannot now afford. He has managed to find another location and hopes to start his business next week once he has secured a business licence.
FUTURE PLANS:
We still hope to get the other 3 businesses proposed by the men's group up and running soon. The men's group are also calling themselves Bridge of Hope (its very kenyan to have more than one name)
in honour of the link between themselves and all of you who are supporting them.
The women's group are committed to helping their other members get back on their feet once their own businesses are running reasonably. They have invited me to visit them once a week and are also happy for any of you to visit them.
The youth group that supports Mama Tunza's children's home are hoping to find premises. They want to start music/ drama/ art groups that engage youth and keep them busy, & promote positive messages about how different tribes can work together.
We have agreed to have a review in April to see how things are going on the ground and find out what everybody is up to. Erick continues to enjoy his new job and looks forward to starting driving lessons when he gets his first salary.
I feel that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
The economy has come to a standstill. There is no part of the country that has not been affected. The tourist industry which brought in about 65 billion Kenya shillings last year has already lost 60 billion shillings so far.
For the first time in Kenya's history in December last year all hotels at the coast were fully booked over the Christmas period. Many people were entering the high season with great optimism.
A friend of mine's family business is a remote luxury eco-camp in paradise (Kiweyu) was one. They were fully booked for the high season. Every last guest has cancelled. They have 100 staff.
The charter company that flies to them stopped doing so overnight so they found themselves suddenly stuck 7 hours by dhow away from lamu (the nearest town to them) with no notice.
More than 20,000 workers in the tourism sector have been laid off already.
If the current crisis persists we can expect another potential 120,000 job losses with another quarter of a million indirectly connected to it affected. That is just one industry.
The Rift Valley is Kenya's bread basket. With the illegal roadblocks transport has ground to a halt and so while grains and milk are rotting in stores in one part of the country, other parts of the country are starving.
Food shortages are imminent as many farmers and farm workers are displaced. I mention this because some people have been uneasy about giving money while things are so bad.
They feel it will just go to waste if businesses get destroyed again and people will be back at square one.I strongly feel the opposite and my visit to Kibera confirmed that.
If people have jobs, businesses, livelihoods they will try and find a way to protect them as they have something to live for and are also less likely to loot and burn. Part of this current situation is about the haves and the have nots.
Makina where the projects you have been supporting are based is already much safer than Ayani or Katwekere where people have nothing to lose. When I spoke with young men in Makina they said that they were too busy to even protest.
The French Government sponsored Food-for-Work program is keeping them engaged but they need to pay rent and need money like anyone else for survival. The fact that there is potential of earning money is a huge incentive.
One young man I spoke to was disarmingly honest. He said 'When they used to come and tell me to cause chaos before I used to go - but now I have a route to earn some money, I have work to do. I am not idle and I don't want to risk losing my job.'
In part, some of the reason that there has been so much violence in the slums is because of young disenfranchised men who literally have nothing to live for. They have no sense of ownership or in some cases even the hope of developing that sense.
HOW YOU HAVE HELPED
This Saturday just gone, Erick and I went shopping for Mama Tunza's children's home and went into Kibera. It was a beautiful day and I was pleased to note that people had started to re-build on the way to Toi Market.
Just behind Uchumi in Adams Arcade and Woodley the roadside was lined with (mainly) women selling their fruits and vegetables and mitumba (second hand clothes). In fact we bought mangoes from one such woman to take to the children's home.
Going along past the DC's office through Line Saba into Kibera was the same. There were many more signs of life and it was clear that people had been cleaning up. There were no roadblocks, no burnt out cars on the road as we approached Makina.
A well known graffiti artist Solo 7's work was caputring the mood. Instead of earlier slogans 'No Raila, No Peace' they had moved to a more muted Justice + Truth = Peace and finally by the time we got to Ayani 'Chagua Amani' (Choose Peace).
Admist his work were some very beautiful street paintings calling for the police to stop killing innocent kenyans & asking for political reconcillation. In Makina many of the young men that hang around in groups near the road were now familiar to me.
Although there are no visible road blocks in some parts of Kibera (especially places like Katwekere and Kisumu Ndogo where I did not venture) cars are still being stopped and you have to pay in order to be allowed past.
Erick assured me that the reason I have not experienced this is because in Makina and Olympic people are aware of the projects and are keen to support them. The men's group had been working hard.
They had bought the machine to clean the inside of cars and had dug and concreted a well - they had opened a file for all the receipts and given me a breakdown of the funds used.
They had also been meeting regularly and whittled the group down to 50 from 62 as they said the other 12 were not being serious. Out of the 50, 28 were actively involved in the carwash project.
Others are going to get involved in the other businesses when they start.
A local councillor - aspirant had provided the men's group with an attic office to support project activities. It has quite a view over Kibera and a burgeoning collection of pot plants in the near corner at the top of the steep stairs.
As it happened my car was filthy so even though the carwash was not fully open I was their first customer. They did a stirling job - the only difficulty was to get them to accpet payment.
Whilst they were cleaning the car - potential new customers stopped by.
I then went on to visit 11 of the 12 women's businesses that have opened. The only one I didn't manage to visit was because the owner had travelled upcountry for a funeral.
It was amazing to see what had been accomplished in such a short space of time.
However I will let the attached photographs speak for themselves.
As I walked around visiting the businesses, I was approached by different people - was there anything I could do to help them? I explained that I was dealing with groups that were already organised and self regulating.
Another women's group has therefore said that they are going to submit a proposal. There are however 3 men who I did feel have particularly compelling cases and so even though they are not part of a group I think they are worth supporting.
In all the following cases sponsors have already come forward who are willing to cover the costs but I thought I would tell you all about the cases to highlight the snowball effect I feel the projects are having.
1. The Tailor - Fred has made clothes for me in the past and works in Kibera's City Council Market. He also teaches orphans and refugees tailoring but during 'the troubles' one of his two sewing machines was looted.
He was also attacked with a panga (machete) when he tried to protect his neighbour from thugs during ethnic clashes. It only costs 8,000KSh (about 60 pounds) to replace a machine that will provide employment and help others.
2. The Welder - Husband to the leader of the women's group his business was looted and burnt. He has since obtained secure premises within the city council market and promises to take on apprentices upon receiving the starting capital of 5000KSh.
3. The Mitumba Salesman - James did not actually lose his business through the current troubles and is not based in Kibera. He is actually an example of some of the problems that have left so many young men disenfranchised.
James was a street child who used to hustle in the shopping centre in the area I grew up. He managed to earn enough from washing cars to eventually start a second hand clothes business in a small kiosk on the roadside near Karen Roundabout.
Along with many other kiosks these were torn down by the city council and the merchants lost all their stock. I will be the first to admit that these kiosks were an eyesore and were on the road reserve etc.
however they earned a livelihood for the poeple that ran them.
(remembering that every self employed kenyan supports about 17 people)
It was also interesting to note that these kiosks were destroyed about the same time that a kenyan mega-chain supermarket that sells absolutely everything was built in the area.
No provision was made for the kiosk owners at the local market - they lost it all.
As is often the case - the rich were getting richer and the poor - poorer.
James suffers from severe asthma and needs regular medication he cannot now afford. He has managed to find another location and hopes to start his business next week once he has secured a business licence.
FUTURE PLANS:
We still hope to get the other 3 businesses proposed by the men's group up and running soon. The men's group are also calling themselves Bridge of Hope (its very kenyan to have more than one name)
in honour of the link between themselves and all of you who are supporting them.
The women's group are committed to helping their other members get back on their feet once their own businesses are running reasonably. They have invited me to visit them once a week and are also happy for any of you to visit them.
The youth group that supports Mama Tunza's children's home are hoping to find premises. They want to start music/ drama/ art groups that engage youth and keep them busy, & promote positive messages about how different tribes can work together.
We have agreed to have a review in April to see how things are going on the ground and find out what everybody is up to. Erick continues to enjoy his new job and looks forward to starting driving lessons when he gets his first salary.
I feel that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Friday, 1 February 2008
ACCOUNTS
Total monies received: 879637
Food for Mama Tunza's Children's home : 31,300
Money used to pay Kibera Security Team: 38,500
Set up costs for Men's group carwash: 60,000
Set up costs for 12 women's businesses: 60,000
Set up costs for 18 women's businesses: 90,000
Support to 20 damaged households: 60,000
Bank Charges: 2,750
Erick January Stipend: 5,000
Special Project - Welder: 5,000
Special Project - Mitumba Salesman: 5,000
Emergency Project - Burnt Child: 9,800
Erick February Stipend: 5,000
Labour to clear land for organic farm: 17,000
KYICD resource centre Set Up Costs: 27,800
Erick March Stipend: 5,000
Farming Tools: 22,000
Deposit for KYICD Office: 10,000
Mid-April to Mid-May Resource Centre Rent: 10,000
Youth Reform Project 1st tranch: 65,250
Computer, Phone Equipment for resource centre: 88,300
Special Project - Child's Dental Operation: 7,000
Water tank for farm: 40,000
Erick April Stipend: 5,000
Resource Centre Staff Salaries April: 12,000
Resource Centre Rent Mid May - Mid June: 10,000
Resource Centre Supplies Mid May - Mid June: 3,000
Balance in account: 184937
These accounts are correct as of Wednesday 28 May
Food for Mama Tunza's Children's home : 31,300
Money used to pay Kibera Security Team: 38,500
Set up costs for Men's group carwash: 60,000
Set up costs for 12 women's businesses: 60,000
Set up costs for 18 women's businesses: 90,000
Support to 20 damaged households: 60,000
Bank Charges: 2,750
Erick January Stipend: 5,000
Special Project - Welder: 5,000
Special Project - Mitumba Salesman: 5,000
Emergency Project - Burnt Child: 9,800
Erick February Stipend: 5,000
Labour to clear land for organic farm: 17,000
KYICD resource centre Set Up Costs: 27,800
Erick March Stipend: 5,000
Farming Tools: 22,000
Deposit for KYICD Office: 10,000
Mid-April to Mid-May Resource Centre Rent: 10,000
Youth Reform Project 1st tranch: 65,250
Computer, Phone Equipment for resource centre: 88,300
Special Project - Child's Dental Operation: 7,000
Water tank for farm: 40,000
Erick April Stipend: 5,000
Resource Centre Staff Salaries April: 12,000
Resource Centre Rent Mid May - Mid June: 10,000
Resource Centre Supplies Mid May - Mid June: 3,000
Balance in account: 184937
These accounts are correct as of Wednesday 28 May
CONTRIBUTIONS - THANK YOU!
As the project is taking place in Kenya we are publishing the contributions received in Kenya Shillings. The initial target was to raise about 300,000 KSh with an eventual target of 1 million shillings.
Thank you so much to the following contributors:
4,300 - Anon
40,000 - Karanja + Newbould Families
1,000 - Anon
105,000 - Chris Johnson
13,300 - Lucy Miguda
26,600 - Miranda Kent
15,000 - Simon Davison
5,000 - Anon
2,000 - Edwin Muriuki
13,465 - Terry Knott
7016 - Sophie Ainsley
328118 - Anon
10,000 - Laurence & Christine Okelo
9,800 - Heidemarie Graul-Bellali
19,950 - Debbie Berkley
18,000 - Sheila Otieno - Osanya
3,000 - Christine Ndirangu
25,000 - OTA
100986 - A night for Kenya
97,102 - Friends of the Iceman
35,000 - Luxembourg
TOTAL MONIES RECEIVED - 879637
Thank you also for the following contributions:
Anon - Food for Mama Tunza's Children's home
Okelo Family - Food for Mama Tunza's Children's home
Monica Trujillo - Food for Mama Tunza's Children's home & Medical Services
Ann Mc Creath - Clothes for Mama Tunza's Children's home
Tanya Maxwell Morrison - Clothes for Mama Tunza's Children's home
Marina Steven - Medical Supplies
Helen Lockstone - Setting up and managing the website
Su Kahumbu & Zak - Setting up the Organic Farm
Johara Bellali - Enviornmental Engineering expertise to set up toilet block
Ilaria M - Food for Mama Tunza's home
Bruno Gonzalez - For sharing his expertise and facilitating Erick's job
Thank you to all the following people who have forwarded the emails that have led to direct contributions/ useful connections etc.
Sue Canney-Davison, Sheila Otieno-Osanya, Rob & Ursie Phayre, Anne Chiotis, Kathryn Vale.
Thank you all for your support - we appreciate the positive thoughts and energy that you have been sending. Hopefully one day when things are better you will be able to come and visit the projects!
Thank you so much to the following contributors:
4,300 - Anon
40,000 - Karanja + Newbould Families
1,000 - Anon
105,000 - Chris Johnson
13,300 - Lucy Miguda
26,600 - Miranda Kent
15,000 - Simon Davison
5,000 - Anon
2,000 - Edwin Muriuki
13,465 - Terry Knott
7016 - Sophie Ainsley
328118 - Anon
10,000 - Laurence & Christine Okelo
9,800 - Heidemarie Graul-Bellali
19,950 - Debbie Berkley
18,000 - Sheila Otieno - Osanya
3,000 - Christine Ndirangu
25,000 - OTA
100986 - A night for Kenya
97,102 - Friends of the Iceman
35,000 - Luxembourg
TOTAL MONIES RECEIVED - 879637
Thank you also for the following contributions:
Anon - Food for Mama Tunza's Children's home
Okelo Family - Food for Mama Tunza's Children's home
Monica Trujillo - Food for Mama Tunza's Children's home & Medical Services
Ann Mc Creath - Clothes for Mama Tunza's Children's home
Tanya Maxwell Morrison - Clothes for Mama Tunza's Children's home
Marina Steven - Medical Supplies
Helen Lockstone - Setting up and managing the website
Su Kahumbu & Zak - Setting up the Organic Farm
Johara Bellali - Enviornmental Engineering expertise to set up toilet block
Ilaria M - Food for Mama Tunza's home
Bruno Gonzalez - For sharing his expertise and facilitating Erick's job
Thank you to all the following people who have forwarded the emails that have led to direct contributions/ useful connections etc.
Sue Canney-Davison, Sheila Otieno-Osanya, Rob & Ursie Phayre, Anne Chiotis, Kathryn Vale.
Thank you all for your support - we appreciate the positive thoughts and energy that you have been sending. Hopefully one day when things are better you will be able to come and visit the projects!
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Things coming together....
Some of you have been asking what life is like in Nairobi. The last three weeks have been highly unusual to say the least. I live in an area called Riara not far off Ngong Rd which is a main artery from the city centre to the town of Ngong, south of the city.
Kibera is to the south east of us and close enough for us to have seen smoke rising as parts of it burnt. We have become accustomed to the sound of police helicopters flying overhead and gunshots in the afternoon.
The recent three days of protests have seen the police using live ammunition to disperse protesters in Nairobi. Though they had already been doing so in Kisumu where over 100 people were found in the morgue with bullet wounds, some women and children.
It is now a common sight to see riot police and paramilitaries all over Nairobi. The inital restraint that they showed evaporated quickly. A group of 70 middle class women organised a peaceful protest last week in Hurlingham a well - to- do suburb. Most were mothers and grandmothers and one mother was even carrying a baby. The police dispersed the gathering with tear gas! A friend of mine who saw it happen said it was horrible. However, at least they were not killed.
The extra-judicial killings are becoming alarming. Unarmed protesters are being shot at even as they run away. Locally the live media ban continues although the country eagerly watched the opening of parliament and the election of an opposition speaker of the house. Ethnically the country remains polarised and tribalism is at an all time high. Unfortunately a lot of the international media over-simplifies the situation. Kibera for example is often referred to as an opposition stronghold.
Although this is true the groups I am working with include people that voted for the incumbent (Kibaki) and for the opposition (Raila). At one meeting I attended a woman walked in wearing a pro-Kibaki T-Shirt. She had come from another part of Kibera wearing it and had not been attacked en route and obviously felt safe waering it. I emphasize this because there are 2 other parts to the post-election violence.
The power struggle between young and old and the conflict between the rich and poor.
KEEPING HOPE ALIVE:
I agreed with the groups that I wouldn't return to Kibera during the 3 days of mass action. I must say though I felt rather bad about it, there I was looking out for my own safety and they had no choice.
I received a call from Erick on Thursday. The men had already started to dig a well for the carwash as well as put up makeshift structures in anticipation of the money required to buy the equipment.This was confirmed by the treasurer when we met Friday morning to go to the bank. He said wearily that the mass action was now slowing them down. Everytime they had tried to congregate to carry on the police had dispersed them.
On Friday last week I went to the bank with the treasurer from the men's and the women's group. It was ostensibly to bank the 50,000KSh that was going to the men's and 55,000KSh that was going to the women's group.They were to take the deposit slips to the groups as proof of the money's existence. Although this may seem a rather protracted way of doing things I decided that I was not going to carry money into Kibera for obvious reasons.
When the groups were ready for the money I would return to the bank with them and withdraw it again for their use. Another reason for going to the bank with them is the account we have set up belongs to Erick's youth group. I am trying to encourage the other two groups to become more formalised in their financial matters. As the money that many of you have kindly donated belongs to the group I am trying to get them to open group bank accounts.
The meeting at the bank went well and the manager agreed that when the accounts are opened in the near future it would be on the same terms as the youth group account - i.e. reduced charges and next day cheque clearing etc. as they are community groups.
Today (Wednesday) I got a phonecall from the chairwoman of the women's group. She had identified 12 women who would start businesses and were readyto go. We hope to get the funds to them as soon as possible and then go for a progress visit.
We have also had a wonderful offer from a paediatrician who has a lot of experience working in difficult/ restricted conditions as well as an occupational therapist who specializes in childhood disorders to set up a clinic at the chidlren's home.
Those of you who have sent money to be used at the children's home we are going to use it to get the basic supplies required to get the clinic going. Initially the clinic is going to run one day a week and should look after the health needs of the children in the area.
As the paediatrician has previously worked with MSF (Doctors without Borders) she is going to use her connections to be able to refer any children that need specialist or in-patient care to their facilities.
STOP PRESS:
The government has recently (amongst serious controversy) annouced that all camps homing displaced people are to be shut in the next week. These people do not have a home to go to but apprently they are costing a lot of money and the country is now deemed safe.
Intenational mediators continue to arrive. This week sees Kofi Annan (former UN Secretary General), Graca Machel (wife to Nelson mandela and seasoned activist), Benjamin Mkapa (former Tanzanian president) and Yoweri Museveni (curent Ugandan President).
The political standstill continues.
Sorry I did not manage to get this email out to you during the week. It is now Saturday (26th) and the men's group have received 50,000 KSH (about 360 pounds) and the carwash is well underway. I visited the site and the work seems to be going well.
The women's group have received 60,000KSh (about 430 pounds) and 12 women are going to start up businesses next week. The next email I send you will have photos of all of the aforementioned progress.
The French government sponsored food-for-work project has also started well. They have employed Erick as a facilitator so he is going to be able to realise a dream of learning how to drive soon.
The website should also be updated in the next few days detailing contributions and exactly how they have been used so that you can see what money has come in and where it has gone. Thank you all once again for your support.
Also this week I will be sending out to those of you who have asked details of specific supplies the children's home needs. Sorry if i have been a bit slow with some of this but it is only me - no big office structure trying to get everything done.
I would just like to remind you all that it has been less than a month since I first visited Kibera. In an age where it is often so easy to get cynical abouut whether or not change can take place already it has.
There are 92 people who have a lot more hope than they did a month ago. 1 of them has a new job, 12 are re-starting businesses they lost and 62 are pooling together into 4 joint ventures to be able to support themselves, their families and their communities.
Kibera is to the south east of us and close enough for us to have seen smoke rising as parts of it burnt. We have become accustomed to the sound of police helicopters flying overhead and gunshots in the afternoon.
The recent three days of protests have seen the police using live ammunition to disperse protesters in Nairobi. Though they had already been doing so in Kisumu where over 100 people were found in the morgue with bullet wounds, some women and children.
It is now a common sight to see riot police and paramilitaries all over Nairobi. The inital restraint that they showed evaporated quickly. A group of 70 middle class women organised a peaceful protest last week in Hurlingham a well - to- do suburb. Most were mothers and grandmothers and one mother was even carrying a baby. The police dispersed the gathering with tear gas! A friend of mine who saw it happen said it was horrible. However, at least they were not killed.
The extra-judicial killings are becoming alarming. Unarmed protesters are being shot at even as they run away. Locally the live media ban continues although the country eagerly watched the opening of parliament and the election of an opposition speaker of the house. Ethnically the country remains polarised and tribalism is at an all time high. Unfortunately a lot of the international media over-simplifies the situation. Kibera for example is often referred to as an opposition stronghold.
Although this is true the groups I am working with include people that voted for the incumbent (Kibaki) and for the opposition (Raila). At one meeting I attended a woman walked in wearing a pro-Kibaki T-Shirt. She had come from another part of Kibera wearing it and had not been attacked en route and obviously felt safe waering it. I emphasize this because there are 2 other parts to the post-election violence.
The power struggle between young and old and the conflict between the rich and poor.
KEEPING HOPE ALIVE:
I agreed with the groups that I wouldn't return to Kibera during the 3 days of mass action. I must say though I felt rather bad about it, there I was looking out for my own safety and they had no choice.
I received a call from Erick on Thursday. The men had already started to dig a well for the carwash as well as put up makeshift structures in anticipation of the money required to buy the equipment.This was confirmed by the treasurer when we met Friday morning to go to the bank. He said wearily that the mass action was now slowing them down. Everytime they had tried to congregate to carry on the police had dispersed them.
On Friday last week I went to the bank with the treasurer from the men's and the women's group. It was ostensibly to bank the 50,000KSh that was going to the men's and 55,000KSh that was going to the women's group.They were to take the deposit slips to the groups as proof of the money's existence. Although this may seem a rather protracted way of doing things I decided that I was not going to carry money into Kibera for obvious reasons.
When the groups were ready for the money I would return to the bank with them and withdraw it again for their use. Another reason for going to the bank with them is the account we have set up belongs to Erick's youth group. I am trying to encourage the other two groups to become more formalised in their financial matters. As the money that many of you have kindly donated belongs to the group I am trying to get them to open group bank accounts.
The meeting at the bank went well and the manager agreed that when the accounts are opened in the near future it would be on the same terms as the youth group account - i.e. reduced charges and next day cheque clearing etc. as they are community groups.
Today (Wednesday) I got a phonecall from the chairwoman of the women's group. She had identified 12 women who would start businesses and were readyto go. We hope to get the funds to them as soon as possible and then go for a progress visit.
We have also had a wonderful offer from a paediatrician who has a lot of experience working in difficult/ restricted conditions as well as an occupational therapist who specializes in childhood disorders to set up a clinic at the chidlren's home.
Those of you who have sent money to be used at the children's home we are going to use it to get the basic supplies required to get the clinic going. Initially the clinic is going to run one day a week and should look after the health needs of the children in the area.
As the paediatrician has previously worked with MSF (Doctors without Borders) she is going to use her connections to be able to refer any children that need specialist or in-patient care to their facilities.
STOP PRESS:
The government has recently (amongst serious controversy) annouced that all camps homing displaced people are to be shut in the next week. These people do not have a home to go to but apprently they are costing a lot of money and the country is now deemed safe.
Intenational mediators continue to arrive. This week sees Kofi Annan (former UN Secretary General), Graca Machel (wife to Nelson mandela and seasoned activist), Benjamin Mkapa (former Tanzanian president) and Yoweri Museveni (curent Ugandan President).
The political standstill continues.
Sorry I did not manage to get this email out to you during the week. It is now Saturday (26th) and the men's group have received 50,000 KSH (about 360 pounds) and the carwash is well underway. I visited the site and the work seems to be going well.
The women's group have received 60,000KSh (about 430 pounds) and 12 women are going to start up businesses next week. The next email I send you will have photos of all of the aforementioned progress.
The French government sponsored food-for-work project has also started well. They have employed Erick as a facilitator so he is going to be able to realise a dream of learning how to drive soon.
The website should also be updated in the next few days detailing contributions and exactly how they have been used so that you can see what money has come in and where it has gone. Thank you all once again for your support.
Also this week I will be sending out to those of you who have asked details of specific supplies the children's home needs. Sorry if i have been a bit slow with some of this but it is only me - no big office structure trying to get everything done.
I would just like to remind you all that it has been less than a month since I first visited Kibera. In an age where it is often so easy to get cynical abouut whether or not change can take place already it has.
There are 92 people who have a lot more hope than they did a month ago. 1 of them has a new job, 12 are re-starting businesses they lost and 62 are pooling together into 4 joint ventures to be able to support themselves, their families and their communities.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
Find out more - Make a contribution
Thank you for the pledges of money that continue to come in. They will be a huge help. We are preparing ourselves for a rough week ahead. Parliament is due to open today and that promises to be stormy.
Also the opposition have called for 'mass action' on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. No one is quite sure what will happen and how it will affect us. We all hope though that there wil not be more violence.
I went to Kibera this Saturday just gone exactly a week to the day when I first went there. I met with 2 groups. The Makina Self Help Group which is a group of men and the Jitahidi Women's Development Association.
Both groups were business people who were supporting each other before 'the trouble started'. I had decided not to take my camera until I had gotten to know the groups a little better and had their permission to take photos.
This turned out to be the right move. They were wary of people in the past who come by and promise a lot and they had felt exploited by 'slum tourists'. I was totally open with them about the fact that they were going to be assisted by private individuals etc.
Meeting with them gave me a huge amount of hope. Not only were these groups ethnically mixed they were also organised already and all they needed was a bit of a helping hand to achieve their goals.
There were 29 members in the women's group who had all lost their businesses. When you think that every Kenyan who earns a salary feeds 10 people and every self employed Kenyan supports an average of 17 people the numbers are quite alarming.
What they need is enough money to start between 5 - 10 businesses and then they will help other members get back on their feet once the initial businesses are established. The money will belong to the group and they will be responsible for each other.
The businesses that the women were running included kiosks, hair salons, second hand clothes stalls, food stalls and so on. The average cost of starting such a business is 15,000 KSh (just over 100 pounds).
There were 62 men out of whom 23 had their own businesses which had all been lost. The men have decided to pool together to start 4 businesses including a carwash, charcoal business, scrap metal dealers and shop.
The total cost of this is 145,000 Ksh (just over 1000 pounds). Therefore if we can raise about 2000 pounds we can help to get this community back on its feet. It has many benefits.
Firstly it gives them an income and means that they can become self sufficient again but also it allows them to look after themselves in the future. The groups want to work towards having such contigency money should any other problems arise in the future.
I met again with the groups on monday and this time I went further into Kibera. To read about open sewers is one thing to experience them is something else. I met many children who were about the same age as my own nearly 9 month old daughter.
They were all sparklingly clean and delightful. I thought about the hazards as she is trying to crawl and looked at the homes I was invited into. They were cramped one bedroom huts with mud walls.
Some had electricity, a single bulb that cut through a tarpaulin ceiling that really isn't all that weather resistent. Windows were rare. Outside the front door should a child stray was a gutter that lined the houses filled with excrement etc.
The stench was overpowering.
During the meetings we had talked about what the groups would like to achieve long term. Their goals were no different to mine. They wanted to improve their living environments and had plans for waste management projects, communal celaning projects etc.
They wanted to be able to enjoy their free time with their families instead of worrying about the next meal. They hoped for a better life for their children. The men invited me to watch their football team's next match. They promised my safety in Kibera. I felt safe.
We thrashed out ideas about how the money would be managed and how we would all be accountable. I said very little, they had all the solutions all they needed was someone to listen and facillitate their process.
You can be a bridge they said - between us and those that can help us.
Both groups have committed to submitting monthly status reports on how their businesses are going once everything is up and running. The have also said that they will be happy for me to take photos on future visits.
So I extend the challenge to all of you. If you have pledged money so far Please could you try and transfer it into the following account as soon as possible. Please send me an email/ text to let me know when you have done so.
We have opened an account with a local bank because they agreed to waive certain charges and give us preferatial rates for foreign currency when they heard about our project aims.
If you haven't please consider doing so. We are trying to give a long term solution to a problem that has arisen out of a horrible political crisis. Our website is also up and running thanks to HL who sorted it out for free.
The address (for now is) http://kyicd.blogspot.com
At the moment it doesn't have a huge amount on it because I am spending most of my time trying to raise funds to get the projects going.
Once we have the initial 2000 pounds in place then I will put more information on there. Please let me know if you DO NOT want me to put your name and contribution on the website as a thank you.
Please pass on our website address to people who can help. It is my dream that within 2 weeks of my first visit to Kibera I can present the groups with some funding. I am sure you can help me make it come true.
NB. If you have requested that the money be specifically used say for example for the childrens home I will ensure that happens. Also there are no administrative costs going into this project.
All the money that is raised will go directly to the people of Kibera. Although Erick may receive a small stipend for his efforts I am donating 100% my time and resources required to make this happen.
See bank account details on the right. Thank you.
Also the opposition have called for 'mass action' on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. No one is quite sure what will happen and how it will affect us. We all hope though that there wil not be more violence.
I went to Kibera this Saturday just gone exactly a week to the day when I first went there. I met with 2 groups. The Makina Self Help Group which is a group of men and the Jitahidi Women's Development Association.
Both groups were business people who were supporting each other before 'the trouble started'. I had decided not to take my camera until I had gotten to know the groups a little better and had their permission to take photos.
This turned out to be the right move. They were wary of people in the past who come by and promise a lot and they had felt exploited by 'slum tourists'. I was totally open with them about the fact that they were going to be assisted by private individuals etc.
Meeting with them gave me a huge amount of hope. Not only were these groups ethnically mixed they were also organised already and all they needed was a bit of a helping hand to achieve their goals.
There were 29 members in the women's group who had all lost their businesses. When you think that every Kenyan who earns a salary feeds 10 people and every self employed Kenyan supports an average of 17 people the numbers are quite alarming.
What they need is enough money to start between 5 - 10 businesses and then they will help other members get back on their feet once the initial businesses are established. The money will belong to the group and they will be responsible for each other.
The businesses that the women were running included kiosks, hair salons, second hand clothes stalls, food stalls and so on. The average cost of starting such a business is 15,000 KSh (just over 100 pounds).
There were 62 men out of whom 23 had their own businesses which had all been lost. The men have decided to pool together to start 4 businesses including a carwash, charcoal business, scrap metal dealers and shop.
The total cost of this is 145,000 Ksh (just over 1000 pounds). Therefore if we can raise about 2000 pounds we can help to get this community back on its feet. It has many benefits.
Firstly it gives them an income and means that they can become self sufficient again but also it allows them to look after themselves in the future. The groups want to work towards having such contigency money should any other problems arise in the future.
I met again with the groups on monday and this time I went further into Kibera. To read about open sewers is one thing to experience them is something else. I met many children who were about the same age as my own nearly 9 month old daughter.
They were all sparklingly clean and delightful. I thought about the hazards as she is trying to crawl and looked at the homes I was invited into. They were cramped one bedroom huts with mud walls.
Some had electricity, a single bulb that cut through a tarpaulin ceiling that really isn't all that weather resistent. Windows were rare. Outside the front door should a child stray was a gutter that lined the houses filled with excrement etc.
The stench was overpowering.
During the meetings we had talked about what the groups would like to achieve long term. Their goals were no different to mine. They wanted to improve their living environments and had plans for waste management projects, communal celaning projects etc.
They wanted to be able to enjoy their free time with their families instead of worrying about the next meal. They hoped for a better life for their children. The men invited me to watch their football team's next match. They promised my safety in Kibera. I felt safe.
We thrashed out ideas about how the money would be managed and how we would all be accountable. I said very little, they had all the solutions all they needed was someone to listen and facillitate their process.
You can be a bridge they said - between us and those that can help us.
Both groups have committed to submitting monthly status reports on how their businesses are going once everything is up and running. The have also said that they will be happy for me to take photos on future visits.
So I extend the challenge to all of you. If you have pledged money so far Please could you try and transfer it into the following account as soon as possible. Please send me an email/ text to let me know when you have done so.
We have opened an account with a local bank because they agreed to waive certain charges and give us preferatial rates for foreign currency when they heard about our project aims.
If you haven't please consider doing so. We are trying to give a long term solution to a problem that has arisen out of a horrible political crisis. Our website is also up and running thanks to HL who sorted it out for free.
The address (for now is) http://kyicd.blogspot.com
At the moment it doesn't have a huge amount on it because I am spending most of my time trying to raise funds to get the projects going.
Once we have the initial 2000 pounds in place then I will put more information on there. Please let me know if you DO NOT want me to put your name and contribution on the website as a thank you.
Please pass on our website address to people who can help. It is my dream that within 2 weeks of my first visit to Kibera I can present the groups with some funding. I am sure you can help me make it come true.
NB. If you have requested that the money be specifically used say for example for the childrens home I will ensure that happens. Also there are no administrative costs going into this project.
All the money that is raised will go directly to the people of Kibera. Although Erick may receive a small stipend for his efforts I am donating 100% my time and resources required to make this happen.
See bank account details on the right. Thank you.
Friday, 11 January 2008
More Positive News
What can I say? The response to my initial email has been amazing. Thank you all so very much. It has given me the energy to carry on trying to help the people of Kibera. I am having to learn a lot as I go and thought I would share with you some of the successes.
Considering it has been less that a week since my first visit, a lot has happened.
Basically there are 2 issues at hand
1. The immediate need of the people who have been hardest hit post-elections
2. Long term solutions to help people who live in very vulnerable situations.
Firstly I just wanted to say thank you for forwarding my email, it has meant that I have received support from people I don't even know and otherwise wonuldn't reach. AD's husband is going to get my email broadcast on a radio station in the US.
A website edited in South Africa is also going to be publishing the email.
1. This Wednesday just gone friends MT, HA and TMM gave supplies including clothing, food, sanitary towels, nappies etc that filled half a pick up and was sucessfully delivered to Mama Tunza's Children's home.
I have also been pledged 50 pounds from J (a woman who received a forwarded email) for the children's home as well as medical supplies from a friend MS. Another friend MG has also pledged funds which are to be finalised.
2. A friend BG who has contacts in the French Government has managed to secure 150,000 Euros for a 'food for work' project that will employ 250 men for 4 months. These men will help to clean up and rebuild parts of Kibera in exchange for food vouchers.
The hope of the project starting has already been immense. When following the announcement that the President had named a large portion of his Cabinet, there was more violence threatened, Erick and his youth group were able to quell some of it.
They appraoched some of the young men who were about to start trouble and informed them that there was a project soon to start and those who caused trouble would not be included in it. Potential problems were averted.
Friends BK and JN and their families raised 40,00KSh (about 285 pounds) which has already been distributed to a security team that have been keeping the watch in the following neighbourhoods in Kibera - Makina, Fort jesus, Ayani, Kianda and Katwekere.
This team of 75 include 50 men who stay up all night to ensure that vulnerable families are kept safe and to try and prevent further damage to properties in the area. The 25 women make tea for the men and help to keep them awake.
Most of them lost their jobs as they were casual labourers who have not been able to return to employment easily following the post-election fracas. They each received a token of appreciation of 500KSh (about 3.50 pounds).
Erick received 1000KSh as he has been doing a lot of the co-ordinating and running around. The effect of this money has already been felt. Some of the women said that they thought they had been completely forgotten. Some had had their businesses burnt and destroyed.
To that effect I hope to get more money to add to the 1,500KSh that remains to help some women start a kiosk that will both provide a community service where there are no shops but also a livelihood. It only costs 15,000Ksh (about 107 pounds) to start one.
I am going to meet with both the men and women security group on Saturday. As well as taking them little certificates of appreciation I hope to facilitate an open discussion where everyone can just talk about what has happened to them.
The groups are made up of poeple of all tribes and I believe this can help a healing process.
Another friend AZ has pledged 50 pounds towards the cost of setting up a website for Erick's youth group. The Kibera Youth Initiative for Community Devlopment are registered as a non-profit organisation with the ministry for gender, culture and sports.
We are also going to set up a bank account for them this week.
We want the group to fully transparent and accountable so all information will be on the website. There will be three main projects: Mama Tunza's Children's home, Enabling women to start small businesses, future funding for the 'food for work' programme.
That basically covers men, women and children in Kibera.
Why I am particularly enthusiatic about these projects is that they have come up from the grassroots themselves. They are BY the people of Kibera FOR the people of Kibera. They best know their own needs and how to meet them.
All they need is a little help to be able to achieve their goals.
As Erick said there is a real oppourtunity here for something good to come out of something terrible. So please continue to support them however you can. As you have read even a relatively small amount of money can make a huge difference.
Considering it has been less that a week since my first visit, a lot has happened.
Basically there are 2 issues at hand
1. The immediate need of the people who have been hardest hit post-elections
2. Long term solutions to help people who live in very vulnerable situations.
Firstly I just wanted to say thank you for forwarding my email, it has meant that I have received support from people I don't even know and otherwise wonuldn't reach. AD's husband is going to get my email broadcast on a radio station in the US.
A website edited in South Africa is also going to be publishing the email.
1. This Wednesday just gone friends MT, HA and TMM gave supplies including clothing, food, sanitary towels, nappies etc that filled half a pick up and was sucessfully delivered to Mama Tunza's Children's home.
I have also been pledged 50 pounds from J (a woman who received a forwarded email) for the children's home as well as medical supplies from a friend MS. Another friend MG has also pledged funds which are to be finalised.
2. A friend BG who has contacts in the French Government has managed to secure 150,000 Euros for a 'food for work' project that will employ 250 men for 4 months. These men will help to clean up and rebuild parts of Kibera in exchange for food vouchers.
The hope of the project starting has already been immense. When following the announcement that the President had named a large portion of his Cabinet, there was more violence threatened, Erick and his youth group were able to quell some of it.
They appraoched some of the young men who were about to start trouble and informed them that there was a project soon to start and those who caused trouble would not be included in it. Potential problems were averted.
Friends BK and JN and their families raised 40,00KSh (about 285 pounds) which has already been distributed to a security team that have been keeping the watch in the following neighbourhoods in Kibera - Makina, Fort jesus, Ayani, Kianda and Katwekere.
This team of 75 include 50 men who stay up all night to ensure that vulnerable families are kept safe and to try and prevent further damage to properties in the area. The 25 women make tea for the men and help to keep them awake.
Most of them lost their jobs as they were casual labourers who have not been able to return to employment easily following the post-election fracas. They each received a token of appreciation of 500KSh (about 3.50 pounds).
Erick received 1000KSh as he has been doing a lot of the co-ordinating and running around. The effect of this money has already been felt. Some of the women said that they thought they had been completely forgotten. Some had had their businesses burnt and destroyed.
To that effect I hope to get more money to add to the 1,500KSh that remains to help some women start a kiosk that will both provide a community service where there are no shops but also a livelihood. It only costs 15,000Ksh (about 107 pounds) to start one.
I am going to meet with both the men and women security group on Saturday. As well as taking them little certificates of appreciation I hope to facilitate an open discussion where everyone can just talk about what has happened to them.
The groups are made up of poeple of all tribes and I believe this can help a healing process.
Another friend AZ has pledged 50 pounds towards the cost of setting up a website for Erick's youth group. The Kibera Youth Initiative for Community Devlopment are registered as a non-profit organisation with the ministry for gender, culture and sports.
We are also going to set up a bank account for them this week.
We want the group to fully transparent and accountable so all information will be on the website. There will be three main projects: Mama Tunza's Children's home, Enabling women to start small businesses, future funding for the 'food for work' programme.
That basically covers men, women and children in Kibera.
Why I am particularly enthusiatic about these projects is that they have come up from the grassroots themselves. They are BY the people of Kibera FOR the people of Kibera. They best know their own needs and how to meet them.
All they need is a little help to be able to achieve their goals.
As Erick said there is a real oppourtunity here for something good to come out of something terrible. So please continue to support them however you can. As you have read even a relatively small amount of money can make a huge difference.
Latest Kenyan News
Thank you for all your thoughts, support and prayers as Kenya goes through this trying time. Many of you have asked to find out what is happening on the ground so I have tried to give you a sketch of what is going on. I have posted some photographs of the physical damage that has been done. First though I start with a brief outline of the current political situation as defined by those who know the law a lot better than I do.
Please find below an excerpt from an advocate to the high court concerning kenya's recent general election. Already the head of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (Mr. Kivuitu) has admitted that he did not know who won the election and called he and his fellow commissioners 'culprits'in a process that was marred by irregularities. Despite this admission he has also stated that he will not resign.
"With due respect to Mr Kivuitu, it was irregular, unlawful and void in law to announce the results on December 30 and swear in the President on the same day. The ECK boss announced the results when he did not have the original Forms 16, 16A and 17A from each constituency, refused to allow the 24-hour period for candidates to lodge complaints and declined to allow retallying." from an article written by Mr. Kipkorir in the Nation on Saturday 5th January. For the full article which explains exactly what the constitution states and how the process should have actually gone: click here
Even before the general elections, I had contact with a youth leader from Kibera Youth Initiative for Community Development called Erick. He had been trying to get me involved with a children's home that the youth were actively involved in running. What was special about this project in East Africa's biggest slum (Kibera) was that it was young men between the ages of 18 - 35 that would help to prepare the food, clean and develop programmes for Mama Tunza's Orphanage.
In the aftermath of the elections, we started to speak daily. Erick lives in the Fort Jesus area of Kibera. His group KYICD were seriously affected by the turnout of events. They had to organise themselves to protect (largely) women and children from attack and also protect businesses from being destroyed. They had watched toi market (which provides their daily bread) go up in flames.
Initially I was mainly concerned with Erick's welfare. Giving him remedies for his broken arm, buying him airtime for his phone so he could contact people but soon it became apparent that many many people were in dire need. A friend who worked with MSF (Doctors without Borders) told me they had a clinic open in Kibera but no-one realised it was open because communications were at best difficult.
Once in touch with Erick many people were able to get to the clinic for treatment, most of them were young women who had been raped. It was critical they received treatment but also drugs that could prevent HIV/AIDS infection. Every evening Erick would call to say thank you and report on the people who had been helped. This was despite the fact that he was barely sleeping, injured himself and on constant patrols to ensure the saftey in his neigbbourhood.
One night Erick called me at midnight. He had a call from a woman who was stuck in her house surrounded by a gang of men - was there anything I could do? I felt totally useless - who would go into a notorious slum at a time like this to help her? Erick was in a dilemma - should they leave the people they were currently guarding vulnerable and may not even get there in time? The worst happened in the end and she was taken to the clinic for treatment the following morning.
Yesterday morning Erick called and asked if I would go into Kibera. He wanted me to see for myself and hear for myself what people had been going through. If possible he also wanted me to take photographs. The day before I had been collecting supplies for displaced families to deliver to a local church, I wanted to feel that that was enough. I looked at my 8 and a half month old daughter and I was scared. So scared in fact that I decided to go.
My husband devised a way for us to secret the camera and we went to meet Erick. We met him at Uchumi Supermarket in Adams Arcade. Shortly after we got there people started running and several armed police arrived. The security pulled down the barrier into the carpark. We found out later that tear gas had been released on Ngong Road. Erick told us we would be safe once we got into Kibera, it was the getting into and out of that was a problem. I did notice then that many of the poeple who were running were heading towards Kibera.
Please find below an excerpt from an advocate to the high court concerning kenya's recent general election. Already the head of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (Mr. Kivuitu) has admitted that he did not know who won the election and called he and his fellow commissioners 'culprits'in a process that was marred by irregularities. Despite this admission he has also stated that he will not resign.
"With due respect to Mr Kivuitu, it was irregular, unlawful and void in law to announce the results on December 30 and swear in the President on the same day. The ECK boss announced the results when he did not have the original Forms 16, 16A and 17A from each constituency, refused to allow the 24-hour period for candidates to lodge complaints and declined to allow retallying." from an article written by Mr. Kipkorir in the Nation on Saturday 5th January. For the full article which explains exactly what the constitution states and how the process should have actually gone: click here
Even before the general elections, I had contact with a youth leader from Kibera Youth Initiative for Community Development called Erick. He had been trying to get me involved with a children's home that the youth were actively involved in running. What was special about this project in East Africa's biggest slum (Kibera) was that it was young men between the ages of 18 - 35 that would help to prepare the food, clean and develop programmes for Mama Tunza's Orphanage.
In the aftermath of the elections, we started to speak daily. Erick lives in the Fort Jesus area of Kibera. His group KYICD were seriously affected by the turnout of events. They had to organise themselves to protect (largely) women and children from attack and also protect businesses from being destroyed. They had watched toi market (which provides their daily bread) go up in flames.
Initially I was mainly concerned with Erick's welfare. Giving him remedies for his broken arm, buying him airtime for his phone so he could contact people but soon it became apparent that many many people were in dire need. A friend who worked with MSF (Doctors without Borders) told me they had a clinic open in Kibera but no-one realised it was open because communications were at best difficult.
Once in touch with Erick many people were able to get to the clinic for treatment, most of them were young women who had been raped. It was critical they received treatment but also drugs that could prevent HIV/AIDS infection. Every evening Erick would call to say thank you and report on the people who had been helped. This was despite the fact that he was barely sleeping, injured himself and on constant patrols to ensure the saftey in his neigbbourhood.
One night Erick called me at midnight. He had a call from a woman who was stuck in her house surrounded by a gang of men - was there anything I could do? I felt totally useless - who would go into a notorious slum at a time like this to help her? Erick was in a dilemma - should they leave the people they were currently guarding vulnerable and may not even get there in time? The worst happened in the end and she was taken to the clinic for treatment the following morning.
Yesterday morning Erick called and asked if I would go into Kibera. He wanted me to see for myself and hear for myself what people had been going through. If possible he also wanted me to take photographs. The day before I had been collecting supplies for displaced families to deliver to a local church, I wanted to feel that that was enough. I looked at my 8 and a half month old daughter and I was scared. So scared in fact that I decided to go.
Minutes later the incident past and we drive first to woodley (what used to be a middle class area), then toi market (a huge expanse which served not only kibera but many people from all walks of life who go to buy 'mitumba' - second hand clothes - there) and finally fort jesus (kibera). Everywhere the scenes were the same - total destruction, burnt out cars, (not a kiosk had survived in toi market), road blocks and barricades. Erick said 'It looks like mogadishu'. He was right.

I suddenly understood why Erick had wanted us to go. If a market like Camden in London was flattened the photos would make the front pages. We were hearing bits and pieces but the full story was far from coming out.
A full live media ban had been ordered soon after journalists had been thrown out of the centre where the election results were being annouced by the authorities. It is difficult to get an idea of the scale of damage without seeing it - words in print are barely enough.
The saddest thing is that these were people who already had so little. As we went further in people pulling mkokoteni's (hand driven rickshaws) were carrying out their meagre belongings - where were they to go? Many poeple wanted to know why they were suffering all over again. Why it was that those that had were safe and secure while those that did not have were fighting (in some cases quite literally) for their lives. Had we not all voted in the same election?
We had heard gunshots when we were at Toi Market and Erick was almost casual 'They are becoming a part of our lives,' he said. In Fort Jesus however things started to get more hectic, suddenly matatus (public service vehicles) were turning back and indicating that we should do so.
I got a phonecall from my brother warning me that they had heard some violence had erupted (again) and we should get out as soon as we can. Thankfully we got out safely - leaving Erick where he lives - behind.
Today morning Erick phoned and explained that the skirmishes were due to a Red Cross lorry that had been looted. Gangsters had heard about its arrival and had denied people who had queued for hours the oppourtunity of some relief. He wanted to know if we would be willing to take food into Kibera - he was also clear that it meant that we would be potential targets.
We loaded a pickup full of drinking water and the boot of our car with essentials such as unga (maize flour), wimbi (porridge), toilet paper, nappies, sanitary towels etc. Our destination was a Mama Tunza's children's home in the Olympic Area of Kibera. We took a different route in and went at a time when most people should be in church.
It was harder to take photos this time though the destruction we saw was worse. On most streets there were groups of young men hanging around looking tense and wary. The only 2 photojournalists we saw were not straying far from the eye shot of the 2 mariah loads of GSU (paramilitary) patrol men. When we went past a group of 3 such men (and the GSU were not longer within our line of sight) one said in Swahili "Come any closer and I'll burn your car right now." There were people trying to salvage spare parts from the wrecks that littered the road.
Olympic where we were headed was in tatters. What had once been a realtively well built up area looked like the remnants of a war zone. Shops were burnt out or looted. All through Kibera there were different political slogans and posters. Erick explained that it was in a bid to try and save their properties people displayed their allegiances. Only, once the fire starts, it can't read the hurried paint on the walls. Everyone was affected, regardless of who they might have supported.
At the children's home we had to unload very quickly to avoid being seen. Dozens of the children came out and helped to rush the provisions inside. Mama Tunza started looking after 1 child in 1997 and now looks after over 60 in what is essentially a 3 bedroom double storey shack. At least it has electricity though they lost their water supply 'when the trouble started'. The home also has a school which sees roughly 200 through its doors - especially around lunchtime when many local children come to get what is their only meal of the day.
They had been very badly hit by the post-election problems. They weren't able to get any food and Mama Tunza clearly had not been sleeping either. She said 'You see how we live here (children sleep mainly 4 a bed and it is very crowded). If a fire were to start we would all perish. I have to be alert to raise alarm in case of any danger.' Children were still arriving and she couldn't turn any away - but then again she had nothing for them either.
I filmed what I could but EricK said we should not stay for too long. People would start to wonder what we were doing at the home and if we had brought food. As we were driving out we came across a procession of the Alegio Maria Church praying for peace. Erick pointed out a group of young men who have been keeping a record of what has been going on - I would have like to have talked with them but remembered Erick's prayer before we went in 'Let God be our guide'. Ahead there were a couple of men who were trying to clean up the street. They stopped to let us pass and gave us a thumbs up sign. Despite everything they were trying to maintain some sense of decorum and keep their dignity.
If you feel after reading this that you can/ would like to help in any way - please do not hesitate to get in touch or to pass on this information to those who might be able to do so.
We loaded a pickup full of drinking water and the boot of our car with essentials such as unga (maize flour), wimbi (porridge), toilet paper, nappies, sanitary towels etc. Our destination was a Mama Tunza's children's home in the Olympic Area of Kibera. We took a different route in and went at a time when most people should be in church.
It was harder to take photos this time though the destruction we saw was worse. On most streets there were groups of young men hanging around looking tense and wary. The only 2 photojournalists we saw were not straying far from the eye shot of the 2 mariah loads of GSU (paramilitary) patrol men. When we went past a group of 3 such men (and the GSU were not longer within our line of sight) one said in Swahili "Come any closer and I'll burn your car right now." There were people trying to salvage spare parts from the wrecks that littered the road.
Olympic where we were headed was in tatters. What had once been a realtively well built up area looked like the remnants of a war zone. Shops were burnt out or looted. All through Kibera there were different political slogans and posters. Erick explained that it was in a bid to try and save their properties people displayed their allegiances. Only, once the fire starts, it can't read the hurried paint on the walls. Everyone was affected, regardless of who they might have supported.
At the children's home we had to unload very quickly to avoid being seen. Dozens of the children came out and helped to rush the provisions inside. Mama Tunza started looking after 1 child in 1997 and now looks after over 60 in what is essentially a 3 bedroom double storey shack. At least it has electricity though they lost their water supply 'when the trouble started'. The home also has a school which sees roughly 200 through its doors - especially around lunchtime when many local children come to get what is their only meal of the day.
They had been very badly hit by the post-election problems. They weren't able to get any food and Mama Tunza clearly had not been sleeping either. She said 'You see how we live here (children sleep mainly 4 a bed and it is very crowded). If a fire were to start we would all perish. I have to be alert to raise alarm in case of any danger.' Children were still arriving and she couldn't turn any away - but then again she had nothing for them either.
I filmed what I could but EricK said we should not stay for too long. People would start to wonder what we were doing at the home and if we had brought food. As we were driving out we came across a procession of the Alegio Maria Church praying for peace. Erick pointed out a group of young men who have been keeping a record of what has been going on - I would have like to have talked with them but remembered Erick's prayer before we went in 'Let God be our guide'. Ahead there were a couple of men who were trying to clean up the street. They stopped to let us pass and gave us a thumbs up sign. Despite everything they were trying to maintain some sense of decorum and keep their dignity.
If you feel after reading this that you can/ would like to help in any way - please do not hesitate to get in touch or to pass on this information to those who might be able to do so.
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