My Story: Migration into City Slum Kibera

I came to Kibera in 1994 to come and stay with my dad. My parents divorced when I was two years old. My dad married another wife and my mom was the one to take care of us. We were two children, Titus and myself. When I was barely five years old, my mom passed away. From then life was difficult. Even finding something to eat was hard. I ran from the rural area to Nairobi thinking it would better my life. Jobless in the Nairobi streets, being arrested by the town council was the daily routine. I saw my fellow children going to school being carried by a bus; I though of myself getting a better education but no one was there to listen to me.

One chilly morning, I came into contact with my uncle while picking food from the trash. He picked me and brought me to my father who by that time had a wife and a family. I stayed with my dad, but life grew harder and harder. The family was huge and it was survival for the fittest in terms of getting food and basic needs.

The stress of this life caused my father to become harsh. He came home drunk; he would send us to sleep outside; and he did not value education. He would beat my stepmother every day. I remember one night, they fought until my stepmother fell unconscious with bruises all over her body.

One morning in the hood, my friend who by that time was working as a volunteer at ICA approached me. He introduced me to their organization to come and see what they were doing. I didn’t know that was the beginning of a transformation in my life.

They taught me about gender violence. I went through the training and I was really empowered. And I learned to forgive my father and to deal with the situation when it occurred. I also engaged in their IT program. I was taught IT skills. I completed it and I am giving back to the youths in the community by teaching them. I really appreciate ICA for empowering me and letting me value life and transform other youths. Big up ICA kudos!

My Story: Life in Kibera

I moved to Kibera in 2000 after my father resigned from his job, and at first life was not easy because of the new Kibera environment that I was exposed to. Until then, I had been the kind of a person that would speak negatively about Kibera since it was a slum. I never imagined that such a time would come but I had to face reality.

Having been born and brought up in a secure area, with all social amenities available, the adjustment I had to go through was drastic. Waking up to a noisy neighbourhood with open drainages and sharing bathrooms was something I had to work hard to deal with.

I had to adapt to the environment, like being transferred from my primary school to join another school and making new friends. Life was not easy, but even with all the challenges, I managed to finish my primary school education and join a secondary school in the rural area for four years.

After my secondary education, I had to come back and apply for my college education. I stayed for two years without attending school, and during these years, life for me was difficult.

I had friends who exposed me to drugs like miraa and marijuana, and robbery life just to get fast money to buy clothing and shoes to be on the fashion trend.

After a year, I made the decision to have a better life, and got a sponsor who took me to school for computer studies for a year. Currently, I am at university studying Social Development. Life can still be challenging though. Sometimes I have to walk four kilometres (2.5 miles) to school or to Kibera at night, which can be dangerous, because I can’t afford the bus, and school fees are still an issue. Above all, life for me must continue despite its trials.

My Story: Aftermath of Post-Election Violence in Kibera

In 2007 and 2008, everybody - everything came to a standstill, just after the announcement of the presidential election results. What followed was a clash between the two opposing tribes in Kibera. Chaos emerged as people poured from their houses with weapons. I watched helplessly as my house was torched and my property destroyed. Many lost their lives.

Everything I had worked for in years since I came to Nairobi went to ashes in one day. The fact that I am a Luo living in an area dominated by Kikuyus cost me my life as I knew it, and I had nothing to show anymore for working the whole of that time.

Life hasn’t been easy since then, and the more I strive to come to a favourable condition, the more standards of living rise. I have no parents to call on, and it is my responsibility to take care of my siblings, but I don’t have the proper education to find a well-paying job. I wake up every day hoping to get a call from the organizations that I have been trying to secure jobs with, but all I get are rejections. I only wish I could further my education and get a job that could pay my bills and help me save money so that my children never go through this life of torture and suffering.

There’s still a ray of hope that I can.

Community Museum

Ken and the new amazing intern, Aileen are currently working on getting the community museum in place. We are going to come up with three major aspects that are:

1. A video highlighting all important sites throughout Kibera, and recorded interviews with community members running those sites.

2. Photo displays of the people, sites and programs important in the community displaying their locations,  what they have done, and their significance to Kibera.

3. A handbook highlighting different sites, economic activities, various businesses, structures, routes, and cultures (food, language, and traditions).

Stay tuned for our progress as we gather the components in the next few weeks!