A day in the slum: A humbling experience

As I stood on that hill overlooking Matheri Valley, I couldn’t help but flash back to my childhood days. The many things that I took fore-granted.

Growing up, I hated three things, breakfast, oranges and liver. My mum was a strict disciplinarian and easily unleashed her dreaded whip way too often. We called it ‘sosiot’. I have no English word for that. 

During meal times , whatever she served you had to finish, whether you liked it or not. So my siz and I designed a method to make food disappear somehow, or so we thought. We invented hiding places under the seats and dining table to hide the ‘unwanted food’. I hid breakfast (bread or whatever else) inside my school bag and just threw it away on my way to school. Thinking about that now, I feel so guilty that I threw food away or forced myself to eat while some people would give an arm and a leg just to put food on the table. 

Before today, I had never set foot in any slum, unbelievable uh? Our clients from Holland visited Kenya for a project that required a visit to the slum. That’s how my journey started. Our company driver picked me up at 8am from my residence so that we could pick up the rest of the team. We were ready to hit the road at 10. As we closed in towards huruma, I couldn’t help noticing piles of garbage (filthy) carelessly heaped on the side of the road and wondered what the local city council were all about?

We pulled up somewhere to wait for our guide for the day. Some strange looking men hovered to peek but couldn’t as our car was tinted. I would be lying if I said I was Ok, jeez I was scared stiff!. After what seemed like an eternity our guide arrived. We exchanged pleasantries and then he started giving instructions. First one was a bit weird: ‘take off your watches, shades, bracelets and anything else you value’ so I took off my sunglasses and watch (ps they are not particularly expensive but I just wanted to feel all important :) ). In my mind I be like ‘okay why don’t we just undress and go naked instead of all the fuss’ I took my other pair of sunglasses that I didn't mind losing since the sun was way too hot!

Then we started the walk towards the slum our guide explained that we needed to have some sort of protection to get into the slum safely thus introduced us to one of the slum king pins called Japuolo, Jathong or something. I chose to call him Japuolo. Japuolo is a very mean looking guy at first glance with a very tough voice, but later on as I engaged him in chit chat I realized he is so nice! He took the lead without saying a word. It was quite a long walk (or maybe not) before we saw the first glimpse of the slums. 

I was taken aback by the state of the buildings! Oh my I felt like I was in a completely new world. I wanted to do an about turn there and then. Yes I am a chicken!. I had previously seen photos of slums but I had always considered them photoshoped. no there aint no photoshop here honey, the buildings were so so devasting looking, it hasnt rained in Nairobi in like 3months but the paths and the surroundings were all wet and full of green looking water. I guessed leaking sewers. 

The paths between the houses were so tiny and I couldn't help but wonder how the slum dwellers managed to move house because really we were straining to get ourselves through and believe me I am not particularly heavy. I guess to live here you just have to watch your weight otherwise how else will you maneuver your way around. 

 

With the help of our guide we managed to take a sneak peak at the houses. I am sucker for space and cant live in a house that does not have a window. Those houses have no windows! 

The roofs look like they are gonna give way without a warning and I wondered what happens when the rain pours. When the night comes bringing its chills and mosquitos.

We made several rounds and I stuck close to Japuolo. He filled me in on the survival tactics of the slum dwellers and it was interesting to note with only Ksh 20, you have a full meal, sometimes chicken soup even. My favorite dish aka fries can be found just outside the door and is locally called 'chips mwitu'. He offered to buy me some, well they had a very interesting taste. 

I loved the children there. So full of life and free-spirited! they mingled easily and everywhere we went we got a welcome song! the smiles were so genuine and open. And the dancing. We visited a school that stood out. It was very simple made of iron sheet but very good looking. Japuolo mentioned something about being an NGO project. But the classes were partitioned so the kids in class one could make out class two and vice versa. 

We spent the whole day there just interacting with the locals and looking at the businesses there. I was amazed at the pricing of common things like shoes and bags. The local brewer called out to us to taste his stuff, well I didnt dare but some of my companions did and from the look on their faces it must have been VERY Nasty. 

As the sun set and we began to make our way out of the slum I was so depressed at the state of things there. I began to thank God for the things that I have, I spend most of my time complaining and tweeting to Nairobi water and Kenya Power at the slightest sign of black out or no water. They spend forever with no water and electricity but they get by! 

At that point, I chose joy. No matter what I was facing I chose to look at the positive side of things and rejoice. Thanking Lord for His blessings on me, a good roof over my head, food on my table and shoes on my feet!