The day I rediscovered Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa

Gigantic, enormous, vast, titanic, Kibera also known as “Kibra” is the largest slum in the East African region which is habited by different communities and tribes from Kenya and all over the world.

Most outsiders would agree that it might look like a horror show. ‘The flying toilets”, the smell of the rivers, garbage pile, the barefooted kids, summed up by the abused starving dogs. Kibera that is inhabited by more than 1 million, has the potential to become a Brooklyn of New York, a Arusha of Tanzania.

Kibera, that I had heard so much about was built from waste materials from the city. Clogged alleyways, mashed structures, this area felt a lawless crime free target full of diseases. The day came when I would finally visit Kibera. The chills, butterflies that were grasping me were extreme as this would be a life changing experience and monumental event that would impact my life forever. I would finally get to experience that part of the world from the populations eyes and ears. Josephine, my supervisor accompanied me on a mini bus. Once we arrived we walked for about 20 minutes before she said “ We have arrived”. I was blown away it was unlike anything I had ever seen or experienced before.

The discovery of Kibera

It was quiet, peaceful, with this air of calmness. Once deep into the slum, it finally came to life. Music rocked through vehicles, kids playing at full speed, food stalls all over the place, and dogs, many dogs. I immediately thought the habitants of Kibera are thriving here within their own means. There wasn’t an area where property was unoccupied, from the restaurants, to the pharmacies, butchers, grocery stores, and other stores lined the streets.

We visited two schools in our visit to Kibera, Church of God and Magoso primary and secondary school. Church of God was a truly unforgettable experience. As I observed the kids playing during their lunch break, the unity of the kids and joyful playful act quickly drew me to them. There was an air of togetherness that we no longer see in this age. What I felt was positive energy , joy of life, eagerness to learn from each other and leaders of tomorrow. In no short time I was engaging, playing, and interacting.

Magoso School is where I was truly blown away, as the facilities were intact, the organization from top to bottom was impeccable, the hospitality and literacy level was superb. Ever since Kibera was known to me, I thought surely nobody is literate or educated. As my supervisor was engaging the kids in self-esteem and HIV, not only did they have a command of the English language, but they also knew more about HIV than I did at their age. It was amazing, nothing short of a joy to see young kids so enthusiastic about education.

As we left, I thought, why is the outside world so quick to document tragedies or trying to solve their problem ? We as a whole are the poison that has created slums; they are the direct reality of overpopulation, pollution, and urbanization. More and more are moving to slums, whether we choose to ignore or not, they might become the future of our planet.

One thing that Kibera has over mega cities is unity ;a child in Kibera is not only raised by their parents, but by the uncles, aunties, neighbors and the community at large. Everyone is concerned about each other, although not relatives, they treat each other as family. What I learnt from the experience is that my ultimate goal is to be happy.