New Perceptions

Today was the day I've been nervous about for the past few days. Today we went to Kibera. If you don't know, Kibera is the largest slum in East Africa, and the second largest in all of Africa. It is home to about 3 million people according to our guide, which is staggering considering the metropolitan area of Nairobi houses about 2 million.

I went in expecting to find rows of shacks and terribly depressing sights at every turn - but that wasn't the case at all. Kibera is literally its own little microcosm. An informal settlement in its most developed form.

We went through Kibera in small groups - two students and one guide. I was paired up with Margaret and our guide's name was Wicliffe. He has lived in Kibera for 17 years and works with an organization called Initiative for Community Action (ICA), which is based in Machimoni in Kibera. Wicliffe took us through the entrance near the District Commissioner. We met up with another girl and paired up into two's. I walked with Wicliffe and Margaret walked with Ruth. As we walked with Kibera, carefuly navigating the mud, I was surprised at what I found. There were vendors and stores everywhere we went. Internet cafes, butchers, candy stores and clothing shops were at every block. Wicliffe told me that, in lieu of taking a loan out from the bank, people start businesses by borrowing money from each other. That way, social pressure acts as a sort of collateral.

Another big surprise were the people that we met along the way. The entire time we've been in Kenya, I've felt the need to put on a cold exterior in the city so as not to be jipped, taken advantage of, or cheated. I've been extremely conscious of my purse and have mostly cared about myself while walking through the city. But in Kibera, I felt more comfortable and safe than I have the entire week so far. Of course I was walking with a tall, broad Kenyan, which probably helped, but the people I passed smiled at me and the children waved at me. I felt like I was back in a small town where everyone knows everybody else and takes care of each other.

Wicliffe took us to his house at the end of the tour. He explained that each block was like a family. Nobody did any harm to anyone else because you would have to face the wrath of them later on. Everyone celebrates birthdays and holidays together and in a big way. There's a huge sense of community throughout this expansive slum.

After the visit to Wicliffe's home, we ended at the office of ICA and joined the rest of the groups. We then traveled with the guides in tow to our abroad office for lunch and a debrief.

In the end, this trip sparked my interest in informal settlements and the development of these areas. I still have a lot of questions about how things work, but if things work out the way I hope they do, I'll be working in an area in or near Kibera for the next few months so I'm sure I'll come to understand the organization of these areas more as time goes by.

On a semi-tangent, Margaret and I got along extremely well with our guides, Wicliffe and Ruth. They told us about all the celebrations for Wicliffe's ethnic group - the Lwo people with traditional food and dancing. Wicliffe promised to take us dancing sometime soon, so let's hope that happens soon!