An opportunity taken

On Friday, I had the opportunity to do something that I have wanted to do for a long time. Since I didn’t know when I would get the chance again, I decided to take the afternoon off for an excursion with some friends. The excursion ended up being entertaining, educational, and eye-opening, an experience I will remember for a long time.

I have a friend here in Nairobi who is volunteering at a local school. The school is a one room facility, in the middle of Kibera, attempting to educate 80+ students, ranging from nursery school to grade 6. Through her own motivation and network, Cat (my friend) had organized for the construction of a second floor on top of the one-room facility, a small expansion that could have a huge impact. The addition created two extra, smaller classrooms in addition to the ground floor. Friday was the “grand opening” of the new addition.

For those of you that do not know, Kibera is the largest and most well known slum in Nairobi. It started as a settlement on either side of a main railroad line in the city. Today it is a city in and of itself. No one knows exactly how many people live in Kibera; estimates range from 600,000 to 1.2 million people in an area of land smaller than New York’s Central Park. Generally the population is considered to be one million—a very large number.

A view of Kibera

If the name “Kibera” sounds familiar, there is a reason. Kibera was featured prominently in both the book and the movie “The Constant Gardener.” The movie was actually filmed on-location Kibera, so some of the pictures may look vaguely familiar.


A view from the school's new second floor window

After getting off a matatu (local bus), we walked down a road that leads into Kibera. Then, as is usually the case, we took what seemed to be a random right, and headed down a foot path towards the railroad line. We walked for 15 to 20 minutes, through crowded paths lined with shop fronts, homes, and people—lots and lots of people. There are no roads here; everything is pedestrian. And there are no path signs; everything is by memory.


Walking through Kibera

We crossed the railroad, jumped over muddy currents flowing through the paths, ducked under doorways, and made countless turns. Finally, we turned a corner and saw the school, or, more specifically, we saw the kids at the school. Immediately, you become overwhelmed with the commotion, and all thoughts of the outside world instantaneously flee your mind.


The active railroad runs through Kibera

Kibera is an amazing place, which cannot be imagined; it has to be experienced to be believed. Living conditions are rough, yet over a million survive. In the middle of it all, I witnessed a small room, affected by the local environs yet cut-off from the outside world, which housed a community of kids, excited and willing to learn by any means possible. As with most of my prior school visits in this part of the world, the children always seem to be a source of inspiration.


The school's current classroom

The afternoon celebration was entertaining and enlightening, organized and chaotic, happy and sad. But most of all, we (me, and my other friends in the group) were honored to be part of Cat’s experience, and thrilled to see her school where so much of her attention has been focused.

For the most part, I will let the pictures speak for themselves.


Kids near the school entrance


Waiting outside the school's front door


Cat and teachers cutting the ribbon to the second floor


In the square with the kids


Jen with her new friends