Map Kibera Trust on a map distribution drive in Kibera Slums

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Sande Wycliffe

Team Map Kibera Ready to go out !!

Having been the first organization to put the entire Kibera slums on the world map, Map Kibera Trust; an organization that seeks to be a hub where access to open information contributes to positive community transformation was on the road again to ensure that the maps that were produced reached the community which in-turn would put them to use.

To achieve this, the program coordinators met for the preparation of distributing the maps; there intention of meeting was to bring the attention of the three programs on how they will be working together towards achieving the objective of the exercise and to come up with relevant locations for maps distribution. It was there that they agreed that members from the 3 programs; Mapping, Voice of Kibera and Kibera News Network were to go to the field to distribute the maps which had been developed based on themes. Maps on Education, Security and Health are the themes that were distributed.

 

The aim of the exercise was to give back to the community through the high quality printed maps that contain the informational that came from them during the first phase of the mapping exercise.

Villages covered.

For the 2 days that we were in the field, we were able to cover all the 13 villages; Gatwikera, Raila, Olympic, Soweto west&east, Kianda, Kambi muru, Kisumu ndogo, Lindi, Mashimoni, Makina, Silanga, and Laini Saba.   

Positive Feedback From the Field.

As we visited different places, we collected feedback from the people we found so that we could ascertain how the maps will be put to good used.

MKT member explaining to a community member details on the Map!

  1. The local administration appreciated our work and accepted to be interviewed i.e. Sarang’ombe and Laina Saba ward chiefs.
  2. Most of the institutions accepted to use the map for positive transfiguration most of the institution wanted more than one map so they can use it for informational purposes as well as Education especially the Schools we visited.
  3. We even had a chance to meet with D.O 1 (District Commissioner) who had a compliment for us saying that our map was outstanding compared to the one they had before.
  4. For those who were not able to access our maps online were able to access them on hard-copy something that was important for us since it was now realized.
  5. We ensured equal distribution of maps in at least all villages in Kibera.

Some of the Challenges.

Though most of the places we went to were very receptive, we experienced some hostility in a few areas where we were thought to be a different group out to just take advantage of the situations in Kibera by walking around to talk to people as we take photos to go and sell. After a few minutes of sharing our intentions with them, they understood us and we gave out the maps, something they congratulated us for showing a good example to organizations by sharing the findings of the work done with the community. We also found some schools that were to get maps already closed for holiday which means we will have to give them the maps when they resume school.

Conclusion.

In general, the exercise was a success only for the schools that had already closed. Going forward, we need to print big and more visible maps a suggestion that came from one of the places we visited.

Bigger Versions of the Maps Needed for Easy Visibility!

We hope that the maps distributed will not only be put to good use but also help Map Kibera Trust bond more with the community so that even as we get ready to cover the vents before, during and after the elections, we can work together to achieve optimum results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Education, Empowerment, Health, Kibera, People, Security | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Rising Insecurity in Kibera

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Lee Ibrahim

There has been reports and cases of increased insecurity in different parts of Kibera over the resent times. This has led to a number of deaths either by mob justices, police killings and even some caused by the gangster’s attacks that have seen a number of demonstrations being staged at different intervals by the residence in the quest for justice and against the local administration that has been accused for laxity. One of such cases is when two carjackers of a gang ambushed a bus along the Ngong road off Kibera drive and drove it inside the slums and as they tried to robe the passengers at gun point were shot dead by police who were in civilian and the other members of the gang managed to escape around Makina area where the Kibera law courts is situated. That incident did not provoke or even agitate the residents of Kibera for the bus belonged to a different residential rout only to be dumped in Kibera and by Kibera gangsters. Residents here are of the notion that: “it’s better if by any chance you are born a gangster in Kibera that you should not steal or terrorize the same residents who are just as hustlers as you are”.

On 11th September 2012 a Matatu driver was found dead along the Kibera drive next to Karanja road and it was suspected that robbers caused his death the previous night while attempting to steal from him. This incident aggravated too much anger and especially to the Nubian community where the driver belonged to. They responded by burning of tires and distracted the movement of vehicle along the busy drive in protest, and also accused the police for having taken too long to come to the site. Police arrived hours later and managed to cool the protesters down by promising to probe into the matter and taking the necessary actions.

A few days’ later four armed robbers were killed along the Joseph Kangethe road off Kibera drive after what was believed to be a carjacking mission while two of them managed to escape towards the joseph kangethe Woodley grounds. The killings were undertaken by police who were patrolling the area on a police patrol car who on suspicion pursued the passenger bus. That incident did not click into the minds of the residents of Kibera for reasons best known to the residents and that is the fact that the bus belonged to a different route and the police were also in pursuit and did their job ‘perfectly well’.

Bombolulu Incidents

Not a while ago, there was an incident in Kianda village where armed gangsters as early as eight in the evening a few meters away from the busy Bombolulu area robbed the residents anything worth stealing from including money, mobile phones, not to mention food stuff from the neighboring shops. “They were armed with an AK-47 and they forced everyone to lie down and were pointing the gun at us” recalls a victim who never wanted to be identified. “They threatened to shoot anyone who defiled their orders”. When the Wananchi of Kibera received the information they organized a massive crackdown on 14th October 2012 on a Sunday morning that saw two suspected crooks mobjusticed and lynched to death. During the incident police efforts to save the suspects were futile and it was dreadful the way the police were numb with fear and left to witness the whole scenario helplessly. I also found out that the two were high school students in a local secondary school. Before being murdered they were forced to mention their crew thug members and a list was developed and the angry youths were left to hunt the remaining gang members.

On 17th October 2012 at 10pm armed gangsters stormed the area close to Bombolulu again but that time fired a bullet that got an ear of one of the residents who was in a crowd that had manage catch one of the suspects who thereafter escaped together with the rest of the suspects. This time the gangsters were targeting retail shops and a close friend of mine was not speared either. He say that on that evening as he was on his way home he noticed a group of young men stealing from a shop but he acted as if nothing was peculiar as it should be when one encounters such a criminal activity going on and especially if you think that you can identify the criminals by names for your own security. So as he was pretending and kept on with his business he noticed some of the boys coming towards him and to his surprise they ordered him to face the opposite direction forcing his face down the floor and asked him to hand over his handset, and he never defiled their order. They then disappeared leaving the area at a standstill after paralyzing the businesses around the village and every shop closed for the entire evening in trepidation. There was speculation that the thugs were on a revenge mission after two of their gang members were lynched to death four days ago. The following day the youths ganged up and forced all the business closed and obliged everyone to join in a demonstration against the rising insecurity and of illegal arms. The demonstrations were held along the Kibera Drive and the rowdy youth barricaded the road with burning tires and were sending warnings to any person(s) that might have been associated with robbery. They latter marched to the District Commissioners Offices at (DC) in Kibera to air their grievances to the local authorities. The demonstrations and the protesters were also reported in the news, on a national TV station that entire evening.

On the 23rd 0f October a police raid was done at the Bombolulu area where three suspected robbers were arrested at around 3pm. The two, among the three were caught at an ambush close to a river an area suspected to be a gangsters den. During the arrest they were tortured and forced to produce any illegal arms they may have had and they directed the police into a bush towards the Ngong forest but it is not clear whether they surrendered any arms or not. They were later taken away for further interrogations. This was seen as a step the administration was taking to act upon the latest moves by the residents to demonstrate on the risen state of insecurity.

Leathal Cop

This action by the law enforcers was received with exhilaration by the residents but for how long will the police stick to their mandate of securing the people? After the 2007/2008 post-election violence Kibera become a no go zone after the cases of insecurity had risen to their greatest heights in the history of kibera. The situation brought fear and resentments amidst the residents of Kibera until the administration responded by applying an active measure and a very skilled and feared police man was deployed at the administration police post at the Olympic chiefs camp in Kibera. He was nicknamed ‘stupid’ and that was because he had formed a habit to use that term. He was also nicknamed ‘Mkisi’ a Kenyan community tribe where he was believed to have come from. He was believed to give warnings to bandits and even provided fair for transport to suspected thugs so as to relocate to their respective rural areas and only allowed them back after they had fully changed to better people. The bandits who took him for granted and dogged his instructions he would still bump into them and spray them bullets in cold blood. He was perceived a man of his words who was never intimidated and had the ability to identify the real crooks. There were rumors that he could tame the criminals in different ways at times dressed like a woman and at times in the Maasai attire that enabled him to identify the criminals effectively. Rumor had it that he was using black magic, most of the times he would stroll into the densely populated slum alone and no one could harm him. During the time gun shots were almost becoming a normal thing especially during the nights around Bombolulu and so many young suspects lost their lives. At that time the levels of insecurity in the slum declined drastically. It was not until he was transferred after there were claims that he was taking the lives of innocent young voters a cry that reached the area Member of Parliament ears.

Despite the fact that so many young suspects lost their lives there has been an increased cases of insecurity two years from the time ‘stupid’ was transferred and more rampant over the resent times. Now that we have a new constitution should we still expect to acknowledge the kind of killings that took place during that past error that almost restored Kibera from criminal gangs? Or when will we be in a position to experience a more diplomatic way by the authority to handle criminals especially now that they have been triggered by protests and demonstrations? How about the rising insecurity and the resident’s mob injustices?

Something needs to be done!!!

By, Joe KNN.

Posted in Crime, Death, Emergency, Insecurity, Kibera, People, Security, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Developments in Kibera.

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Lee Ibrahim

It all started with the Vision 2030 unveiling on 10 June 2008. Many of the Kenyans were curious if the nation could achieve the goals it had set when the President announced about the initiative. It has been a dream back then but now it was turning to be a reality as projects are being finished and unveiled to the public; an example is the Thika Road project which started earlier last year.

Back home in Kibera it was the Kibera Slum Upgrading program which many people were heard saying Kibera ni kubwa sana haitamalizwa kujengwa (Kibera is too big to be fully constructed). Which we are yet to see!

 

Laying the Drainage System.

In various parts of Kibera you will find big holes dug by the road side. These are drainage tranches which will help ease the drainage system in Kibera. Drainage has been a very key issue in the region for the area is full of small drainage streams which lead to the 3 rivers which pass through Kibera. These drainage streams are usually dirty and sometimes causes diseases to the residents.

The drainage systems which are about to be finished will really help Kibera in:

–          Keeping a clean environment.

–          Reduce the cases of water bone diseases

Mashimoni Road Construction.

The idea of the Government is to complete most of the roads by June 2013. This has seen road construction project brought forth also here in Kibera. 

The southern bypass which is a big project in itself passes through Kibera and it will benefit Kiberians in one way or the other. Another Project is the Makina to Highrise road which will pass through Lindi and the DC to Highrise road which will pass through Mashimoni. These are some of the project to be constructed to achieve the Governments goals.

The Mashimoni road just kicked off  after the completion of laying the drainage pipes. Some kiosk owners who were doing business by the road side had to move their kiosks or demolished their residents after the road was marked ready for constructions.

Youth Employment.

Many projects have started and this has seen youth from Kibera get employment. “This is where I get bread”, says Said who works with the road constructions in Kibera. Many youths from a certain region get to work on a project once it get to that particular place. It is usually hard to get people from a different place working in another region hence the employers pick youth according to the area or village.

We the people of Kibera hope to see the completion of the projects and which will help the people of Kibera. It will all go down to the next president to continue from where President Kibaki has left. Indeed the vote of the people Kibera will decide if the projects end in time or see what we have experienced in the past. The decision is in the people’s hands.

Posted in Empowerment, Environment, Kibera, People, Uncategorized, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Graduation Ceremony at Red Rose Children Center

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Sande Wycliffe

It was around 10:30am when we arrived at Red Rose children Center in Olympic. A very hot morning it was and everyone was looking for a place to hide their heads from the hot sun. Those with handkerchiefs wiping off the sweat from their faces as they went on with their duties.

At the centre, everyone was busy from the look of things! Teachers were busy preparing the pupils with gowns, the staff cleaning up the rooms, Cooks busy preparing the meals. On the playground, despite the hot sun, happy children were busy running up and down, in the dust, others reciting poems, while others sang songs of joy for the day. Its’ the last day for the term and pupils are going off for vacation, as others expect to graduate to the next level.

The Pre-unit Graduation Ceremony:

It was the pre-unit’s graduation day as 24 happy pupils were graduating to standard one. Parents had filled up the graduation hall to congratulate and support their children for their deserved best performance.

Importance or the Graduation:

“The importance of graduation is that it boosts the Children’s morale to the next grade, it also provides them with a sense of security and identification, especially for those planning to switch for admission to other schools, and parents are also able to realize the worth of their money paid in school”, said one of the teachers.

“I want to be a pilot”, said Oprah, one of the graduates. This really shows how inspiring and ambitious all are

Brief History of Red Rose:

Red Rose a school started under children of Kibera, came into existence in 2004 as a preschool. Over  time it has grown to grade eight, with a total of 210 pupils with a staff of sixteen teachers. It consists of both self-sponsored pupils, those parents are able to pay tuition fees, and those bright but poor. Sixty of the pupils are under full sponsorship. These are the bright and needy/children from the community.

Upon completion of level eight, the best pupils, with a score of 380 marks and above, are sponsored through the high school curriculum.

Children Of Kibera:

Children of Kibera is an umbrella organization with several programs and collaborates with a number of education related institutions within Kibera with the aim of empowering and improving the literacy level among the upcoming generations.

They support other education institutions in Kibera by providing learning materials, food stuff and sponsorship to the bright and needy children from the community .They also have exchange and interactive programs besides the sporting activities. Among the supported is Olympic, which, over the years has shown excellence in academic performance, not only in Kibera but also Kenya at large.

By Fredy and Sande

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Voter registration process in Kibera.

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Lee Ibrahim

As Hon. Mwai Kibaki the President of the Republic of Kenya was launching the Voter registration at the KICC, the voter registration in Kibera and the rest of the country had kicked off. Particularly for Kibera, Map Kibera Trust had resolved to cover and monitor events before, during and after the elections. Voter registration therefore is such an event.

For this voter registration exercise the 3 Map Kibera trust programs were out in the field to cover/get a feel of the process.  The Voice of Kibera team  was able to visit registrations stations as:-

Olympic, Karanja, Undugu, Laini Saba, mashimoni, Makini, Raila Education Centre, Old Kibera, Lindi, Silanga, Soweto East, Kanmbi muru, Ayany and Dc among others.

 

Turn-Out of People at Registration Station.

There was low turn-out in most of the polling-stations. “It is not a surprise to find a low turn-out on the first day”, said one of the IEBC officers at Mashimoni Squatters registration center. In Mashimoni, Raila Education center and DC, queues were building up quickly an indication that people were coming in numbers to register for the voting process. In some registration centers like YMCA there was more than one registration kit an indication that some areas like this one has a large number of people registering.

Response/Perception of the people towards the process

“The turn-out is low and I am mobilizing people to come and register”, said Fredrick Obenge an ODM aspirant.

Another community member was of the view that, even if the process was delayed, she was not going to give up her democratic right of voting in the right leaders thus registering was the only way she could ensure that she votes for the leader she wants.

Challenges of the process.

In some areas the voter registration was delayed due to some challenges which were faced. An example is the Old Kibera Registration center where the registration clerks had to move from their location to A local NGO (Kibera Women Network) due to lack of electricity.

 

Some registration officers had to look for other locations because they could not use the schools which the voter registration was scheduled to happen because classes were going on.

The VOK Team.

 

Posted in Education, Elections, Kibera, Voter Registration | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

 

Every Kenyan is entitled to better health care as provided for in the constitutions that was promulgated not too long ago. To look at women in general, they go through a biological function and what some would consider monthly periods (menstrual periods). Therefore, the use of sanitary pads is key to ensuring that during this time ones hygiene is maintained. A sanitary pad is an absorbent or otherwise item worn by women when menstruating.

In Kibera slums, due to the extreme poverty levels, there are health related challenges when it comes to female hygiene. Many girls cannot access sanitary pads every month during their periods because they are difficult to afford every month since you can’t use one more than once.

There is an interesting new product for menstrual hygiene in town that is most likely going to overtake normal sanitary pads that are used by girls/women. It is referred to as “Ruby Cup”

Ruby Cup:

Ruby Cup photo above;

Ruby Cup is a healthy, high quality and long-lasting menstrual hygiene product made of 100% FDA (Food and Drug Administration in the U.S.) approved medical grade silicone that can be re-used for up to 10 years. Ruby Cup is designed in Denmark and it is for every girl and woman who wants to treat her body with a superior menstrual hygiene solution.

Ruby Cup is a menstrual cup and menstrual cups have existed in the US and Europe for over 40 years! It is popular, modern, and comfortable, it gives you freedom and a superior lifestyle, it empowers women, it is healthy and it is good for the environment.

Yes, Ruby Cup is in Kenya! But most importantly Kibera slums apart from the fact that it will be sold in the supermarkets. “It is believed that for most of the projects that are rolled out on a large scale, they are always piloted in Kibera” Perhaps this is the reason why Ruby Cup found itself in Kibera! In supermarkets, it will be sold at a higher price while in Kibera it will be affordable and cost less.

Ruby Cup is the only alternative to pads and tampons available in Africa. If you buy one once and take good care of it, you will make a one-time investment and have the product for the next 10 years!

Facts about Ruby Cup:

It seeks to:     

i.Provide an affordable and sustainable menstrual hygiene solution to girls and women in East Africa.     

ii.Will create job opportunities as sales ladies will be receiving commissions on every ruby cup sold   

iii.Has no side effects, non allergenic, non toxic   

 iv.No leakage and can be worn up to 12 hours     

 v.Not itchy compared to some of the sanitary pads   

 vi.Environmentally friendly which means no more garbage and waste of pads and tampons in your neighbourhood

How it is used:

Insertion:

1. To ensure hygienic use, always wash your hands before inserting Ruby Cup.

2. Fold the cup as shown in the picture. Alternatively, pinch down one wall into the base so the cup forms a triangle shape.

3. Push Ruby Cup gently inside and place it in the vagina.

 Removal:

1. To ensure hygienic use, always wash your hands before removing Ruby Cup.

2. Grab the stem and use your stomach muscles to push Ruby Cup downwards until you can reach the base of the cup with your fingers. Please note that merely pulling the stem does not remove Ruby Cup, but it helps you to grab the walls. Press the walls of the cup inwards in order to release the vacuum or suction. Then you can gently take the cup out and empty it.

3. Ruby Cup should be emptied every 4 to 12 hours, depending on your menstrual flow.

Cleaning:

To disinfect Ruby Cup, boil it once a month for 5 minutes, either directly after or before your next period.

Important to note:

  • The cup should be used only for menstruation
  • It is not a preservative and must not be used as such
  • The cup is yours only – don’t share it with anybody else!
  • Remember to wash your hands before inserting or emptying the cup
  • Boil Ruby Cup for 5 minutes between your period in ordert o disinfect it

The product is sold in Kibera through Ruby Sales Ladies, currently based at Mchanganyiko hall, Karanja Road in Kibera slums.

“Now I don’t have to worry when I am in my periods, I don’t have to worry about sitting down during long meetings because I have my cup” one of the women who bought the product after a sales lady had explained to her how it works.

In conclusion, Ruby Cup benefits women, students will be able to attend school without fear whatsoever and it follows therefore that Kenya as a country is likely to achieve Education for All (EFA) Goals, Gender Parity by 2015 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) if the product is embraced on a national scale.

 How Ruby Cup is Packaged;

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Sande Wycliffe | Leave a comment

Shining Hope for Communities: The first free school for girls in Kibera

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Sande Wycliffe

The Kibera School for Girls was founded in 2009 by the Kibera-bornKennedy Odede in partnership with Jessica Posner— who is, like Odede, a graduate of Wesleyan University and co-founder with Odede of the US-based nonprofit Shining Hope for Communities.

Odede decided to set up the school in an attempt to address what he saw as a fundamental gender imbalance between the opportunities available to boys growing up in the slums and those available to girls.

Odede — now 26 and the first Kiberan to graduate from Wesleyan — was brought up by his mother, whose daily struggle to make enough money to put him through school contrasted sharply with his dad’s alcoholism and squandering of the family’s meager resources. As a child, he grew used to hearing his mother talk about the importance of education and how, if she had been allowed to continue with her studies, she would have been able to provide successfully for her family.

Surrounded by women who were often forced to trade their bodies for food and for whom abuse was just part of their daily lives, Odede decided that he could not continue to stand by and watch: “I could not stay silent while I saw such wasted potential,” he stated at a recent TEDx Kibera event. “This is why I decided to found Shining Hope for Communities, because I felt that by tackling women’s problems, I would also help to address poverty in the slums in a more effective way.”

The Kibera School for Girls (KSG) is situated in the heart of the settlement. The school was built to a high standard and includes eight classrooms, a library, and a multipurpose room that was constructed with the help of the community.

In a conversation with Abigail Higgins, the Shining Hope for Communities manager of strategic partnerships, we were told that the underlying assumption of the school is that if you educate a girl, you have educated the whole community.

“We take great pride in our students, for they are already showing leadership in their communities at a young age,” Higgins told us. “The majority of them have taught their extended families and neighbors to read, and when tragedies such as a fire befall someone in their neighborhoods, they are the first to organize food drives and to collect donations.”

Currently, the Kibera School for Girls serves about 100 students ranging from kindergarten level to third grade. Higgins explained how they strive to provide a superior level of education, two daily meals, uniforms, health care, and school supplies, all free of charge. In addition to this, Higgins said, the school also provides students with after-school programs and offers psychological support to girls who have suffered from abuse.

The KSG is run by a staff of expert Kenyan female teachers, all of whom provide positive role models for the girls and the community at large. According to Higgins, the school has performed so well since it started three years ago that some of its second-grade students are now reading at an eighth-grade level.

With the recent completion of an auditorium, some art rooms, and a computer lab, the school expects to double its student intake by the next academic year and to continue to do so in the years to come.

While the curriculum that has been used in Kenya since 1985 mainly emphasizes memorization and passing exams, the KSG strives to make its curriculum a student-centered experience that fosters creativity and critical thinking skills. The idea is that by promoting weekly debates and community service projects, the KSG offers an enabling environment from which students will be able to create their own path out of poverty and become proactive and engaged citizens and leaders who can achieve real change in their society.

“Our model nurtures tomorrow’s leaders while simultaneously creating a community that supports and believes in their own future,” Higgins concludes. “These symbiotic effects strengthen and uplift everyone, exponentially increasing our impact in eradicating gender inequality and poverty.”

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Agent banking: Easier access to financial services for Nairobi’s poor

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Sande Wycliffe

In the past, poor people living in Nairobi slums experienced problems when attempting to gain access to financial services. This was because banks were not near their localities and they were forced to travel significant distances in search of a bank.

What this meant, for someone living in an out-of-the-way informal settlement, was that they would have to cut out a large part of their day to travel and then stand in queues. Transportation costs also had to be taken into account; more often than not, the whole endeavor would prove extremely time-consuming and costly.

Since 2010, however, there have been significant improvements in the banking sector with the introduction of agent banking, an innovative delivery channel that seeks to bring access to financial services much closer to poor people.

James Mwangi, the owner of a Kibera Equity bank agent outlet, explains how it works. “To become an Equity agent, you need to have an existing business — e.g. a consumer goods distribution, a supermarket, or a petrol station. For you to transact any business at the Equity agent-banking outlet, you need to have a registered bank account. Transactions are made with a system called Mkesho.”

Mkesho is a bank account that facilitates the transfer of money to and from your mobile phone Mpesa account and your Equity Bank account. The system offers extra benefits, such as receiving text messages confirming that you have made a deposit or withdrawn money.

Mwanghi feels that the system has been a big boost to the community, especially for people for whom mobility out of the slum can prove challenging. “Most of the people I serve are women and youths who have small businesses here in the neighborhood — mostly beauty salons, groceries, and those selling secondhand clothes.”

In Equity’s view, agents are the future for retail banking in Kenya. The principal value of the model, they say, is its use of mobile phone technology to bring affordable financial services to new customers who live in remote geographic areas within urban and rural settlements.

Kibera slum, with its huge population, has proved a good starting point, as its opportunities match Equity’s growth strategy.

More than 1,000 agents are already operating under the Equity network. This is important to Equity, which seeks to cut costs on physical branch expansion and staff hiring.

Apart from this, tapping into the predominant unbanked rural and urban-slum population is crucial for deepening access to financial services which will, in turn, help realize Kenya’s Vision 2030 — a blueprint geared towards economic, political, and social stability.

Margaret, a beauty salon owner, explains how the agent-banking model has worked in her favor: “Before this initiative came, I used to have a lot of trouble with my customers [getting calls all the time] asking where I was. With the long queues and the fact that I had to use money for transport to get to the nearest Equity two kilometers away, it always took me hours to make a transaction at the bank, and this only meant losing out on customers who had come to have their hair done.

“Luckily, I never do that anymore, because the Equity agent is just at my doorstep; hence, no more calls from customers — and if there are, it’s only to confirm the time they will be coming. This has contributed immensely to my business growth, and if all goes well, I have plans to open another salon in Makina village,” one of the
13 villages of Kibera.

The emergence of this new cash economy in remote areas, market centers, and slums is bringing hope to many Kenyan communities. This assessment coincides with the view of Equity CEO Dr. Mwangi as expressed at the agent banking launch: “This is likely to be the biggest business in Kenya’s entrepreneurial space. You helped us create the Equity brand. You were the warriors and heroes of creating the Equity brand. It’s your turn now to benefit from it.”

Originally posted on urb.im

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The Nairobi Southern Bypass through Kibera.

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Lee Ibrahim

 

With the Nairobi Southern Bypass ready to commence, Service providers and utility providers have been requested to relocate and pave way for the project. These has also affected the residents of Kibera in one way or the other.

Demolition of houses to pave way for the road.

Just two weeks ago the DC and the Administrative police visited Raila village. They were there to mark houses which would be demolished to pave way for the long awaited Nairobi Southern Bypass. With companies like the Kenya Power and Lightening Company, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company and service providers the likes of Safaricom and Airtel being directed to move or relocate their facilities, Kibera residents who had constructed near the road could never have been left out.

The residents who had build or had businesses near the Raila Village road were told to relocate on the 27th June. The Nairobi southern bypass is meant to de-congest the city. The study made by the government included other bypasses including the almost completed Eastern and Northern bypasses and the Thika superhighway.

Compensation of the demolished houses by the Government.

The bypass will stretch from Mombasa Road Ole Sereni hotel to Langata road through the Nairobi national park and moves through Kibera and Karen to join Nakuru highway at Rironi near Limuru.

With this plan in place the Government has already negotiated preparations to compensate the Kenya wildlife service for allowing the southern bypass road to cut through an arch of the Nairobi National park near wilson airport.Given that it is an arch the reparation will be used to procure additional land for the National park to promote its ecological sustainability.

And now the question arises.

What about the Kibera residents whose houses are ready to be demolished?

Will the government come up with another act like of the national park and compensate the people whose houses have been demolished?

Will the government give the people another land given that it has taken from them what they used to call home?

These are questions which are yet to be answered given that the residents of Raila Village in Kibera came out two days after their houses had been marked for demolition and demanded compensation from the government of Kenya.

Provision of jobs to the residents of Kibera.

According to Kenya urban roads association the China Road and Bridge Construction Company has been awarded the contract of KES. 17.2 billion to build the dual carriageway. With these underway the Kibera residents want to get jobs from one of this Vision 2030’s bypass project.

According to one of the resident the government jobs are mostly done using corruption hence favouring some elite tribes and leaving others in the dark. Yesterday the 9th of July 2012 there was a peaceful demonstration at the Raila Village were villagers wanted to get jobs from the Nairobi Southern Bypass project.

The residents of Kibera do not expect anything short from the 30-36 months which is required to finish the Nairobi southern Bypass, they see opportunities and for sure a way to put food on their tables.

Posted in Environment, Kibera, People, politics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Visit By Amnesty International at Map Kibera Trust

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Sande Wycliffe

 

What informed the decision to map Kibera? Who were involved? How did it happen and what made you guys decide to start Map Kibera Trust? This is the closely related Questions that brought about a wonderful discussion at the Map Kibera Trust office during the visitation of the Amnesty International guests from Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Kenya as well.

Before we could start the presentation of what we exactly do, as it is conventionally, everyone had to introduce themselves and it indeed was evident that the visiting group had eagerly anticipated this visit for there was more to learn.  During the introductions, one of them; Fubara Samuel introduced himself and when he said he was from Naigeria, I remember while thanking him i said “Thank you for the introduction ‘Oga hooh!’” this made everyone to laugh but I said to myself quietly that “This is a good dose to bring everyones’ concentration specifically to the work that we were just about to present”.

The mapping program presentation was the fast to be done and questions I have never witnessed in a long time were asked. Was it a good thing that many questions were asked? Was the time really enough to explore all aspects of our work? Did the Map Kibera Team meet some of the expectations for the Amnesty team? Your guess is as good as mine but reading the mood of the participants there was clear understanding which facilitated the kind of discussion that happened today; which was a good thing in my view.

The aspects of community acceptance/involvement, the governments take on the project were also discussed at length and there were lessons drawn from it:

i.            Not only do we need to work with leaders in given communities but also involve the community members too. This was a problem that the mapping initially experience but later learnt from it and now active community participation is key in ensuring data/contend is well generated.

ii.            Seeking governments support was also identified to be of utmost importance for without their support nothing much can be done, so for us we have been able to get the local leadership on board in understanding the broader perspective of the work we are engaged in.

A very pertinent question was raised during the discussions that how do we ensure that we are not creating maps for the sake of maps but maps that can have an influence on development? How true is the statement, “Politically, slums do exist but on the ground they don’t exist on the map?” What is the interface between the wonderful news/work you do in Kibera and the larger community? These questions cut across all the 3 programs and were tackled in the best way possible. (We have distributed some maps to organizations that work on particular themes and they are using the maps, the http://voiceofkibera.org/ is a community media platform that aggregates and maps reports against where they happen, in other words it is amplifying the capabilities of the map and how it can be used for the common good of the community- Free information sharing. Their exists various interfaces of interaction between Map Kibera and the community, for http://kiberanewsnetwork.org/ the video team normally does video screenings in video kiosks so that people can see what is happening within their localities and most importantly Map Kibera Trust organises forums to interact with the community members while creating awareness around the main issues in Kibera which have been mapped)

In conclusion, all the 3 programs had a chance to present what they do, and basing on the fact that there was much interest in Map Kibera Trusts’ work as witnessed in the participatory discussion, there are greater chances of doing this work in Nigeria as well as working together with Amnesty International.

My only hope is that, time will bring home this reality of working together with Amnesty International and or on a project in Nigeria.

Posted in Education, Empowerment, People, Security | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment