Kibera

The name Kibera comes from the Nubian word “kibra”, meaning “forest”.

Kibera dates back to the 1920s when the British colonial government let a group of Nubian soldiers settle on a wooded hillside outside Nairobi. The Nubians were an ethnic group from neighboring Sudan who had been fighting on the side of the allies in World War I as part of the King’s African Rifles. The Nubians did well and the British considered keeping them on after the war.

However, the colonial authorities had second thoughts and told the Nubians they could stop fighting and live on their hillside. But for some reason, the British never gave the Nubians the title deeds to their new land. The soldiers built homes and set up businesses, but they were squatters - with no legal rights.

Over the years, more and more people from different communities moved into the area, seeking new life and shelter, but ended up in shacks, renting from the Nubian landlords.

Today, over one million people (one third the population of Nairobi) are living in Kibera and the population continues to grow by five percent every year. However, Kibera is still considered an illegal settlement and is therefore overlooked by the Kenyan government which provides no services for the people - no roads, schools, hospitals, sanitation, or water.

Homes in Kibera are made out of corrugated tin, mud, and cardboard and consist of one room that serves as a kitchen, living room, and bedroom. Most homes are about 3 meters by 3 meters (9.8 ft) in size and have an average of five people living in them.

Water pipes in Kibera are owned by private contractors who charge 3 shillings ($.05) to fill a jerry can. However, the pipelines are made of plastic and many have holes which cause the water to mix with sewage and become contaminated, causing many diseases to the community.

There are only 600 toilets in all of Kibera (one toilet serves 1600 people). It costs 5 shillings ($.07) to use the toilets, but many people cannot afford to pay and so they use the bathroom in a plastic bag and throw it as far as possible. These are known as “flying toilets” and they litter the streets, along with the garbage heaps, throughout Kibera.

Disease is also rampant in Kibera. It is estimated that one third of the population is living with HIV.

Life expectancy is 46 years old.

There are an estimated 100,000 orphaned children in Kibera.

Yet despite these overwhelming living conditions, Kibera has become a self-sustaining community filled with hope. People in Kibera sell vegetables and clothing and work as blacksmiths and carpenters. Schools and orphanages are run for children by volunteers from the community and local clinics provide affordable medical care and waive the costs for those who cannot afford to pay. There are also many community groups in Kibera that are working on issues such as HIV/AIDS awareness, waste management and sanitation, domestic violence, and promotion of the arts.

Harding, Andrew. “Nairobi Slum Life: Escaping Kibera.” BBC News. 15 October 2002 < http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2297279.stm>

“Unending Stuggle in Nairobi Slum.” Iran Daily. 27 December 2006.

Ibid

“Kibera Facts.” Tenderfeet Children’s Center. < http://www.tenderfeet.org/>