Kibera Slum is the poorest suburb in Kenya and the largest Slum in Africa. It is home to more than a million people, living in extreme conditions and making less than 1$ per day.
Diseases caused by poor hygiene are common. Fresh water is scarcely available and some is collected from the Nairobi dam. This leads to many cases of cholera and typhoid as the water is not clean.
Unemployment rates are high, and crime is rampant. Muggings, robbery and gender base violence happen daily, and the slum cartel controls electricity and water.
12% of the residents live with HIV, and diseases caused by poor hygiene and damp conditions are prevalent.
There are taps with “clean” water for cleaning and cooking, but they have to buy drinking water. They do have electricity, which is illegally wired. The poor infrastructure often causes fires, which then spread rapidly throughout the neighbourhood. Putting it out is down to the residents, as firefighters rarely attempt to enter the narrow, muddy streets.
Saidika is an NGO, run by local people, who help to support, empower and assist small local businesses. They sponsor and work with a number of businesses or people, all with the aim of improving life for people in the Kibera slum. Saidika is small, it’s only really 3 people “working here” and it’s currently being based out of a small school- and by school I also mean house, which is where I am currently staying.
I am the first volunteer Saidika has had this year, and only the second person ever to come here in the NGOs history. Sadly, small NGOs like this struggle to get the attention they deserve and rely hugely on fundraising and external support to be able to run.
We decided on an itinerary for the time I would be here and agreed I would take and create videos and testimonies to detail and show the activities and work going on here, to be able to add these to social medias and volunteer websites, to show what they are doing and how volunteers would spend their time here, and therefore hopefully appeal and encourage volunteers to come. The more that come, the more money they will spend in the area, even just buying local fruits, veg, drinks, souvenirs etc from the projects both supported by Saidika, and just in the local community. So here begins my week of learning as much as I can about Kibera, learning and helping with local life and hopefully bringing as much exposure and help to this area as possible.
My main goal while here is to promote and draw attention to the incredible work that Saidika is doing under such difficult circumstances, but of course, I would also love to be able to financially contribute and support the NGO and the community while I am here. While I am living in the slum, by donations can be withdrawn directly and passed straight into the hands of the residents and organisations here, and any amount we can give them really would make an enormous difference. Usually when donating to charity, we all know that charities take their cut, pay their staff and run their campaigns, but with this donation, it’ll be passed directly from the ATM into the hands of those who need it. If you are able, please do consider donation to these incredible people.
Jessica Randerson
30369330 • 60-83-71 or
saidikaorganiz...
Thank you ♥️
15 сен 2024
