Kibera Stories

There are approximately 2.5 million slum dwellers in about 200 settlements in Nairobi representing 60% of the Nairobi population and occupying just 6% of the land. Kibera houses about 250,000 of these people. Kibera is the biggest slum in Africa and one of the biggest in the world. The narrow streets that creates a maze is filled with small cooking stoves, butcheries and electronic shops, and they are surrounded by the small rusty iron sheet houses that stand next to each other. On a space this small, everything is mixed together; the smell of chapatti and anchovies hits your nose at the same time as the old garbage that is spread out across Kibera, it’s busy, dust and never quite. But under the word “slum” you find a functional society, just in a different shape and from, a city within the city. There are hundreds of different schools, from kinder garden to primary level, all with their own school uniform. An old occupied government building have turned into a creative center, where kids in all ages can take art classes, spoken word and learn self defense. The clinics that provide free services for the inhabitant of Kibera is spread out across the community. A new child is born everyday, into this harsh environment, but is welcomed by the warm people of Kibera.