REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR A CHILD IN KIBERA SLUM
A life of poverty and extreme hardship is what welcomes every child born in the slum compounded by the parent’s poverty and extreme illiteracy.
Reagan Ochieng, a 12 year old boy, is a 4th born Child in a Family of five Boys. The mother, who was unemployed and scrapping through life without financial means, brought him to Jamii Yetu Educational Centre when he was barely ready for School at a tender age of one & a half years. Eventually at age 3 Reagan joined the school officially.
As Reagan grew up he had no desire for breakfast because it was not even available. The parents would make an effort to ensure there was a family meal in the evening only. As for clothing, they would barely buy the children clothes once a year but many times they couldn’t afford. Jamii became of great help to Reagan and many other children in similar circumstance when donations were brought to the centre by friends and well wishers.
A typical slum family’s daily budget is Kshs 100 (less than a dollar) can buy ¼ kg sugar, 1/2kg Maize flour and a Lemon to make a good portion of porridge for breakfast or alternatively ¼ sugar, tea leaves and 01 loaf of bread and each child gets 2 slices. To have a proper meal the family would buy the smallest of Fish(Omena) or Kales and 01kg maize flour.
Then the covid pandemic hit in 2020 and life came to a standstill globally, not even the schools were spared. The worst living conditions in the slums became worse. Hunger and malnutrition was rife. Insecurity abounded even as covid deaths encompassed the slum. It was a terrible and uncertain time. When life normalized Reagan gladly rejoined Jamii where he continued till Grade 6 in 2023. He has now joined Junior High School through a friend who has opened a new School to serve the very needy and vulnerable Teenage children, where he has received a full Scholarship alongside 3 other children from Jamii. Reagan’s dream is to be a doctor an definetly give back to the community he grew up. Reagan’s brother, Leon Oliver Ochieng has joined Jamii in Play Group and so the legacy continues. We at Jamii are grateful to God for the opportunity to serve and impact the many young lives that come to our School.
OUR DESPERATE APPEAL
But not all slum kids’ stories are a success story. The harsh and toxic slum environment swallows many a child who had no means of education or a proper upgringing.
In the case of girls there is forced prostitution by the Family, Teenage pregnancies that become dangerous when they try to procure back door abortions and those that carry the pregnancy full term unfortunately become Childl-Mothers perpetuating the cycle of poverty deeper. There is also the risk of contracting diseases like HIV and othr sexually transmitted diseases. Others end up in forced labour or in extreme cases forced drug peddllers
For the boys, many are forcibly initiated into dangerous gang life because of the extreme poverty and lack of opportunities. They also start abusing and peddling drugs as well as illicit cheap alcohol at a very tender age of 8 to 10 years. This aggravates the situation as they are forced to a life of crime to buy the drugs to overcome the addictions. They also become teenage fathers due to illicit sexual exposure and are also exposed to HIV and veneral diseases.
SLUM HOUSES
Another perennial thorn in the flesh is slum accommodation. The houses very small (6 square meters). Theya are mostly made of mud, plastic bags or old rusted iron sheets with mud flooring. These houses are crammed with an average family size of 6 people. Unfortunately, this creates an unhealthy living situation as many young girls and at times boys are sexually molested and mentally traumatized by neighbors or their close relatives.