Kibera. Most of us have never heard of this place, the biggest slum in Africa and home to an estimated quarter million people crammed into a space the size of Central Park in NYC. Poverty and violence run rampant alongside a perpetual hope for better things.
From the economy to the history, our blog entries will cover all manner of topics and problems found in Kibera and, hopefully, will help to spread the word about the slum and maybe attract some more help to a place that desperately needs it. And if you, our Potsdam peers, were curious or confused about some of the issues Barcott mentions in It Happened On the Way to War, our blog might clear things up for you.
Please choose an essay to read from the list at the right.
Enjoy and comment.
Dr. Jennifer Mitchell and COMP101 participants
SUNY Potsdam
Dept. of English and Communication
Friday, September 23, 2011
Ambrosia Batten: AIDS on the Rise
AIDS On The Rise by Ambrosia Batten
In the Memoir “It Happened on the Way to War”, Barcott talks about leading a double life as a marine and a co-founder of an non-profit organization called Carolina for Kibera. Most of his journey takes place in one of Africa's largest Slums in Kenya called Kibera. At the time of him just beginning his foundation, he was graduating from college and starting in the Marines. During his journey, he often wondered what kind of impact he would have on their community and whether it be a positive impact or a standstill. His foundation raises money to give it to the community leaders of the slum so they can fulfill the needs of the kids and the townspeople of the slum and help the kids become future community leaders. One of the projects that he helped start was a free clinic in Africa along with a friend named Tabitha. The clinic is open to all of those who are sick with illnesses like HIV/AIDS and in need of help. “Tabitha Clinic offers healthcare to all residents on a sliding-fee scale. Over 40,000 patients visit this remarkable clinic in the heart of Kibera every year” (Carolina For Kibera). One of the major health problems in Africa is HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that has hit our world by storm. What is HIV/AIDS you may ask? HIV, also known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, attacks your immune system that is supposed to help prevent you from getting sick. HIV then turns into AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, only when the number of CD4 cells in your body drops below a certain amount. People become infected with HIV through bodily fluids such as blood, semen, breast milk, and vaginal fluids. HIV can also be passed from mother to child during childbirth or through breast-feeding. For some people it takes a long time for AIDS to develop, for others it takes less time (Kaletra). Africa includes many countries that suffer from the outbreak of this disease, and it has the highest rate of people infected in the world. “Two-thirds of all people infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, although this region contains little more than 10% of the world’s population” (Avert). Along with that, “During 2009 alone, an estimated 1.3 million adults and children died as a result of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Since the beginning of the epidemic more than 15 million Africans have died from AIDS” (Avert). The lack of basic needs to prevent the spread of infection contributes to the high numbers of patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. In the memoir “It Happened on the Way to War” by Rye Barcott, Barcott illustrates to his readers the lack of resources in Africa to support its cities. The people of Africa go through many hardships and need resources that we in the United States often take for granted. Therefore, Barcott created a foundation to help start one of the many slums in Africa get the help they need to lead a better life. The question that Barcott and many of us have asked is “How can I make a difference in fighting HIV/AIDS?”
The spread of the disease has led to increasingly higher rates of people infected in Africa than anywhere else. The reason for this spreading of the disease is because many Africans who are infected can't afford to purchase the medicine needed to keep them healthy and condoms to stop the spread of it. Another contributing factor of the spread of HIV is their lack of birth control, because of this many children are born with the disease.
There are many different types of medication that can help a person who is has HIV to live longer, although the medications can have bad side effects such as nausea, headaches, loss of weight, etc. Drugs like Kaletra, Atripla oral, Epzicom oral, and Crixivan along with many others are the drugs that helps with the virus and treating it (WebMD). Though the side effects of these drugs may seem extreme, it still is better than the opposite outcome which is death. Dying with HIV can be prevented if the person is able to get the proper medication and maybe even jobs so they could actually afford the medication.
Why doesn't Africa's governments do enough to help prevent the massive spread of HIV in their countries? There are many reasons for the government not aiding their own country but the one that it all leads down to is the fact that they have such a corrupt government. It all has to do with who's in power and the amount of money that they would receive just to do the right thing. In the book, Barcott said that many of the political leaders who would claim they would help rebuild the city and clean up the streets were seen as corrupt and unwilling to help without a certain fee. So Barcott took it upon himself, along with the help of the donations given by many people in the States and the local community leaders of Kibera, to start a chain reaction that is helping make the people of Kibera’s lives a lot better to live.
There are other non-profit organizations like Carolina For Kibera that help against the war against AIDS. Some are well known because they are publicized by popular idols like Alicia Keys with her Keep a Child Alive foundation. “That is why Keep A Child Alive buys more than just the pills needed to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. It buys the essential nutrition, shelter, support and education to help ensure those pills are taken properly and effectively. It buys the things we all take for granted, but that make all the difference. A bed. A roof. A ride. A book. A smile” (Blake). Another organization that I found to be very informative about the disease and its cause was the AHF (AIDS Healthcare Foundation),which creates activities and fund-raising to help spread the word of having safe sex and taking care of yourself if you have the virus. Carolina for Kibera uses sports like soccer to help create a healthy ethnic diversity and to stop the ethnic violence within the community. “5,280 boys and girls participate in CFK’s annual soccer tournament. Ethnic diversity is a requirement” (Carolina for Kibera). The foundation teaches many of the citizens how to be more socially and economically responsible and “CFK offers training in financial literacy, business skills and entrepreneurship for residents of Kibera” (Carolina for Kibera).
I believe that foundations like CFK and Keep A Child Alive are great organizations in that they don't just help people with HIV/AIDS get the proper care they need, but they also help the community live better and create more opportunities. Some may say “How can I make a difference?”, but all it takes is a small donation to one of the organizations that are helping with the epidemic and with that donation alone it can save millions of lives.
Bibliography
AIDS Healthcare Foundation. (2011). http://www.aidshealth.org/public-health/prevention-for-hiv-individuals/. Web. 9/17/11
Avert. “The Impact of HIV&AIDS in Africa”. (2011). http://www.avert.org/aids-impact-africa.htm. Web. 9/17/11
Barcott, Rye. “It Happened on the Way to War”. Bloomsbury USA, New York. 9/13/11
Blake, Leigh.“Keep A Child Alive”.(2011). http://keepachildalive.org/our-work/?gclid=CKX_p43LkKsCFSUEQAodyEgstw. Web. 9/18/11
Carolina For Kibera.“What We Do”. Center for Global Initiatives. (2001). http://cfk.unc.edu/. Web. 9/13/11
Kaletra.“What Is HIV”. http://www.kaletra.com/what-is-hiv/default.aspx?s_mcid=google. Web.
WebMD. “Expanding HIV and AIDS Drug Options”. (2011).
http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/aids-hiv-medication. Web. 9/21/11
In the Memoir “It Happened on the Way to War”, Barcott talks about leading a double life as a marine and a co-founder of an non-profit organization called Carolina for Kibera. Most of his journey takes place in one of Africa's largest Slums in Kenya called Kibera. At the time of him just beginning his foundation, he was graduating from college and starting in the Marines. During his journey, he often wondered what kind of impact he would have on their community and whether it be a positive impact or a standstill. His foundation raises money to give it to the community leaders of the slum so they can fulfill the needs of the kids and the townspeople of the slum and help the kids become future community leaders. One of the projects that he helped start was a free clinic in Africa along with a friend named Tabitha. The clinic is open to all of those who are sick with illnesses like HIV/AIDS and in need of help. “Tabitha Clinic offers healthcare to all residents on a sliding-fee scale. Over 40,000 patients visit this remarkable clinic in the heart of Kibera every year” (Carolina For Kibera). One of the major health problems in Africa is HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that has hit our world by storm. What is HIV/AIDS you may ask? HIV, also known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, attacks your immune system that is supposed to help prevent you from getting sick. HIV then turns into AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, only when the number of CD4 cells in your body drops below a certain amount. People become infected with HIV through bodily fluids such as blood, semen, breast milk, and vaginal fluids. HIV can also be passed from mother to child during childbirth or through breast-feeding. For some people it takes a long time for AIDS to develop, for others it takes less time (Kaletra). Africa includes many countries that suffer from the outbreak of this disease, and it has the highest rate of people infected in the world. “Two-thirds of all people infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, although this region contains little more than 10% of the world’s population” (Avert). Along with that, “During 2009 alone, an estimated 1.3 million adults and children died as a result of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Since the beginning of the epidemic more than 15 million Africans have died from AIDS” (Avert). The lack of basic needs to prevent the spread of infection contributes to the high numbers of patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. In the memoir “It Happened on the Way to War” by Rye Barcott, Barcott illustrates to his readers the lack of resources in Africa to support its cities. The people of Africa go through many hardships and need resources that we in the United States often take for granted. Therefore, Barcott created a foundation to help start one of the many slums in Africa get the help they need to lead a better life. The question that Barcott and many of us have asked is “How can I make a difference in fighting HIV/AIDS?”
The spread of the disease has led to increasingly higher rates of people infected in Africa than anywhere else. The reason for this spreading of the disease is because many Africans who are infected can't afford to purchase the medicine needed to keep them healthy and condoms to stop the spread of it. Another contributing factor of the spread of HIV is their lack of birth control, because of this many children are born with the disease.
There are many different types of medication that can help a person who is has HIV to live longer, although the medications can have bad side effects such as nausea, headaches, loss of weight, etc. Drugs like Kaletra, Atripla oral, Epzicom oral, and Crixivan along with many others are the drugs that helps with the virus and treating it (WebMD). Though the side effects of these drugs may seem extreme, it still is better than the opposite outcome which is death. Dying with HIV can be prevented if the person is able to get the proper medication and maybe even jobs so they could actually afford the medication.
Why doesn't Africa's governments do enough to help prevent the massive spread of HIV in their countries? There are many reasons for the government not aiding their own country but the one that it all leads down to is the fact that they have such a corrupt government. It all has to do with who's in power and the amount of money that they would receive just to do the right thing. In the book, Barcott said that many of the political leaders who would claim they would help rebuild the city and clean up the streets were seen as corrupt and unwilling to help without a certain fee. So Barcott took it upon himself, along with the help of the donations given by many people in the States and the local community leaders of Kibera, to start a chain reaction that is helping make the people of Kibera’s lives a lot better to live.
There are other non-profit organizations like Carolina For Kibera that help against the war against AIDS. Some are well known because they are publicized by popular idols like Alicia Keys with her Keep a Child Alive foundation. “That is why Keep A Child Alive buys more than just the pills needed to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. It buys the essential nutrition, shelter, support and education to help ensure those pills are taken properly and effectively. It buys the things we all take for granted, but that make all the difference. A bed. A roof. A ride. A book. A smile” (Blake). Another organization that I found to be very informative about the disease and its cause was the AHF (AIDS Healthcare Foundation),which creates activities and fund-raising to help spread the word of having safe sex and taking care of yourself if you have the virus. Carolina for Kibera uses sports like soccer to help create a healthy ethnic diversity and to stop the ethnic violence within the community. “5,280 boys and girls participate in CFK’s annual soccer tournament. Ethnic diversity is a requirement” (Carolina for Kibera). The foundation teaches many of the citizens how to be more socially and economically responsible and “CFK offers training in financial literacy, business skills and entrepreneurship for residents of Kibera” (Carolina for Kibera).
I believe that foundations like CFK and Keep A Child Alive are great organizations in that they don't just help people with HIV/AIDS get the proper care they need, but they also help the community live better and create more opportunities. Some may say “How can I make a difference?”, but all it takes is a small donation to one of the organizations that are helping with the epidemic and with that donation alone it can save millions of lives.
Bibliography
AIDS Healthcare Foundation. (2011). http://www.aidshealth.org/public-health/prevention-for-hiv-individuals/. Web. 9/17/11
Avert. “The Impact of HIV&AIDS in Africa”. (2011). http://www.avert.org/aids-impact-africa.htm. Web. 9/17/11
Barcott, Rye. “It Happened on the Way to War”. Bloomsbury USA, New York. 9/13/11
Blake, Leigh.“Keep A Child Alive”.(2011). http://keepachildalive.org/our-work/?gclid=CKX_p43LkKsCFSUEQAodyEgstw. Web. 9/18/11
Carolina For Kibera.“What We Do”. Center for Global Initiatives. (2001). http://cfk.unc.edu/. Web. 9/13/11
Kaletra.“What Is HIV”. http://www.kaletra.com/what-is-hiv/default.aspx?s_mcid=google. Web.
WebMD. “Expanding HIV and AIDS Drug Options”. (2011).
http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/aids-hiv-medication. Web. 9/21/11
David Monsor: $7 can Save a Life
$7 can Save a Life By David Mansor
Around the world there many preventable deaths yearly due to accidents,
lack of medical treatment or vaccines, lack of following safety protocols
and poverty. Kibera deals mainly with the issue of poverty. Imagine the
population of San Francisco, California squeezed into a square mile
[Smith, Gibson]; minus the Fire Department, Police, Electricity and a
dozen other public services; being the largest slum in Nirobi, Africa.
Being in such a deprived state people die every day from starvation, and
simple sickness. What organizations are around to prevent these deaths and
how are they helping?
Many of these deaths could have been prevented by the mere sum of “$7”, as
Baba Chris’s life was saved for $7 in the memoir It Happened on the Way to
War by Rye Barcott. Baba Chris, a leader in the community and a working
man, almost died from malaria because he could not afford the medicine
(Barcott 53). The most heart wrenching aspects of the conditions in Kibera
is that children are dying. As Barcott said in a recent article published
on Newsobserver.com:
There are 8 million child deaths, each year in Africa. (Barcott) Many
could have been prevented. Other common illnesses are HIV/AIDS, malaria,
African trypanosomiasis (“sleeping sickness”), tuberculosis, measles and
yellow fever. Due to Kibera being a slum I cannot find any censuses data
and many other forms of statistics, but an estimation can be made using
the national numbers (which themselves are probably underestimated)
compared to the size of Kibera’s population. 50,000 residents are infected
with HIV/AIDS, [HIV/AIDS Policy Fact Sheet] making it a very real issue
for everyone in Kibera.
Doctors without Borders (DWB), is one organization that really tries to
tackle the health concerns in Kenya, with over 400 field staff working in
Mathare, Kibera, Busia and Homa Bay. Throughout the country HIV/AIDS and
tuberculosis (TB) infection spreads, treating HIV/AIDS is a waste of time
without treating TB. “TB is the leading killer of people living with
HIV/AIDS”; this is why DWB is treating many co-infected patients. (Doctors
without Borders). DWB does a tremendous amount of work, especially with
the size of the problem. About 100,000 people in Kenya have both HIV and
TB (Tuberculosis Profile), creating a tremendous deficit in needed
healthcare. HIV treatment is expensive and a long term however, it
prevents diseases like TB and Malaria from reoccurring. The HIV infected
is the most susceptible to falling ill from other diseases.
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) do important work with health issues;
Organizations such as MB (Medical Bridges), AIDVC (Africa Infectious
Disease Village Clinics) and CW (Charity: Water), help with community
health care and wellbeing by treating and preventing illness. Many of the
NGOs can have a wide impact: AIDVC is providing 90,000 people with health
care, along with a fleet of 16 motorcycles to allow them to reach patients
within 80 miles away from their base [AIDVC Outreach Programs], Medical
Bridges ships millions of dollars of medical supplies all over Africa
[Medical Bridges] and in less than four years, charity: water has funded
clean water projects for more than one million people [Charity: Water].
The NGOs help some individuals, but due to the gravity of the situation
there might not be much of a substantial impact nationwide.
There are a lot of efforts to improve conditions in Africa by missions,
NGOs and Non-Profit Organizations. It’s great that there are such
tremendous efforts to help, they accomplish a lot with the little
resources they have. However, NGOs and governmental organizations need to
have a more substantial impact in the future. .
References
"AIDVC Outreach Programs." Africa Infectious Disease Village Clincs,
2005. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
.
Barcott, Rye. it happened on the way to war. New York: 2011. 53. Print.
Barcott, Rye. "Vaccines can keep our health commitment." The News
Observer. N.p., 12/2007. Web. 19 Sep 2011. <7.
"charity: water." Aid for Africa. Aid for Africa, n.d. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
"Doctors without Borders." Doctors Without Borders, 12/2007. Web. 19 Sep
2011.
Gibson, Campbell. United States. POPULATION OF THE 100 LARGEST CITIES AND
OTHER URBAN PLACES. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1998.
Web. 12 Sep 2011.
"HIV/AIDS Policy Fact Sheet." The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005.
Web. 12 Sep 2011..
"Medical Bridges." Aid for Africa. Aid for Africa, n.d. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
Smith, David. United States. Kibera: Africa’s largest slum. Affordable
Housing Institute: US, 2005. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
.
"Tuberculosis profile." The News Observer. World Health Organization,
2009. Web. 19 Sep 2011.
Around the world there many preventable deaths yearly due to accidents,
lack of medical treatment or vaccines, lack of following safety protocols
and poverty. Kibera deals mainly with the issue of poverty. Imagine the
population of San Francisco, California squeezed into a square mile
[Smith, Gibson]; minus the Fire Department, Police, Electricity and a
dozen other public services; being the largest slum in Nirobi, Africa.
Being in such a deprived state people die every day from starvation, and
simple sickness. What organizations are around to prevent these deaths and
how are they helping?
Many of these deaths could have been prevented by the mere sum of “$7”, as
Baba Chris’s life was saved for $7 in the memoir It Happened on the Way to
War by Rye Barcott. Baba Chris, a leader in the community and a working
man, almost died from malaria because he could not afford the medicine
(Barcott 53). The most heart wrenching aspects of the conditions in Kibera
is that children are dying. As Barcott said in a recent article published
on Newsobserver.com:
“It's unimaginable to lose your child to a disease that can often be
prevented through vaccination for less than $10. It shouldn't happen, not
in our world of plenty. It's not right. It's intolerable.” (Barcott,
“Vaccines”)
There are 8 million child deaths, each year in Africa. (Barcott) Many
could have been prevented. Other common illnesses are HIV/AIDS, malaria,
African trypanosomiasis (“sleeping sickness”), tuberculosis, measles and
yellow fever. Due to Kibera being a slum I cannot find any censuses data
and many other forms of statistics, but an estimation can be made using
the national numbers (which themselves are probably underestimated)
compared to the size of Kibera’s population. 50,000 residents are infected
with HIV/AIDS, [HIV/AIDS Policy Fact Sheet] making it a very real issue
for everyone in Kibera.
Doctors without Borders (DWB), is one organization that really tries to
tackle the health concerns in Kenya, with over 400 field staff working in
Mathare, Kibera, Busia and Homa Bay. Throughout the country HIV/AIDS and
tuberculosis (TB) infection spreads, treating HIV/AIDS is a waste of time
without treating TB. “TB is the leading killer of people living with
HIV/AIDS”; this is why DWB is treating many co-infected patients. (Doctors
without Borders). DWB does a tremendous amount of work, especially with
the size of the problem. About 100,000 people in Kenya have both HIV and
TB (Tuberculosis Profile), creating a tremendous deficit in needed
healthcare. HIV treatment is expensive and a long term however, it
prevents diseases like TB and Malaria from reoccurring. The HIV infected
is the most susceptible to falling ill from other diseases.
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) do important work with health issues;
Organizations such as MB (Medical Bridges), AIDVC (Africa Infectious
Disease Village Clinics) and CW (Charity: Water), help with community
health care and wellbeing by treating and preventing illness. Many of the
NGOs can have a wide impact: AIDVC is providing 90,000 people with health
care, along with a fleet of 16 motorcycles to allow them to reach patients
within 80 miles away from their base [AIDVC Outreach Programs], Medical
Bridges ships millions of dollars of medical supplies all over Africa
[Medical Bridges] and in less than four years, charity: water has funded
clean water projects for more than one million people [Charity: Water].
The NGOs help some individuals, but due to the gravity of the situation
there might not be much of a substantial impact nationwide.
There are a lot of efforts to improve conditions in Africa by missions,
NGOs and Non-Profit Organizations. It’s great that there are such
tremendous efforts to help, they accomplish a lot with the little
resources they have. However, NGOs and governmental organizations need to
have a more substantial impact in the future. .
References
"AIDVC Outreach Programs." Africa Infectious Disease Village Clincs,
2005. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
Barcott, Rye. it happened on the way to war. New York: 2011. 53. Print.
Barcott, Rye. "Vaccines can keep our health commitment." The News
Observer. N.p., 12/2007. Web. 19 Sep 2011. <7.
"charity: water." Aid for Africa. Aid for Africa, n.d. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
"Doctors without Borders." Doctors Without Borders, 12/2007. Web. 19 Sep
2011.
Gibson, Campbell. United States. POPULATION OF THE 100 LARGEST CITIES AND
OTHER URBAN PLACES. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1998.
Web. 12 Sep 2011.
"HIV/AIDS Policy Fact Sheet." The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005.
Web. 12 Sep 2011.
"Medical Bridges." Aid for Africa. Aid for Africa, n.d. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
Smith, David. United States. Kibera: Africa’s largest slum. Affordable
Housing Institute: US, 2005. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
"Tuberculosis profile." The News Observer. World Health Organization,
2009. Web. 19 Sep 2011.
Alieu Baldeh: AIDS in Kibera
HIV/AIDS in Kibera by Alieu Baldeh
Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya, is located in the lower East side of Africa. Kibera is one of the saddest places in the world. Kibera has few or no schools. It suffers from a lot of poverty and lack of education. It’s in an area which is home to “approx. 2.5 million slum dwellers in about 200 settlements in Nairobi representing 60% of the Nairobi population, [but] occupying just 6% of the land. Kibera houses almost 1 Million of these people. Kibera is the biggest slum in Africa and one of the biggest in the world” (“Facts”).
Conditions in Kibera are extremely poor, and most of its residents lack access to basic services, including electricity and running water. “It is crowded shoulder to shoulder and enjoys little formal infrastructure. Most of its houses are built from recycled materials and it has neither a central sewer system nor piped fresh water” (Uniben).
One of the most significant problems that Kiberians face is HIV/AIDS. “One fifth of the estimated 2.2 million Kenyans living with HIV live in Kibera where there are at least 50,000 children orphaned by AIDS” (Facts). HIV/AIDS has a daily impact on their lives. How many individuals are infected with HIV/AIDS? Many, but to know the impact of HIV/AIDS on Kiberians is difficult, because it depends on the angle you look at it.
The real impact of HIV/AIDS in Kibera is a question that many individuals should consider asking themselves every single day. The world should be educated about this daily problem that most Africans face to prepare themselves. It is extremely significant to view the problems we Africans face and to discuss them in order to find better results or solutions to them. Helping out in Africa, which many non-African citizens do, is a gift that can never be paid back.
In 2006, the United Nations AIDS program and the World Health Organization says, “more than forty million people [in the world] live with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, or with AIDS itself” (Timeline). 40 million? How scary is that? That’s four times the population of NYC expected to die in every 10 or less years. In 2009, it was estimated that 1500 people are living with HIV in Kenya ("UNICEF - Kenya - Statistics.").
“In Kibera there are no government clinics or hospitals. The providers are the charitable organizations: AMREF, MSF, churches plus some others” (“Facts”). This shows the lack of government involvement in Kibera. It shows that Kenyan government does not care about Kiberians living conditions. While Kenya has many other clinics and hospitals around the country, they ignore the place where much of the hospitals are needed. AMREF, African Medical and Research Foundation, is a non-profit organization that helps provide “good quality and affordable health care closer to those who need it most - improving access to health treatment and preventing poor health through community education” ("AMREF”). AMREF is among the most significant organizations that are helping to improve better heath in Kibera.
Since government doesn’t involve itself in Kibera, other non-government organizations are helping out, such as UNICEF. UNICEF is helping children become well educated and sufficient to become leaders in their communities. Some of the youth listen, and then take the initial step in helping themselves and other peers. Some youth don’t listen: they ignore the fact that HIV/AIDS occurs and that they should be careful. “Educating boys and young men about HIV and AIDS presents one of the biggest challenges in modern day Africa, home to 70 percent of the people in the world living with HIV” (“Facts). They are just in their teens and they are extremely very hard headed. Some do listen and most of them just ignore the fact that it exists. Trying to teach them is one of the hardest tasks most people have ever taken on in their life. During an interview, one young man said, ‘“The biggest problem is ignorance,’…‘If we can just gather them together like this to teach them about HIV and AIDS, then there is a chance they can be saved. Some listen to us. Others don’t — one day they might regret it,”’ (“UNICEF”). The challenge is that most of these individuals do not want to be helped. This is true for many people; you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped
Poor, uneducated, ignorant and helpless. That’s what they are; actually that’s what we are. In most cases, Africans only can solve some of the problems we have. In many communities in Africa, there are a lot of dedicated workers who are willing to do a lot for their community and country, but they just need the funds and someone to lead. For example in the book, “it happened on the way to war” when they had a war on trash, “hundreds of residents…gathered for [the] final cleanup” (P. 168), for a cleanup that “meant going knee deep into the slums of sewage, waste, and dead animal and hauling out tons of garbage in pushcarts that [was] so heavy [that] they required a half dozen men to solve them out of the slum” (162). None of them were paid. In comparison to American kids, a lot of them wouldn’t help out in a community cleanup without a reward. Also, we see “Tabitha had taken $26 and build a clinic” (P. 165), free for all Kiberians residents. What Africans need is the funds. They are able to help themselves if they are helped with what they can’t afford.
Many Africans in the U.S. avoid talking about their background, hiding their problems, so they are not in the highlight. If many Africans had worked together, we would be facing fewer problems. But instead, millions of Africans are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, living in poor conditions, suffering lack of education, and lack of help, while many governments are corrupt, doing nothing for the county and stealing all the money. Many politicians stay in power until they are either kicked out by a coup or western involvement.
In conclusion, the Africans AIDS problem is a daily thing that is affecting many individuals and family. A head of house that can’t afford food for its family doesn’t have money to pay for medical bills. Many organizations are trying to help out, which is extremely generous of them. If some wealthy Africans had tried to help out in their homeland, things would have been different. Everybody should be helping out. Because as it goes in one AIDS songs, “today is me, tomorrow is someone else” (Unknown).
"AMREF | What We Do." AMREF | African Medical and Research Foundation | Changing Lives by Improving Quality of Life. 2011. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.
Barcott, Rye. It Happened on the Way to War. ; A Marine's Path to Peace. Bloomsbury, 2011. Print.
Centre, Uniben Energy. "AllAfrica.com: Kenya: Dirty, Crime-Ridden Slum Is Where Mutunga Calls 'Home'" AllAfrica.com: Home. 1 July 2011. Web. 12 Sept. 2011..
"Facts and Information about Kibera - Kibera." Kibera UK - Working to End Poverty. 2007. Web. 12 Sept. 2011..
Kibera-Webster’s Timeline History 1920-2009. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. www.websters-online-dictionary.org
"UNICEF - Global Movement for Children." UNICEF - UNICEF Home. Jan. 2001. Web. 12 Sept. 2011..
"UNICEF - Kenya - Statistics." UNICEF - UNICEF Home. 1 Mar. 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2011..
Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya, is located in the lower East side of Africa. Kibera is one of the saddest places in the world. Kibera has few or no schools. It suffers from a lot of poverty and lack of education. It’s in an area which is home to “approx. 2.5 million slum dwellers in about 200 settlements in Nairobi representing 60% of the Nairobi population, [but] occupying just 6% of the land. Kibera houses almost 1 Million of these people. Kibera is the biggest slum in Africa and one of the biggest in the world” (“Facts”).
Conditions in Kibera are extremely poor, and most of its residents lack access to basic services, including electricity and running water. “It is crowded shoulder to shoulder and enjoys little formal infrastructure. Most of its houses are built from recycled materials and it has neither a central sewer system nor piped fresh water” (Uniben).
One of the most significant problems that Kiberians face is HIV/AIDS. “One fifth of the estimated 2.2 million Kenyans living with HIV live in Kibera where there are at least 50,000 children orphaned by AIDS” (Facts). HIV/AIDS has a daily impact on their lives. How many individuals are infected with HIV/AIDS? Many, but to know the impact of HIV/AIDS on Kiberians is difficult, because it depends on the angle you look at it.
The real impact of HIV/AIDS in Kibera is a question that many individuals should consider asking themselves every single day. The world should be educated about this daily problem that most Africans face to prepare themselves. It is extremely significant to view the problems we Africans face and to discuss them in order to find better results or solutions to them. Helping out in Africa, which many non-African citizens do, is a gift that can never be paid back.
In 2006, the United Nations AIDS program and the World Health Organization says, “more than forty million people [in the world] live with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, or with AIDS itself” (Timeline). 40 million? How scary is that? That’s four times the population of NYC expected to die in every 10 or less years. In 2009, it was estimated that 1500 people are living with HIV in Kenya ("UNICEF - Kenya - Statistics.").
“In Kibera there are no government clinics or hospitals. The providers are the charitable organizations: AMREF, MSF, churches plus some others” (“Facts”). This shows the lack of government involvement in Kibera. It shows that Kenyan government does not care about Kiberians living conditions. While Kenya has many other clinics and hospitals around the country, they ignore the place where much of the hospitals are needed. AMREF, African Medical and Research Foundation, is a non-profit organization that helps provide “good quality and affordable health care closer to those who need it most - improving access to health treatment and preventing poor health through community education” ("AMREF”). AMREF is among the most significant organizations that are helping to improve better heath in Kibera.
Since government doesn’t involve itself in Kibera, other non-government organizations are helping out, such as UNICEF. UNICEF is helping children become well educated and sufficient to become leaders in their communities. Some of the youth listen, and then take the initial step in helping themselves and other peers. Some youth don’t listen: they ignore the fact that HIV/AIDS occurs and that they should be careful. “Educating boys and young men about HIV and AIDS presents one of the biggest challenges in modern day Africa, home to 70 percent of the people in the world living with HIV” (“Facts). They are just in their teens and they are extremely very hard headed. Some do listen and most of them just ignore the fact that it exists. Trying to teach them is one of the hardest tasks most people have ever taken on in their life. During an interview, one young man said, ‘“The biggest problem is ignorance,’…‘If we can just gather them together like this to teach them about HIV and AIDS, then there is a chance they can be saved. Some listen to us. Others don’t — one day they might regret it,”’ (“UNICEF”). The challenge is that most of these individuals do not want to be helped. This is true for many people; you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped
Poor, uneducated, ignorant and helpless. That’s what they are; actually that’s what we are. In most cases, Africans only can solve some of the problems we have. In many communities in Africa, there are a lot of dedicated workers who are willing to do a lot for their community and country, but they just need the funds and someone to lead. For example in the book, “it happened on the way to war” when they had a war on trash, “hundreds of residents…gathered for [the] final cleanup” (P. 168), for a cleanup that “meant going knee deep into the slums of sewage, waste, and dead animal and hauling out tons of garbage in pushcarts that [was] so heavy [that] they required a half dozen men to solve them out of the slum” (162). None of them were paid. In comparison to American kids, a lot of them wouldn’t help out in a community cleanup without a reward. Also, we see “Tabitha had taken $26 and build a clinic” (P. 165), free for all Kiberians residents. What Africans need is the funds. They are able to help themselves if they are helped with what they can’t afford.
Many Africans in the U.S. avoid talking about their background, hiding their problems, so they are not in the highlight. If many Africans had worked together, we would be facing fewer problems. But instead, millions of Africans are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, living in poor conditions, suffering lack of education, and lack of help, while many governments are corrupt, doing nothing for the county and stealing all the money. Many politicians stay in power until they are either kicked out by a coup or western involvement.
In conclusion, the Africans AIDS problem is a daily thing that is affecting many individuals and family. A head of house that can’t afford food for its family doesn’t have money to pay for medical bills. Many organizations are trying to help out, which is extremely generous of them. If some wealthy Africans had tried to help out in their homeland, things would have been different. Everybody should be helping out. Because as it goes in one AIDS songs, “today is me, tomorrow is someone else” (Unknown).
"AMREF | What We Do." AMREF | African Medical and Research Foundation | Changing Lives by Improving Quality of Life. 2011. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.
Barcott, Rye. It Happened on the Way to War. ; A Marine's Path to Peace. Bloomsbury, 2011. Print.
Centre, Uniben Energy. "AllAfrica.com: Kenya: Dirty, Crime-Ridden Slum Is Where Mutunga Calls 'Home'" AllAfrica.com: Home. 1 July 2011. Web. 12 Sept. 2011.
"Facts and Information about Kibera - Kibera." Kibera UK - Working to End Poverty. 2007. Web. 12 Sept. 2011.
Kibera-Webster’s Timeline History 1920-2009. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. www.websters-online-dictionary.org
"UNICEF - Global Movement for Children." UNICEF - UNICEF Home. Jan. 2001. Web. 12 Sept. 2011.
"UNICEF - Kenya - Statistics." UNICEF - UNICEF Home. 1 Mar. 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.
Jake Hummel: HIV/AIDS: The Impact on Children
HIV/AIDS: The Impact on Children by Jake Hummel
Throughout the world all types of children are affected by deadly
diseases. One of the most known and widespread diseases is HIV/AIDS. Each
year thousands of children either contract or die from this horrible
disease. One continent that has seemed to have the biggest problems with
HIV/AIDS is that of Africa. Over the past several decades there has been
a huge epidemic of HIV/AIDS where the disease has spread across the
continent like wildfire. The reason that it has spread so much is because
it can be transmitted both sexually and also through blood in syringes or
transfusion. Once you contract the disease there is no cure for it, there
are only medications that can slow down the disease. However these
medications are extremely expensive and also need to be taken on a very
specific schedule. Since they are so expensive it makes it almost
impossible for the people of Africa to receive the help they need due to
the fact that they wouldn’t be able to afford the medications.
The biggest question that stuck out the most was what is the effect of
all the kids in Africa that are around HIV/AIDS? Not only do i wonder
about the effects on the children surrounded or even infected with it,
but is there help for these kids, such as organizations? This is a very
important question because there are hundreds of thousands of children
all across Africa that are affected by this terrible disease. They can
be affected by contracting the disease from a family member often and
infected parent has HIV/AIDS. Also this has been one of the major
problems over the past several decades so getting more information about
this topic is essential.
After going through many articles on the internet i have found several
affects or impacts that the children of Africa have from HIV/AIDS. Many
of these affects and impacts are not good however there are several
examples of very helpful impacts. “In sub-Saharan Africa, approximately
50 million children have lost one or both parents, almost 15 million of
them due to HIV/ Aids” (Rosemary). These are extremely high numbers of
children that have lost their family members. I was stunned when I first
read this information because all that could come to mind is, now what
are the children doing? “Since these are such high numbers theUnited
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has called on governments in the Sub
Saharan region to strengthen support systems, which provide the basis for
a more protective environment in families and communities to keep
children safe and strengthen families” (Rosemary). This is an extremely
good impact because without the help of the United Nations these numbers
would only increase and more and more children would be living in the
streets each day. With the increase in children living in the streets
this can cause them to join gangs, become other types of criminals or in
the worst case die. “High levels of poverty, HIV/Aids and lack of
knowledge on children's rights are increasing the number of street
children in Ntungamo District” (Perez). This is a major impact because
over the past several years the numbers of kids that are living on the
streets has been increasing due to this disease. It is extremely bad
because since they are living on the street they have no way of getting
food or other things that you need in order to survive.
Some other effects of HIV/AIDS on children are with their school work.
“Child upbringing is not the sole responsibility of the parents or
caregivers alone adding that HIV and AIDs has left many children without
parents or caregivers and there is a need to bridge the gap” (Vimbai).
This basically means that there are many kids that don’t get the correct
schooling due to the fact that their parents are either sick or have died
from this disease. There have also been some positive impacts that have
come out of this such as camps that have helped out many of the children
affected by HIV/AIDS. “In Africa, there is a growing trend among U.S.
based aid groups to organize HIV/AIDS awareness camps, these camps also
try to empower children affected by the disease, in addition to
activities like sports, dancing and arts and crafts, there are also
classes for hygiene and nutrition” (“US AID GROUPS”). This is a very
positive thing for the children because they do not only get a lot of
help from these people and learn good things but they are reminded that
there are people out there that really do care about them and want to
help them out in every way possible.
There are many things that the children of Africa have to go through on a
day to day basis. One of those things that they are surrounded by all the
time is HIV/AIDS. It is terrible that they have to be continuously
reminded of the terrible things that the disease does to people. They
also have to deal with the death of family members because there are so
many people that are affected in Africa. Throughout the book It happened
on the way to war by Rye Barcott he is exposed to all of the suffering
that goes on with a good majority of kids in Africa that are surrounded
by the disease. Since he sees all of the things that happen it made him
want to help out in anyway possible. Many other people have this same
feeling which lead them to start organizations to benefit these kids.
Without the help of these people many of the children in Africa would be
completely helpless.
References
Mirondo, Rosemary "Nation Moving Towards Children Protection System."
Africa News Service 4 July 2011. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 12 Sep. 2011.
Rumanzi, Perez "Poverty Forces More Children to Street Life." Africa News
Service 4 July 2011. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 12 Sep. 2011.
“US AID GROUPS ORGANIZE HIV/AIDS CAMPS IN AFRICA.” States News Service
30 July 2011. Infrotrac Newsstand. Web. 7 Sep. 2011.
Vimbai, Karumazondo “Learners Debate HIV And Aids.” Africa News Service 11
Aug. 2011 Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 7 Sep. 2011.
Throughout the world all types of children are affected by deadly
diseases. One of the most known and widespread diseases is HIV/AIDS. Each
year thousands of children either contract or die from this horrible
disease. One continent that has seemed to have the biggest problems with
HIV/AIDS is that of Africa. Over the past several decades there has been
a huge epidemic of HIV/AIDS where the disease has spread across the
continent like wildfire. The reason that it has spread so much is because
it can be transmitted both sexually and also through blood in syringes or
transfusion. Once you contract the disease there is no cure for it, there
are only medications that can slow down the disease. However these
medications are extremely expensive and also need to be taken on a very
specific schedule. Since they are so expensive it makes it almost
impossible for the people of Africa to receive the help they need due to
the fact that they wouldn’t be able to afford the medications.
The biggest question that stuck out the most was what is the effect of
all the kids in Africa that are around HIV/AIDS? Not only do i wonder
about the effects on the children surrounded or even infected with it,
but is there help for these kids, such as organizations? This is a very
important question because there are hundreds of thousands of children
all across Africa that are affected by this terrible disease. They can
be affected by contracting the disease from a family member often and
infected parent has HIV/AIDS. Also this has been one of the major
problems over the past several decades so getting more information about
this topic is essential.
After going through many articles on the internet i have found several
affects or impacts that the children of Africa have from HIV/AIDS. Many
of these affects and impacts are not good however there are several
examples of very helpful impacts. “In sub-Saharan Africa, approximately
50 million children have lost one or both parents, almost 15 million of
them due to HIV/ Aids” (Rosemary). These are extremely high numbers of
children that have lost their family members. I was stunned when I first
read this information because all that could come to mind is, now what
are the children doing? “Since these are such high numbers theUnited
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has called on governments in the Sub
Saharan region to strengthen support systems, which provide the basis for
a more protective environment in families and communities to keep
children safe and strengthen families” (Rosemary). This is an extremely
good impact because without the help of the United Nations these numbers
would only increase and more and more children would be living in the
streets each day. With the increase in children living in the streets
this can cause them to join gangs, become other types of criminals or in
the worst case die. “High levels of poverty, HIV/Aids and lack of
knowledge on children's rights are increasing the number of street
children in Ntungamo District” (Perez). This is a major impact because
over the past several years the numbers of kids that are living on the
streets has been increasing due to this disease. It is extremely bad
because since they are living on the street they have no way of getting
food or other things that you need in order to survive.
Some other effects of HIV/AIDS on children are with their school work.
“Child upbringing is not the sole responsibility of the parents or
caregivers alone adding that HIV and AIDs has left many children without
parents or caregivers and there is a need to bridge the gap” (Vimbai).
This basically means that there are many kids that don’t get the correct
schooling due to the fact that their parents are either sick or have died
from this disease. There have also been some positive impacts that have
come out of this such as camps that have helped out many of the children
affected by HIV/AIDS. “In Africa, there is a growing trend among U.S.
based aid groups to organize HIV/AIDS awareness camps, these camps also
try to empower children affected by the disease, in addition to
activities like sports, dancing and arts and crafts, there are also
classes for hygiene and nutrition” (“US AID GROUPS”). This is a very
positive thing for the children because they do not only get a lot of
help from these people and learn good things but they are reminded that
there are people out there that really do care about them and want to
help them out in every way possible.
There are many things that the children of Africa have to go through on a
day to day basis. One of those things that they are surrounded by all the
time is HIV/AIDS. It is terrible that they have to be continuously
reminded of the terrible things that the disease does to people. They
also have to deal with the death of family members because there are so
many people that are affected in Africa. Throughout the book It happened
on the way to war by Rye Barcott he is exposed to all of the suffering
that goes on with a good majority of kids in Africa that are surrounded
by the disease. Since he sees all of the things that happen it made him
want to help out in anyway possible. Many other people have this same
feeling which lead them to start organizations to benefit these kids.
Without the help of these people many of the children in Africa would be
completely helpless.
References
Mirondo, Rosemary "Nation Moving Towards Children Protection System."
Africa News Service 4 July 2011. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 12 Sep. 2011.
Rumanzi, Perez "Poverty Forces More Children to Street Life." Africa News
Service 4 July 2011. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 12 Sep. 2011.
“US AID GROUPS ORGANIZE HIV/AIDS CAMPS IN AFRICA.” States News Service
30 July 2011. Infrotrac Newsstand. Web. 7 Sep. 2011.
Vimbai, Karumazondo “Learners Debate HIV And Aids.” Africa News Service 11
Aug. 2011 Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 7 Sep. 2011.
Anna Bachand: Soccer in Kibera
Soccer in Kibera by Anna K. Bachand
When we think of Africa, we do not usually picture slums and children playing soccer in the streets. What if I was to tell you that when the children play soccer, they are actually getting the opportunity to learn valuable life skills, help out their communities, and get an education? Would you believe me? How is one sport, soccer, helping to shape the youth of Kibera, to try and change the future for the better?
In Kibera, a slum in Kenya, once a month there is a slum wide clean up thanks to the local soccer league started by CFK. One of the co-founders of CFK, Rye Barcott, later writes a book entitled It happened on the way to war, and in the memoir he talks about the children of Kibera playing soccer. It meant so much to him that he helped Salim start a new soccer league where anyone can join. This particular soccer (futbol) league has some rules that the youth must play by if they want to compete in the monthly soccer tournament. “The soccer players, who range in age from 10 to 17, must perform the trash pickup before playing in the month’s tournament” (Pick up Games 1). By making the children in Kibera complete “Pick-Up Games”, cleaning up garbage before tournaments, then they are taught to work for something they love.
Another way that soccer is helping to shape the youth of Kibera is by giving them a goal to look forward to in the future. When the children look to see the pro soccer players that come out of Kibera, they are given something to strive for. “When you’re playing futbol, there’s this confidence that comes from deep inside you” (Kutchma). Playing soccer gives these children something to be proud about and to help them make better choices to lead them towards a better life. Soccer is a group sport, meaning that they get to interact with many different types of people. Also, most of the leagues are led by role models that will lead these children onto the path of greatness. Looking up to the role models makes the kids want to play better and do better. Soccer gives them an internal power that makes them want to get better at soccer and play harder and study harder.
Soccer is also important for learning valuable life lessons such as: teamwork, hard work and perseverance. When playing soccer, teamwork is important. You have to be able to trust your teammates and, then again, earn their trust in return. Trust is not easy to come by when living in a slum, but when you spend every day with the same group of people and play eat live with them, trust becomes something easier to come by (“Chasing the Mad Lion”). Hard work is also important because when you work for something, victory is that much sweeter. Victory can make the kids try harder to achieve their goals. Perseverance is also a good trait for the children of Kibera to learn early on, because when they learn to stop at nothing short of reaching their goals, then their future looks bright.
Soccer is working well for the youth of Kibera. Who would have thought that this one sport could change the course of a child’s life? By giving children a safe environment where they can be well cared for, learn to achieve their goals and learn valuable life lessons, soccer has given new hope to Kibera (CFK). Soccer is just one sport…think about if we incorporated other sports into Kibera, we could get more children off the street and into the hands of trustworthy people.
Bibliography
Works Cited
Barcott, Rye, and Salim Mohamed, comps. "Pick-Up Games." The Face of Philanthropy. 08 Aug. 2002. Web. 07 Sept. 2011.
Barcott, Rye. It Happened on the Way to War: a Marine's Path to Peace. New York: Bloomsbury USA, 2011. Print.
Barcott, Rye, Tabitha Festo, and Salim Mohamed. CFK | Talent Is Universal, Opportunity Is Not. 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.
Kassim/ KGSA Founder & Executive Director, Abdul, and Ryan Sarafolean/KGSA U.S. Development Director. Kibera Girls Soccer Academy, Nairobi, Kenya. 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2011..
Kutchma, Beth-Ann. "Chasing the Mad Lion." Chasing the Mad Lion | Talent Is Universal; Opportunity Is Not. 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.
When we think of Africa, we do not usually picture slums and children playing soccer in the streets. What if I was to tell you that when the children play soccer, they are actually getting the opportunity to learn valuable life skills, help out their communities, and get an education? Would you believe me? How is one sport, soccer, helping to shape the youth of Kibera, to try and change the future for the better?
In Kibera, a slum in Kenya, once a month there is a slum wide clean up thanks to the local soccer league started by CFK. One of the co-founders of CFK, Rye Barcott, later writes a book entitled It happened on the way to war, and in the memoir he talks about the children of Kibera playing soccer. It meant so much to him that he helped Salim start a new soccer league where anyone can join. This particular soccer (futbol) league has some rules that the youth must play by if they want to compete in the monthly soccer tournament. “The soccer players, who range in age from 10 to 17, must perform the trash pickup before playing in the month’s tournament” (Pick up Games 1). By making the children in Kibera complete “Pick-Up Games”, cleaning up garbage before tournaments, then they are taught to work for something they love.
Another way that soccer is helping to shape the youth of Kibera is by giving them a goal to look forward to in the future. When the children look to see the pro soccer players that come out of Kibera, they are given something to strive for. “When you’re playing futbol, there’s this confidence that comes from deep inside you” (Kutchma). Playing soccer gives these children something to be proud about and to help them make better choices to lead them towards a better life. Soccer is a group sport, meaning that they get to interact with many different types of people. Also, most of the leagues are led by role models that will lead these children onto the path of greatness. Looking up to the role models makes the kids want to play better and do better. Soccer gives them an internal power that makes them want to get better at soccer and play harder and study harder.
Soccer is also important for learning valuable life lessons such as: teamwork, hard work and perseverance. When playing soccer, teamwork is important. You have to be able to trust your teammates and, then again, earn their trust in return. Trust is not easy to come by when living in a slum, but when you spend every day with the same group of people and play eat live with them, trust becomes something easier to come by (“Chasing the Mad Lion”). Hard work is also important because when you work for something, victory is that much sweeter. Victory can make the kids try harder to achieve their goals. Perseverance is also a good trait for the children of Kibera to learn early on, because when they learn to stop at nothing short of reaching their goals, then their future looks bright.
Soccer is working well for the youth of Kibera. Who would have thought that this one sport could change the course of a child’s life? By giving children a safe environment where they can be well cared for, learn to achieve their goals and learn valuable life lessons, soccer has given new hope to Kibera (CFK). Soccer is just one sport…think about if we incorporated other sports into Kibera, we could get more children off the street and into the hands of trustworthy people.
Bibliography
Works Cited
Barcott, Rye, and Salim Mohamed, comps. "Pick-Up Games." The Face of Philanthropy. 08 Aug. 2002. Web. 07 Sept. 2011.
Barcott, Rye. It Happened on the Way to War: a Marine's Path to Peace. New York: Bloomsbury USA, 2011. Print.
Barcott, Rye, Tabitha Festo, and Salim Mohamed. CFK | Talent Is Universal, Opportunity Is Not. 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.
Kassim/ KGSA Founder & Executive Director, Abdul, and Ryan Sarafolean/KGSA U.S. Development Director. Kibera Girls Soccer Academy, Nairobi, Kenya. 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.
Kutchma, Beth-Ann. "Chasing the Mad Lion." Chasing the Mad Lion | Talent Is Universal; Opportunity Is Not. 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.
Zachary Keegan: Employment Success in Kibera
Employment Success in Kibera by Zach Keegan
Making a living is a huge challenge for the people who live in slums. Kibera, located outside of Nairobi, has been Kenya’s largest and one of the world’s largest slums for some time and there is a reason for it: the economy. The current unemployment rate is 40% ("World Factbook: Kenya"), which means only a slim majority are employed. A lot of people in Kibera who are underemployed (employed with not much work or pay) are still living in poverty. There is help being given financially and in many other ways by organizations from around the world. Unfortunately, there might not enough help to salvage Kibera (Mitchell).
One thing that could for sure help Kibera, or even Kenya, is a well-rounded economy. In 1979, the census in Kenya showed that it had one of the largest population growths in the world (3.8%) (McCormick, Alila, and Omosa 362). Good news, right? Wrong, the spike in the population growth caused negative effects towards access to basic services, physical facilities, and employment opportunities (McCormick, Alila, and Omosa 362). Unemployment had continued to steadily grow since the population increased yet another 3.1 percent ("Adolescent Reproductive Health Development Policy" 3.1). In time the population did decrease, but it had no effect on the unemployment rate due to the still excessive amount of labor force and high fertility rates increase from 4.7 to 5 percent in five years (Nyong'o). This eventually led to steady increase in crime, drinking, and violence because the people became desperate for work that was non-existent ("Adolescent Reproductive Health Development Policy" 3.1).
In Kibera, there is a population density roughly 30 times more than Manhattan with half of the citizens unemployed and committing crimes (Cronin and Guthrie 130, 131). Living in an area that contains more germs than a dumpster can have serious tolls on a person both mentally and physically. At this point, for the people of the slums, it’s about options and opportunities. To be honest, it is not impossible to find a job in Kibera or any other slum, although most have to put their dignity aside in order to do so. Shining shoes, cleaning choo’s (pit latrines), prostitution, distributing changaa (moon shine), etc… these people will work for the pay regardless of the position. Yet, there is still a sense of pride (U.K.)
As previously stated, it is not impossible to find a job in the slums, but the chances of finding a decent job or improving a career are slim. Sometimes people are lucky enough to have connections outside of the slum that can manage a job for them like housekeeping or other kinds of labor. The other half of the time a job is to be earned. Determination and trust need to be shown before an employer will accept a person from the slums as an employee. One example of someone who bettered their career conditions is Daniel Ogola, the first person Barcott stays with after Olouch. Ogola has worked more jobs in his lifetime than most can imagine. An aerosol can even explode in his face and he kept working. ("Always Something New: Notes from Africa") Ultimately he got an accounting job and apartment in Nairobi (Barcott).
People of the slums may be more than willing to find work in other areas. The only problem is whether or not other areas will accept them. This is taken very seriously in Kenya because of the many different tribes and the two social classes (poor and wealthy). Barcott mentions in his book that he sat next to a hotel owner from Nairobi during one of his flights and the man had told him that the problem with employing people from slums is not whether or not they acquire the skills, it is about trust. There is a label on those from slums that they are all untrustworthy and/or criminals.
Kibera cannot be salvaged, but it can be helped. Civilians are the only ones who can improve Kibera, but organizations like Carolina for Kibera and Kibera U.K. are around to help by becoming involved in the community and offering donations to local leaders. If improvements continue to be made by local leaders and civilians, then one day Kibera and Kenya will hopefully be restored. Until then the economy is in shambles and poverty is increasing, making life harder for the slums.
Sources
Barcott, Rye. It Happened on the Way to War. 1st. New York: Bloomsbury USA, 2011. Print.
Cronin, Victoria, and Peter Guthrie. "Alternative approaches to slum upgrading in Kibera, Nairobi." Proceedings of the ICE - Urban Design and Planning 164.2 130, 131. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
McCormick, Dorothy, Patrick Alila, and Mary Omosa. Business in Kenya: Institutions and INteractions. Nairobi: University of Nairobi Press, 2007. 362. Print.
Nyong'o, Peter. "Statement by Hon. Prof. Peter Anyang' Nyong'o ." Minister for Planning and National Development To the United Nations Thirty-Eighth session of the Commission on Population and Development. Republic of Kenya. New York, 4-8 April, 2005. In Person.
Republic of Kenya. Adolescent Reproductive Health Development Policy. Web.
U.K., Kibera. "Facts & Information about Kibera." Kibera U.K.. N.p., 2007. Web. 2 Oct 2011.
World Factbook: Kenya. C.I.A. Web.
Making a living is a huge challenge for the people who live in slums. Kibera, located outside of Nairobi, has been Kenya’s largest and one of the world’s largest slums for some time and there is a reason for it: the economy. The current unemployment rate is 40% ("World Factbook: Kenya"), which means only a slim majority are employed. A lot of people in Kibera who are underemployed (employed with not much work or pay) are still living in poverty. There is help being given financially and in many other ways by organizations from around the world. Unfortunately, there might not enough help to salvage Kibera (Mitchell).
One thing that could for sure help Kibera, or even Kenya, is a well-rounded economy. In 1979, the census in Kenya showed that it had one of the largest population growths in the world (3.8%) (McCormick, Alila, and Omosa 362). Good news, right? Wrong, the spike in the population growth caused negative effects towards access to basic services, physical facilities, and employment opportunities (McCormick, Alila, and Omosa 362). Unemployment had continued to steadily grow since the population increased yet another 3.1 percent ("Adolescent Reproductive Health Development Policy" 3.1). In time the population did decrease, but it had no effect on the unemployment rate due to the still excessive amount of labor force and high fertility rates increase from 4.7 to 5 percent in five years (Nyong'o). This eventually led to steady increase in crime, drinking, and violence because the people became desperate for work that was non-existent ("Adolescent Reproductive Health Development Policy" 3.1).
In Kibera, there is a population density roughly 30 times more than Manhattan with half of the citizens unemployed and committing crimes (Cronin and Guthrie 130, 131). Living in an area that contains more germs than a dumpster can have serious tolls on a person both mentally and physically. At this point, for the people of the slums, it’s about options and opportunities. To be honest, it is not impossible to find a job in Kibera or any other slum, although most have to put their dignity aside in order to do so. Shining shoes, cleaning choo’s (pit latrines), prostitution, distributing changaa (moon shine), etc… these people will work for the pay regardless of the position. Yet, there is still a sense of pride (U.K.)
As previously stated, it is not impossible to find a job in the slums, but the chances of finding a decent job or improving a career are slim. Sometimes people are lucky enough to have connections outside of the slum that can manage a job for them like housekeeping or other kinds of labor. The other half of the time a job is to be earned. Determination and trust need to be shown before an employer will accept a person from the slums as an employee. One example of someone who bettered their career conditions is Daniel Ogola, the first person Barcott stays with after Olouch. Ogola has worked more jobs in his lifetime than most can imagine. An aerosol can even explode in his face and he kept working. ("Always Something New: Notes from Africa") Ultimately he got an accounting job and apartment in Nairobi (Barcott).
People of the slums may be more than willing to find work in other areas. The only problem is whether or not other areas will accept them. This is taken very seriously in Kenya because of the many different tribes and the two social classes (poor and wealthy). Barcott mentions in his book that he sat next to a hotel owner from Nairobi during one of his flights and the man had told him that the problem with employing people from slums is not whether or not they acquire the skills, it is about trust. There is a label on those from slums that they are all untrustworthy and/or criminals.
Kibera cannot be salvaged, but it can be helped. Civilians are the only ones who can improve Kibera, but organizations like Carolina for Kibera and Kibera U.K. are around to help by becoming involved in the community and offering donations to local leaders. If improvements continue to be made by local leaders and civilians, then one day Kibera and Kenya will hopefully be restored. Until then the economy is in shambles and poverty is increasing, making life harder for the slums.
Sources
Barcott, Rye. It Happened on the Way to War. 1st. New York: Bloomsbury USA, 2011. Print.
Cronin, Victoria, and Peter Guthrie. "Alternative approaches to slum upgrading in Kibera, Nairobi." Proceedings of the ICE - Urban Design and Planning 164.2 130, 131. Web. 12 Sep 2011.
McCormick, Dorothy, Patrick Alila, and Mary Omosa. Business in Kenya: Institutions and INteractions. Nairobi: University of Nairobi Press, 2007. 362. Print.
Nyong'o, Peter. "Statement by Hon. Prof. Peter Anyang' Nyong'o ." Minister for Planning and National Development To the United Nations Thirty-Eighth session of the Commission on Population and Development. Republic of Kenya. New York, 4-8 April, 2005. In Person.
Republic of Kenya. Adolescent Reproductive Health Development Policy. Web.
U.K., Kibera. "Facts & Information about Kibera." Kibera U.K.. N.p., 2007. Web. 2 Oct 2011.
World Factbook: Kenya. C.I.A. Web.
Dylan Ellis: Slums: The ever-growing problem
Slums: The Ever Growing Problem
By Dylan Ellis
What are slums and how do they form? The definition of a slum differs from country to country and each faces its own challenges. People Of Kibera’s website states some of the challenges they face day to day: living in one room houses made mostly of mud and whatever scraps residents can find. Most rooftops consist of corroded tin sheet metal. There is no running water, and most water has to be purchased from brokers, otherwise it is dangerous to ingest. Residents have little or no access to electricity anywhere in the slum. Other problems include widespread unemployment and low wage-earning rates, less than $1 a day on average, and that’s on days that you can find work. Rampant disease, from malaria to cholera to HIV, as well as a lack of funds to treat them. Lack of ownership for their own property, as will be discussed later, making everyone in Kibera an illegal resident. (Slum) These conditions also contribute to the never-ending cycle of poverty that most citizens endure (Kibera).
Slums fall into two categories, as defined by UN-HABITAT; Slums of hope are “Progressing” settlements characterized by new, usually self-built structures and usually illegal inhabitants (i.e., squatters) and that are in, or have recently been through, a process of development, consolidation, and improvement. Slums of despair are “Declining” neighborhoods, in which environmental conditions and domestic services are undergoing a process of degeneration (Worldbank, 27). Kibera falls under the slum of hope category because most residents move there to find employment opportunities. For them, Kibera is just a stop on the way to something bigger. It has affordable rent for people without a steady stream of income so people can live there for very little while trying to earn enough money to move on to a higher economic class. Affordable rent, even for those with almost nothing, is a main reason why slums are ever growing. Kibera is also having its living conditions improved, as shown by a collaboration between the Kenyan government and UN-HABITAT in the slum upgrading project, where thousands of residents are being upgraded into affordable modern housing units in an attempt to improve general living conditions for the people of Kibera(Hope). This is more evidence that Kibera is indeed a slum of hope.
How did Kibera come about? Kibera started as a piece of land given to the Nubian mercenaries from Sudan who fought for the British crown in World War I, and were allowed to take up residence just outside of Nairobi after the war. For some reason they were never given their title to the land and that is why to this day everyone in Kibera is considered to be squatting illegally (Slum). A large majority of the houses in any particular slum are build by the resident or the tenant renting it out. There are virtually no building codes to adhere to because everyone is on the land illegally, acting as “squatters”. This adds to the daily danger of life in the slums. At any time there could be a break in, your house could fall down or you could just catch a disease from lack of shelter and a lowered immune system. There is also no protection from local authorities. The police are afraid to venture into the slums for fear of the mob. In Kibera, the mob deals with crime and thieves in its own way, by beating the criminal to death and burning them. Thus the corrupt police are scared to cross the tracks into Kibera (Barcott, 49).
Most slum-dwellers fall into 4 groups: rural migrants, displaced persons, refugees, and foreign workers (Greenfield). It is very common for people from rural communities to migrate to the slums in search of employment, water, cheap rent, access to education or health care, and general infrastructure that they wouldn’t have access to in the country (Greenfield). The other three groups tend to migrate for many of the same reasons, but they also have the push of nowhere else to go guiding them to the slums. Displaced persons and refugees are people that have been forcefully evicted from their homes and must migrate to a new, preferably cheap home and Kibera seems ideal for most. Most of the foreign workers that are in Kibera, migrants that can’t find work elsewhere, are unskilled laborers that can’t find employment elsewhere so they seek it in the massive slum. This is interesting because it throws a different perspective on how slums are viewed by Western society. We see slums as a place of despair yet all these people flock to them on a daily basis as a beacon of hope and of ambition for the future.
In a subtle shift of policy in 1974, Nairobi removed certain building restrictions, allowing essentially anyone to come to Kibera to build structures to rent to tenants. When combined with the ongoing trend of urbanization, this action propelled Kibera's population growth rate significantly, constantly attracting immigrants from all over. Another factor in slum growth, especially in Kibera, is the population growth rate. Assuming a current population of around 700,000 to 900,000, Kibera has grown on average 11%-12% per year since the 1960s (Slum). This is an extremely high growth rate, especially in a place with such minimal resources and poor housing conditions. As people arrive from rural areas, they not only bring themselves to add to the crowded slums, but they also bring their children and future children, continually adding to the poverty cycle.
Yet people still choose to live in such a place. Why? The government clearly doesn’t share the same feelings about living in Kibera, and their own President told the local newspaper, The Daily Nation, that Kibera is “and eyesore and a shame” (Hope). I find it odd that a place that is full of people trying to make their lives better through living in a slum are slandered by their own leader in such a way. Maybe a way to start improving the slums is to change how it is perceived in the outside world and this might help people to understand the true situation of hope inside the desperate shantytown.
So how are the poverty cycle broken and the growth of slums halted? 60% of people living in Kibera are making less than a dollar a day, and the amount of unemployed youth is sitting at 80% according to People Of Kibera. There is not enough access to steady employment in the slums or slightly outside and so residents need to resort to working odd jobs to make ends meet. To break the cycle in Kibera, organizations need to help establish strong youth leaders so that they may grow into the next generation of leadership in Nairobi and start to move Kibera out of the hole it is currently in.
Barcott, Rye. It Happened on the Way to War. ; A Marine's Path to Peace. Bloomsbury, 2011. Print.
Greenfield, Thomas K. Issuu - You Publish. 29 Jan. 2010. Web. 24 Sept. 2011..
"Hope for Kibera?" Moja Moja - 2:14 Ministries. 5 Oct. 2004. Web. 23 Sept. 2011..
Kibera Foundation: Home. Web. 23 Sept. 2011.
"Slum: The People of Kibera | Kibera Overview | Intro." Slum: The People of Kibera | Home. Web. 23 Sept. 2011.
Worldbank. Monitoring What Matters.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ECAEXT/Resources/MonitoringWhatMatters_chapter4.pdf>
By Dylan Ellis
What are slums and how do they form? The definition of a slum differs from country to country and each faces its own challenges. People Of Kibera’s website states some of the challenges they face day to day: living in one room houses made mostly of mud and whatever scraps residents can find. Most rooftops consist of corroded tin sheet metal. There is no running water, and most water has to be purchased from brokers, otherwise it is dangerous to ingest. Residents have little or no access to electricity anywhere in the slum. Other problems include widespread unemployment and low wage-earning rates, less than $1 a day on average, and that’s on days that you can find work. Rampant disease, from malaria to cholera to HIV, as well as a lack of funds to treat them. Lack of ownership for their own property, as will be discussed later, making everyone in Kibera an illegal resident. (Slum) These conditions also contribute to the never-ending cycle of poverty that most citizens endure (Kibera).
Slums fall into two categories, as defined by UN-HABITAT; Slums of hope are “Progressing” settlements characterized by new, usually self-built structures and usually illegal inhabitants (i.e., squatters) and that are in, or have recently been through, a process of development, consolidation, and improvement. Slums of despair are “Declining” neighborhoods, in which environmental conditions and domestic services are undergoing a process of degeneration (Worldbank, 27). Kibera falls under the slum of hope category because most residents move there to find employment opportunities. For them, Kibera is just a stop on the way to something bigger. It has affordable rent for people without a steady stream of income so people can live there for very little while trying to earn enough money to move on to a higher economic class. Affordable rent, even for those with almost nothing, is a main reason why slums are ever growing. Kibera is also having its living conditions improved, as shown by a collaboration between the Kenyan government and UN-HABITAT in the slum upgrading project, where thousands of residents are being upgraded into affordable modern housing units in an attempt to improve general living conditions for the people of Kibera(Hope). This is more evidence that Kibera is indeed a slum of hope.
How did Kibera come about? Kibera started as a piece of land given to the Nubian mercenaries from Sudan who fought for the British crown in World War I, and were allowed to take up residence just outside of Nairobi after the war. For some reason they were never given their title to the land and that is why to this day everyone in Kibera is considered to be squatting illegally (Slum). A large majority of the houses in any particular slum are build by the resident or the tenant renting it out. There are virtually no building codes to adhere to because everyone is on the land illegally, acting as “squatters”. This adds to the daily danger of life in the slums. At any time there could be a break in, your house could fall down or you could just catch a disease from lack of shelter and a lowered immune system. There is also no protection from local authorities. The police are afraid to venture into the slums for fear of the mob. In Kibera, the mob deals with crime and thieves in its own way, by beating the criminal to death and burning them. Thus the corrupt police are scared to cross the tracks into Kibera (Barcott, 49).
Most slum-dwellers fall into 4 groups: rural migrants, displaced persons, refugees, and foreign workers (Greenfield). It is very common for people from rural communities to migrate to the slums in search of employment, water, cheap rent, access to education or health care, and general infrastructure that they wouldn’t have access to in the country (Greenfield). The other three groups tend to migrate for many of the same reasons, but they also have the push of nowhere else to go guiding them to the slums. Displaced persons and refugees are people that have been forcefully evicted from their homes and must migrate to a new, preferably cheap home and Kibera seems ideal for most. Most of the foreign workers that are in Kibera, migrants that can’t find work elsewhere, are unskilled laborers that can’t find employment elsewhere so they seek it in the massive slum. This is interesting because it throws a different perspective on how slums are viewed by Western society. We see slums as a place of despair yet all these people flock to them on a daily basis as a beacon of hope and of ambition for the future.
In a subtle shift of policy in 1974, Nairobi removed certain building restrictions, allowing essentially anyone to come to Kibera to build structures to rent to tenants. When combined with the ongoing trend of urbanization, this action propelled Kibera's population growth rate significantly, constantly attracting immigrants from all over. Another factor in slum growth, especially in Kibera, is the population growth rate. Assuming a current population of around 700,000 to 900,000, Kibera has grown on average 11%-12% per year since the 1960s (Slum). This is an extremely high growth rate, especially in a place with such minimal resources and poor housing conditions. As people arrive from rural areas, they not only bring themselves to add to the crowded slums, but they also bring their children and future children, continually adding to the poverty cycle.
Yet people still choose to live in such a place. Why? The government clearly doesn’t share the same feelings about living in Kibera, and their own President told the local newspaper, The Daily Nation, that Kibera is “and eyesore and a shame” (Hope). I find it odd that a place that is full of people trying to make their lives better through living in a slum are slandered by their own leader in such a way. Maybe a way to start improving the slums is to change how it is perceived in the outside world and this might help people to understand the true situation of hope inside the desperate shantytown.
So how are the poverty cycle broken and the growth of slums halted? 60% of people living in Kibera are making less than a dollar a day, and the amount of unemployed youth is sitting at 80% according to People Of Kibera. There is not enough access to steady employment in the slums or slightly outside and so residents need to resort to working odd jobs to make ends meet. To break the cycle in Kibera, organizations need to help establish strong youth leaders so that they may grow into the next generation of leadership in Nairobi and start to move Kibera out of the hole it is currently in.
Barcott, Rye. It Happened on the Way to War. ; A Marine's Path to Peace. Bloomsbury, 2011. Print.
Greenfield, Thomas K. Issuu - You Publish. 29 Jan. 2010. Web. 24 Sept. 2011.
"Hope for Kibera?" Moja Moja - 2:14 Ministries. 5 Oct. 2004. Web. 23 Sept. 2011.
Kibera Foundation: Home. Web. 23 Sept. 2011.
"Slum: The People of Kibera | Kibera Overview | Intro." Slum: The People of Kibera | Home. Web. 23 Sept. 2011.
Worldbank. Monitoring What Matters.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ECAEXT/Resources/MonitoringWhatMatters_chapter4.pdf>
Ioh Ransom: Just how Safe is Kenya?
Just how safe is Kenya? By Ioherase Ransom
In Barcott’s memoir, Barcott spends time in Kenya. That’s why it is
important to know the risks he faces for the time he spend in Kenya vs. the
Way it is to live in North Carolina. Looking at this also helps us to know
how much justice the people of Kenya can get. What is the difference between
getting arrested in North Carolina vs. getting arrested in Kenya? Can you
even be arrested in Kenya and can an innocent person find justice?
The crime rate in Kenya is not often documented at all. But the police
system seems to be corrupt. During a women’s rights protest in 2011 the
police were reported to have raped dozens of people, but the charge
against the Nairobi police was denied ^(“Focus on clashes”). This shows
that the police can get away with major crimes. They could even harm
Barcott and get away with it. In addition a 2011 crime and safety report
on Kenya suggests that you shall not drive around and night and even warns
us to be cautions doing day light hours because of carjacking^(Kenya 2011
OSAC Crime and safety report, 4/27/2011). The fact that carjacking even
appear on the safety report implies that it must happen often. From what
has been researched barcott is not in the safest place.
As opposed to the crime and safety reports on Raleigh, North Carolina.
For every 1000 people 5.7 people would be a victim of a violent crime
(Crime rates for Raleigh, NC. Barcott is from a low risk zone. From the research Kenya seem to be a high risk zone. Not to mention he is going to a high risk zone as an outsider and he would also stand out more because he would be one of the very few white people in Kenya. There is also the fact that the police in Kenya have done some horrible things and gotten away with it. Who is to say they wouldn’t do something to Barcott and get away with it. Of course any government would not report their own police system being corrupt. It was not found in Kenya or North Carolina but with the safety reports being so disrupted about watch out for being robbed and to lock your doors and windows^(Focus on clashes in Kibera slum, Nairobi, 12/13/2001) suggests that the police don’t or are failing to keep Kenya a safer environment. The point being Barcott could be robbed or assaulted and the police may not do anything about it.
Victims in Kenya mainly find justice through mob justice. Mob
justice is when your mob gets justice for you. If you were to murder
someone in Kenya the mob would most likely murder you as well(“Is mob
justice acceptable”). The question is answered then: an innocent person
in Kenya can find justice but the offenders do not. A wife that was caught
having an affair was forced to walk naked though crowds of people with the guy she had the affair with (Mob Justice Kenyan style !!!).The consequences are fairly big for small crimes and they are also humiliating. Also mob justice doesn’t have trials they just decide if a person is guilty or not. An innocent person could be harmed regardless if he did something or not.
Barcott is a brave person for going to Kenya because of all the risks
possible there. From going to a considerably safe place to a high risk
zone must have been heard. Just knowing that if anything were to happen
he may not find justice must be hard. Even the people he was helping
there they didn’t always find justice.
References
"IRIN Africa | KENYA: Focus on Clashes in Kibera Slum, Nairobi | Kenya |
Conflict | Governance." IRIN • Humanitarian News and Analysis from Africa,
Asia and the Middle East - Updated Daily. Web. 13 Sept. 2011.
"Kenya 2011 Ocac Crime and Safty Report." Www.osac.gov. 27
Apr. 2011. Web. 5 Sept. 2011.
"North Carolina Crime Rates and Statistics - NeighborhoodScout."
Neighborhood Search for Home Buyers and Real Estate Investment -
NeighborhoodScout. Web. 22 Sept. 2011.
Mob Justice Kenyan Style !!!" Niwemang. 5 Mar. 2009. Web. 22 Sept. 2011.
.
In Barcott’s memoir, Barcott spends time in Kenya. That’s why it is
important to know the risks he faces for the time he spend in Kenya vs. the
Way it is to live in North Carolina. Looking at this also helps us to know
how much justice the people of Kenya can get. What is the difference between
getting arrested in North Carolina vs. getting arrested in Kenya? Can you
even be arrested in Kenya and can an innocent person find justice?
The crime rate in Kenya is not often documented at all. But the police
system seems to be corrupt. During a women’s rights protest in 2011 the
police were reported to have raped dozens of people, but the charge
against the Nairobi police was denied ^(“Focus on clashes”). This shows
that the police can get away with major crimes. They could even harm
Barcott and get away with it. In addition a 2011 crime and safety report
on Kenya suggests that you shall not drive around and night and even warns
us to be cautions doing day light hours because of carjacking^(Kenya 2011
OSAC Crime and safety report, 4/27/2011). The fact that carjacking even
appear on the safety report implies that it must happen often. From what
has been researched barcott is not in the safest place.
As opposed to the crime and safety reports on Raleigh, North Carolina.
For every 1000 people 5.7 people would be a victim of a violent crime
(Crime rates for Raleigh, NC. Barcott is from a low risk zone. From the research Kenya seem to be a high risk zone. Not to mention he is going to a high risk zone as an outsider and he would also stand out more because he would be one of the very few white people in Kenya. There is also the fact that the police in Kenya have done some horrible things and gotten away with it. Who is to say they wouldn’t do something to Barcott and get away with it. Of course any government would not report their own police system being corrupt. It was not found in Kenya or North Carolina but with the safety reports being so disrupted about watch out for being robbed and to lock your doors and windows^(Focus on clashes in Kibera slum, Nairobi, 12/13/2001) suggests that the police don’t or are failing to keep Kenya a safer environment. The point being Barcott could be robbed or assaulted and the police may not do anything about it.
Victims in Kenya mainly find justice through mob justice. Mob
justice is when your mob gets justice for you. If you were to murder
someone in Kenya the mob would most likely murder you as well(“Is mob
justice acceptable”). The question is answered then: an innocent person
in Kenya can find justice but the offenders do not. A wife that was caught
having an affair was forced to walk naked though crowds of people with the guy she had the affair with (Mob Justice Kenyan style !!!).The consequences are fairly big for small crimes and they are also humiliating. Also mob justice doesn’t have trials they just decide if a person is guilty or not. An innocent person could be harmed regardless if he did something or not.
Barcott is a brave person for going to Kenya because of all the risks
possible there. From going to a considerably safe place to a high risk
zone must have been heard. Just knowing that if anything were to happen
he may not find justice must be hard. Even the people he was helping
there they didn’t always find justice.
References
"IRIN Africa | KENYA: Focus on Clashes in Kibera Slum, Nairobi | Kenya |
Conflict | Governance." IRIN • Humanitarian News and Analysis from Africa,
Asia and the Middle East - Updated Daily. Web. 13 Sept. 2011.
"Kenya 2011 Ocac Crime and Safty Report." Www.osac.gov. 27
Apr. 2011. Web. 5 Sept. 2011.
"North Carolina Crime Rates and Statistics - NeighborhoodScout."
Neighborhood Search for Home Buyers and Real Estate Investment -
NeighborhoodScout. Web. 22 Sept. 2011.
Mob Justice Kenyan Style !!!" Niwemang. 5 Mar. 2009. Web. 22 Sept. 2011.
Zachary Basso: Police
Effectiveness of Police in Nairobi, Kenya, by Zachary Basso
Violence and crime is a major dilemma in Africa’s country of Kenya, and
has been for decades. In specific cities, violence has spiraled out of
control. Kenya’s population in 2010 was 36,287,423 (Van Der Heyden,).
Currently law enforcement in some of these cities is insufficient, in
comparison to the number of people. Establishment of order is arduous for
the police, in cities so densely populated. The crime-ridden city of
Nairobi in Kenya is home to one of Africa’s most violent urban cultures,
and 3,240,155 citizens.( Van Der Heyden,). Can police in Nairobi be
trusted to protect its people, and prevent crime and violence effectively?
What obstacles do they face in trying to do this?
These loaded questions have tremendous importance, both to inhabitants of
Africa and human beings around the world, because of the horrifying things
that go on in Nairobi. Countless lives are taken every day, and crime
plagues Nairobi like a virus plagues the body. Police in any city are
essential for safety to its people and the people’s confidence in that
police force is of paramount importance. According to the Kenyan police
website, their “Mission” is “To reduce crime and promote development by
providing high quality police service through: Upholding and applying the
law fairly, and firmly, and creating/ maintaining community soldiers
through corporations with police and local leaders” (“Our Mission”).
Although this is their “Mission”, the citizens’ impression of police in
Nairobi is filled with wariness and doubt. The citizens’ distrust doesn’t
happen for no reason; if they could trust police, they would.
The prevalence of violence and crime are in Nairobi leave the citizenry
constantly on edge. A New York Times article on Nairobi said, “More than
one third of Nairobi’s residences were robbed with a threat of force over
the last year, and half of those who live in the sprawling city hear
gunfire, the study says” (Lacey). With danger of this caliber, there’s an
obvious need for police presence, which is grossly inadequate. Despite
their need for protection, most of Nairobi’s citizens do not trust the
police. During a survey of 8621 Nairobi citizens, “98% say the police are
corrupt” (Lacey). With all of the chaos and turmoil going on within the
city, and no trustworthy police to confide in, there is a vacuum in the
demand for protection.
Considering the high level of danger, and the heavy distrust in police, it
becomes the citizen’s job to find resolutions for themselves, which
includes militias, gangs, mobs, and vigilantes. Police support some
vigilante groups, and militias, but just like the police they are not
trustworthy and are sometimes are equally corrupt. Mobs and gangs at least
are more akin to the citizens’ feelings and give the illusion of being
more worthy of trust. This encourages this form of protection, rather
than that of police. Nairobi’s people trusting some of these groups who
participate in crime themselves, over its police force, underscores the
people’s distrust in traditional law enforcement.
The underlying theme in the protection dilemma is corruption. Corruption
flows from the top of the Kenyan government. “The activity of militias,
vigilantes, and gangs supported by leading politicians playing a game of
divide and rule as they vie for political supremacy makes this all the
more worrying” (Daniels). These gangs political ties allow them to lobby
for elected officials, and to have funding for their group. During my
research it was unclear as to how these groups are recruited, and when
recruited how are they compensated. One can assume they are approached and
bribed to vie for that politician’s position. These groups may provide
some safety for citizens, but there is obviously more than one group.
Because each group has a different cause, or a different political backing
there are clashes between them. “Inter-gang fighting and clashes have
occurred in Nairobi, fighting in 2006 between Mungiki and an ethnic Luo
gang called Taliban caused several deaths, displacing at least 9,000 in a
dispute over control of a lucrative illicit brew market in Mathare”
(Daniels). Kenyan security services hire some groups of vigilantes in the
city to assist police. Despite this, some of the mobs such as the Mungiki
are too powerful, and have too much political influence to eradicate.
“Professor Philip Alston published a report calling for the sacking of
Police Commissioner, Major General Hussein Ali, and the resignation of
Attorney General, Amos Wako. Detailing his findings on extrajudicial
killings in Kenya, Alston accused the Police Commissioner, the Attorney
General and the judiciary of perpetrating, aiding and abetting impunity”
(Daniels).
In the end, corruption of police and government in Nairobi prevents both
the local police force and its vigilante counterpart groups from having
any legitimate effect on crime. This happens because of a lack of trust in
police by citizens, and police not having the means to apprehend crime and
violence. “Law enforcement and the criminal justice institutions are
largely unable to cope with the level of criminal activities due to lack
of equipment and poor training, which contribute to the perception of them
being considered unprofessional and incapable of stemming the tide of
criminal activities in the city” (“Nairobi: Crime and the City”). Between
the police supported groups, and the mobs and gangs, there is constant
clashing. With all of this conflicting power, citizens are thrown into the
danger, when they were looking for protection in the first place. Further
government influence is needed to make Nairobi law enforcement more
effective. With different political groups supporting different gangs,
militias, or ideas, there is a sort of civil war going on.
Nairobi’s constant violence and fighting reminds me of how fortunate I am,
to live in America. Most Americans, me included, cannot understand the
level of danger in Nairobi faced by everyday person. Being worried about
protection in my community is something I have never experienced.
Unfortunately citizens of Nairobi have to deal with this, which makes me
appreciate my life more, and I hope others would feel the same. After my
research, I have concluded that police don’t have a positive effect on
Nairobi’s citizens, or its crime and violence. This is a result of the
many obstacles police face in trying to achieve order. These include
corruption in government, insufficient numbers of police, gang, and mob
activity, the overwhelming amount of crime and ruthless violence. With
gang’s fighting rival gangs, and mob’s fighting rival mobs, the police
almost add to the chaos, by adding another group in the fight. Instead of
stopping the problem, they exacerbate it further. Hopefully future
government leaders will instill a form of trust in people regarding
police, and can stop the corruption and, eventually, the violence.
Work Cited:
1.) Daniels, Nicholas “Militias, Gangs, and Vigilantes in Kenya: “The
Consequences of Abandoning the Reform Agenda.” Opendemocracy.net Web. 21
Sept. 2011. http://www.unhabitat.org
2.) Marc Lacey “U.N. Study says Nairobi is Inundated with crime”-N.Y.
Times newspaper, Published: Nov 29, 2001.
3.) “Nairobi: Crime and the City.” Un-habitat.:. Home. United Nations.
Web. Sept. 2011. http://www.unhabitat.org
4.) “Our Mission”, “Welcome to the Kenya Police Website. Web. 21 Sept.
2011. http://www.kenyapolice.go.ke>
5.) Tibaijuka, Anna. “Crime in Nairobi”, Web. 21 Sept 2011
http://www.opendemocracy.net
6.) Van Der Heyden, Johan. “Kenya.” Geohive- Population Statistics. Johan
Van Der Heyden, 2000. Web 21 Sept 2011 http://www.geohive.com
Violence and crime is a major dilemma in Africa’s country of Kenya, and
has been for decades. In specific cities, violence has spiraled out of
control. Kenya’s population in 2010 was 36,287,423 (Van Der Heyden,).
Currently law enforcement in some of these cities is insufficient, in
comparison to the number of people. Establishment of order is arduous for
the police, in cities so densely populated. The crime-ridden city of
Nairobi in Kenya is home to one of Africa’s most violent urban cultures,
and 3,240,155 citizens.( Van Der Heyden,). Can police in Nairobi be
trusted to protect its people, and prevent crime and violence effectively?
What obstacles do they face in trying to do this?
These loaded questions have tremendous importance, both to inhabitants of
Africa and human beings around the world, because of the horrifying things
that go on in Nairobi. Countless lives are taken every day, and crime
plagues Nairobi like a virus plagues the body. Police in any city are
essential for safety to its people and the people’s confidence in that
police force is of paramount importance. According to the Kenyan police
website, their “Mission” is “To reduce crime and promote development by
providing high quality police service through: Upholding and applying the
law fairly, and firmly, and creating/ maintaining community soldiers
through corporations with police and local leaders” (“Our Mission”).
Although this is their “Mission”, the citizens’ impression of police in
Nairobi is filled with wariness and doubt. The citizens’ distrust doesn’t
happen for no reason; if they could trust police, they would.
The prevalence of violence and crime are in Nairobi leave the citizenry
constantly on edge. A New York Times article on Nairobi said, “More than
one third of Nairobi’s residences were robbed with a threat of force over
the last year, and half of those who live in the sprawling city hear
gunfire, the study says” (Lacey). With danger of this caliber, there’s an
obvious need for police presence, which is grossly inadequate. Despite
their need for protection, most of Nairobi’s citizens do not trust the
police. During a survey of 8621 Nairobi citizens, “98% say the police are
corrupt” (Lacey). With all of the chaos and turmoil going on within the
city, and no trustworthy police to confide in, there is a vacuum in the
demand for protection.
Considering the high level of danger, and the heavy distrust in police, it
becomes the citizen’s job to find resolutions for themselves, which
includes militias, gangs, mobs, and vigilantes. Police support some
vigilante groups, and militias, but just like the police they are not
trustworthy and are sometimes are equally corrupt. Mobs and gangs at least
are more akin to the citizens’ feelings and give the illusion of being
more worthy of trust. This encourages this form of protection, rather
than that of police. Nairobi’s people trusting some of these groups who
participate in crime themselves, over its police force, underscores the
people’s distrust in traditional law enforcement.
The underlying theme in the protection dilemma is corruption. Corruption
flows from the top of the Kenyan government. “The activity of militias,
vigilantes, and gangs supported by leading politicians playing a game of
divide and rule as they vie for political supremacy makes this all the
more worrying” (Daniels). These gangs political ties allow them to lobby
for elected officials, and to have funding for their group. During my
research it was unclear as to how these groups are recruited, and when
recruited how are they compensated. One can assume they are approached and
bribed to vie for that politician’s position. These groups may provide
some safety for citizens, but there is obviously more than one group.
Because each group has a different cause, or a different political backing
there are clashes between them. “Inter-gang fighting and clashes have
occurred in Nairobi, fighting in 2006 between Mungiki and an ethnic Luo
gang called Taliban caused several deaths, displacing at least 9,000 in a
dispute over control of a lucrative illicit brew market in Mathare”
(Daniels). Kenyan security services hire some groups of vigilantes in the
city to assist police. Despite this, some of the mobs such as the Mungiki
are too powerful, and have too much political influence to eradicate.
“Professor Philip Alston published a report calling for the sacking of
Police Commissioner, Major General Hussein Ali, and the resignation of
Attorney General, Amos Wako. Detailing his findings on extrajudicial
killings in Kenya, Alston accused the Police Commissioner, the Attorney
General and the judiciary of perpetrating, aiding and abetting impunity”
(Daniels).
In the end, corruption of police and government in Nairobi prevents both
the local police force and its vigilante counterpart groups from having
any legitimate effect on crime. This happens because of a lack of trust in
police by citizens, and police not having the means to apprehend crime and
violence. “Law enforcement and the criminal justice institutions are
largely unable to cope with the level of criminal activities due to lack
of equipment and poor training, which contribute to the perception of them
being considered unprofessional and incapable of stemming the tide of
criminal activities in the city” (“Nairobi: Crime and the City”). Between
the police supported groups, and the mobs and gangs, there is constant
clashing. With all of this conflicting power, citizens are thrown into the
danger, when they were looking for protection in the first place. Further
government influence is needed to make Nairobi law enforcement more
effective. With different political groups supporting different gangs,
militias, or ideas, there is a sort of civil war going on.
Nairobi’s constant violence and fighting reminds me of how fortunate I am,
to live in America. Most Americans, me included, cannot understand the
level of danger in Nairobi faced by everyday person. Being worried about
protection in my community is something I have never experienced.
Unfortunately citizens of Nairobi have to deal with this, which makes me
appreciate my life more, and I hope others would feel the same. After my
research, I have concluded that police don’t have a positive effect on
Nairobi’s citizens, or its crime and violence. This is a result of the
many obstacles police face in trying to achieve order. These include
corruption in government, insufficient numbers of police, gang, and mob
activity, the overwhelming amount of crime and ruthless violence. With
gang’s fighting rival gangs, and mob’s fighting rival mobs, the police
almost add to the chaos, by adding another group in the fight. Instead of
stopping the problem, they exacerbate it further. Hopefully future
government leaders will instill a form of trust in people regarding
police, and can stop the corruption and, eventually, the violence.
Work Cited:
1.) Daniels, Nicholas “Militias, Gangs, and Vigilantes in Kenya: “The
Consequences of Abandoning the Reform Agenda.” Opendemocracy.net Web. 21
Sept. 2011. http://www.unhabitat.org
2.) Marc Lacey “U.N. Study says Nairobi is Inundated with crime”-N.Y.
Times newspaper, Published: Nov 29, 2001.
3.) “Nairobi: Crime and the City.” Un-habitat.:. Home. United Nations.
Web. Sept. 2011. http://www.unhabitat.org
4.) “Our Mission”, “Welcome to the Kenya Police Website. Web. 21 Sept.
2011. http://www.kenyapolice.go.ke>
5.) Tibaijuka, Anna. “Crime in Nairobi”, Web. 21 Sept 2011
http://www.opendemocracy.net
6.) Van Der Heyden, Johan. “Kenya.” Geohive- Population Statistics. Johan
Van Der Heyden, 2000. Web 21 Sept 2011 http://www.geohive.com
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