Nairobi,Kenya has the largest slum in Africa, Kibera. Other slums include Mathare, Korogocho, Mukuru kwa Reuben and Kwa Njenga and Kiambiu among others. The fact is that the highest number of Nairobians live in these informal settlements. Its here that my first job took me and i appreciate very much for i would never have appreciated or counted my blessings. The living conditions here are deplorable. Families live in dilapidated houses and they still pay rent.But there is a group of people who cannot afford the monthly rent. I am not talking about street families. But young women who would wish to live a decent life but because of the harsh conditions in this city, cannot afford to rent a room.
My work involves lots of referrals and recently i received a distress call from a friend. I could tell that my friend was touched by the story shared to him by a young woman who had gone to him for help. Since he could not help, he referred the young woman to me.
Aisha is a mother of one. When she tested HIV positive while pregnant with her baby, her nightmare began. She is a muslim and HIV is not a subject that should be tolerated in her family. She was chased out of their family and did not have anywhere to go.
Aisha's daughter is HIV positive too as when she was chased of her only known home, she was not able to take good care of her daughter who in the process became HIV positive. Before going to see my friend, she had been kicked out of the only abode she had known since she was chased out of her home. This is an abode where many people sleep in one hall. The cost for sleeping here per night is Kshs 50 and this is the amount she had not paid for a week and when it accumulated to 350, the lard lord could not let her in.
The hall has got no beds nor mattresses. Anyone who has to spend a night here has to carry his/her own clothes to sleep on. All have to spread their bedding and share space on the cold cemented floor which is a business both in day and night. Anyone is allowed to sleep here and therefore the hall is obviously not safe for women who are often raped by the men who rent the same sleeping space. The hall has no provision for a toilet or bathroom. The occupants have to sort themselves on these matters. For a woman who has a baby, the conditions are worse. Talk of food, clothes the basics and these women do not even own a bag to carry any of their belongings.
Aisha and her daughter had been living in this kind of life for three months. She says the nights she spent here were the longest in her life. Its not possible to sleep here as you must guard yourself from being raped so you are forced to stay awake. This affects anything one tries to do during the day.
Today Aisha is finally in her own room. We were able to mobilize friends to pay her one month rent and some seed fund for business so she does not go back to this life. But Aisha left many other women here. Women like her who nobody seems to care about.
I count my blessing today for having my one roomed house where i am able to pay my own rent. Its in this house where i feel comfortable and can do anything i feel like without any fear of anything. Yes at least am assured i am secure and therefore i sleep like a small baby. But my heart goes out to these women and especially young mothers; that someday a well wisher shall rescue them just like we rescued Aisha.
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