Day 12: Last day in Kibera for some of us

Tomorrow Alice, Paul and Dimitri will fly to France. So today was a relaxation day. It’s Sunday, sunny, everyone is outside on the streets, dressed up to go to church wearing their best dresses, gospels and songs are blasted from the chapels…Sunday is definitely a special day in Kibera! A day where you can see all the togetherness of the community. Everyone is talking outside, playing in the streets, shopping with their family, eating chapati or grilled corn around the corner, playing soccer on the fields, sacco sacco motocyclistes waiting for their clients…this is a day where you can feel Kibera’s vibes.

We had a late start but still accomplished a lot. We first stopped by the Red Rose safe house to give the girls some books and games, shampoos, soaps and conditioners we bought for them. They seem to be doing better. It was their third night at the facility.

We then went to pick up Janet at her house. She is a former Red Rose student now in high school who I kept contact with. We visited her house then took her with us to the Yaya center mall in matatus (local taxi vans for 14 persons). Everyone had the chance to bargain for a few items at the Masai Market. We then met Betty Robin, a French lady who has been living in Kenya for more than 40 years and a friend of Dimitri’s grandmother.

We visited Janet’s high school, Olympic, which is located not far from Red Rose. There are 50 kids for one teacher in each classroom. We admired the nice garden full of kale planted in an hydroponic system and maintained by the students. And if you scrolled down, you will see some very interesting signs placed around the school…

We finished the day at Uweza with the Golden Girls empowerment program. This club provides a safe place for girls between 7 and 15 years old, where they form friendships, learn life skills and discuss important issues they encounter in the slum. We distributed toys, ballet costumes, shoes, soccer equipment, crayons that we brought from Los Angeles…Each of the girls picked 2-3 items. Big smile on their faces! Barbies were quite a hit…