This documentary by the BBC looks at slum life in Lagos, Nigera. The documentary "celebrates the resilience, resourcefulness and energy of Lagos's 16 million inhabitants, and shows how successfully many of its slum dwellers are adapting to the realities of the world's increasingly extreme urban future." It's a nice departure from the bleak picture painted by most documentaries about life in slums.
Parts 1 and 2 below (there are 6 parts total):
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Sponsorship Program Parents Meeting
Two weekends ago, Moi, our Sponsorship Coordinator, organized a meeting with all of the parents and children in the program. The theme of the meeting was the role of parents in their child's lives, as Moi felt that many parents in the program were not fulfilling their parental responsibilities. The meeting also provided a forum for the parents to raise any issues or concerns about the program.
Lunch was provided and there were a series of speakers including Becky, our Girls Counselor, a teacher from Ayany Primary School, which some of our students attend, and Moi. Each of the speakers stressed the importance of being actively involved in the lives of their children every day. This can be a challenge for parents who are struggling with their health, working long hours, and dealing with economic hardship. Becky discussed the effects on the psychological and emotional well-being of children when parents are too busy to spend time with them. The teacher spoke about the need for parents to attend school and meet with teachers so that they are aware of how they can supplement their child's education at home. Moi spoke about his job as Sponsorship Coordinator and how much time he spends catering to the needs of the children but that ultimately, he is not the parent of every child in the program and they all need to play their part as well.
The parents were all really receptive to the speakers and had a lot to contribute about what they hoped to achieve as parents and as participants in the program. Many of them expressed gratitude to the program for the support. One of the mothers who received a business loan spoke about the progress that her business has made and how she is moving toward being able to provide for her children without outside help. One of the fathers, who works long hours and is often not home, agreed that he felt it was not fair for the parents to accept help from the program and not hold up their end of their responsibility to their children.
The parents and speakers were all really pleased with the outcome of the meeting and we hope to have them on a regular basis from now on.
Lunch was provided and there were a series of speakers including Becky, our Girls Counselor, a teacher from Ayany Primary School, which some of our students attend, and Moi. Each of the speakers stressed the importance of being actively involved in the lives of their children every day. This can be a challenge for parents who are struggling with their health, working long hours, and dealing with economic hardship. Becky discussed the effects on the psychological and emotional well-being of children when parents are too busy to spend time with them. The teacher spoke about the need for parents to attend school and meet with teachers so that they are aware of how they can supplement their child's education at home. Moi spoke about his job as Sponsorship Coordinator and how much time he spends catering to the needs of the children but that ultimately, he is not the parent of every child in the program and they all need to play their part as well.
The parents were all really receptive to the speakers and had a lot to contribute about what they hoped to achieve as parents and as participants in the program. Many of them expressed gratitude to the program for the support. One of the mothers who received a business loan spoke about the progress that her business has made and how she is moving toward being able to provide for her children without outside help. One of the fathers, who works long hours and is often not home, agreed that he felt it was not fair for the parents to accept help from the program and not hold up their end of their responsibility to their children.
The parents and speakers were all really pleased with the outcome of the meeting and we hope to have them on a regular basis from now on.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Suffering Blamelessly: Focus on Climate Change in Africa
There is a lot of press about climate change, but perhaps not enough focusing on its most awful irony: people who have the smallest “carbon footprint” and thus have done the least to cause global warming—poor Africans—will likely be the most affected. The impact of climate change is already being felt in Africa, from ever-worsening public health to increasing armed conflicts between groups fighting over scarce resources. In this blog, I’ve put together some links about how climate change is worsening the already dire situation of Africa’s poorest, including many in rural and urban Kenya.
A good overview of climate change in the developing world can be found at the UN Habitat website. As UN Habitat reminds us, millions of urban poor in the developing world “live in potential death traps: huge, densely populated slums located on fault lines or in flood-prone areas.” Climate change renders these people even more vulnerable to disaster. And as climate change makes rural life more and more untenable, those slums are likely to swell even further with migrants from the countryside.
The rise in the world’s temperatures is also driving an increase in the spread of malaria, both in the slums (including Kibera) and in rural areas where mosquitoes were previously not a problem. The highlands around Mount Kenya are traditionally known for their cool temperatures and correspondingly low rates of malaria. But with global warming on the rise, malaria has become a major public health issue there. Watch this video to learn more.
The Mau Forest is Kenya’s most important water catchment area. Its degradation by irregular settlements, logging and charcoal burning, and increased agriculture is likely to cause an unprecedented water crisis and render the environment unable to absorb climate change. The exploitation of the Mau Forest has become a hot-button political issue in Kenya, with controversial evictions of “illegal” settlers. Read more about the importance and complexities of the Mau Forest here.
The north of Kenya is populated by semi-nomadic tribes who depend on Lake Turkana for survival. As a result of climate change, the lake has receded and droughts have become more regular. This scarcity of resources has pitted tribe against tribe in armed conflicts along the Kenya/Ethiopia border. Watch this video to learn about how climate change is driving war and displacement in northern Kenya.
And what is being done to help the poor “adapt” to the reality of a world 4 degrees warmer? The richest countries’ lack of commitment to helping the most vulnerable is a sadly familiar story, as described here. Civil society groups, such as the NGO Practical Action, are hoping to stimulate engagement in the developed world and promote inclusion of vulnerable groups in strategy formation for climate change adaptation. Read their briefing paper here.
A good overview of climate change in the developing world can be found at the UN Habitat website. As UN Habitat reminds us, millions of urban poor in the developing world “live in potential death traps: huge, densely populated slums located on fault lines or in flood-prone areas.” Climate change renders these people even more vulnerable to disaster. And as climate change makes rural life more and more untenable, those slums are likely to swell even further with migrants from the countryside.
The rise in the world’s temperatures is also driving an increase in the spread of malaria, both in the slums (including Kibera) and in rural areas where mosquitoes were previously not a problem. The highlands around Mount Kenya are traditionally known for their cool temperatures and correspondingly low rates of malaria. But with global warming on the rise, malaria has become a major public health issue there. Watch this video to learn more.
The Mau Forest is Kenya’s most important water catchment area. Its degradation by irregular settlements, logging and charcoal burning, and increased agriculture is likely to cause an unprecedented water crisis and render the environment unable to absorb climate change. The exploitation of the Mau Forest has become a hot-button political issue in Kenya, with controversial evictions of “illegal” settlers. Read more about the importance and complexities of the Mau Forest here.
The north of Kenya is populated by semi-nomadic tribes who depend on Lake Turkana for survival. As a result of climate change, the lake has receded and droughts have become more regular. This scarcity of resources has pitted tribe against tribe in armed conflicts along the Kenya/Ethiopia border. Watch this video to learn about how climate change is driving war and displacement in northern Kenya.
And what is being done to help the poor “adapt” to the reality of a world 4 degrees warmer? The richest countries’ lack of commitment to helping the most vulnerable is a sadly familiar story, as described here. Civil society groups, such as the NGO Practical Action, are hoping to stimulate engagement in the developed world and promote inclusion of vulnerable groups in strategy formation for climate change adaptation. Read their briefing paper here.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Five New Girls Added to the Uweza Sponsorship Program
Vivian (pictured here) and four other girls from Kibera have been accepted into our Sponsorship Program and are in need of sponsors to support their education and health care for their families. Sponsorships require a payment of $75 for start-up costs including two sets of uniforms, school supplies, and school enrollment fees. After this initial fee, sponsorships are $20/month.
Visit our website: http://uweza.org/sponsorship/ to learn more about the girls and about our Sponsorship Program.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Kenya and Kibera Current Issues Series--All Video Special!
There is no shortage of videos online about life in Nairobi and Kibera, but many of them have a simplistic, fatalistic tone. As I’ve written before, I hate this reductive take on Africa; I support Uweza because it recognizes and promotes ability and opportunity. This week, I’ve collected informational (and fun) videos about projects in Nairobi which build the local economy, media, and artistic scene.
Voice of Kibera is an online interactive forum which encourages sharing of information. Residents send in text messages with information about happenings in their neighborhood, and the Voice of Kibera web team adds the new information to a handy online map.
Beyond the dissemination of information, Voice of Kibera hopes that it will be a tool and vehicle for greater respect and understanding among the tribes and groups in Kibera. You can watch an interview with a staff member below and learn more here.
Few visitors to Kenya leave without being impressed by the ubiquitous matatus (minibuses). Crowded, noisy, driven at hair-raising speeds—matatus aren’t just a mode of transport, they’re a veritable cultural experience! And with their vibrant colors and topical themes, they’re also a local form of artistic expression. The New York Times recently posted a brief article with two videos about matatus. See one of the videos below and read the full article here.
Other Kenyans are employing a different mode of creative expression—performance art—to enrich themselves both artistically and financially. The Sarakasi Trust trains at-risk youths from the Nairoibi slums in dance and acrobatics, helping to instill greater self-worth and providing a tangible skill to improve their livelihoods. Hear the dancers’ stories and watch their awe-inspiring moves here.
And more innovative artists: Jewelry makers in Kibera are benefitting their wallets—and the local environment—by using bones discarded by local butchers in their designs. Learn more in this news clip.
Lastly, these adorable and talented children are concerned about sustainable use of the massive amounts of garbage in the slums—so concerned that they’ve written and performed a rap song to tell us that “Trash is cash!” Watch their music video here.
Voice of Kibera is an online interactive forum which encourages sharing of information. Residents send in text messages with information about happenings in their neighborhood, and the Voice of Kibera web team adds the new information to a handy online map.
Beyond the dissemination of information, Voice of Kibera hopes that it will be a tool and vehicle for greater respect and understanding among the tribes and groups in Kibera. You can watch an interview with a staff member below and learn more here.
Few visitors to Kenya leave without being impressed by the ubiquitous matatus (minibuses). Crowded, noisy, driven at hair-raising speeds—matatus aren’t just a mode of transport, they’re a veritable cultural experience! And with their vibrant colors and topical themes, they’re also a local form of artistic expression. The New York Times recently posted a brief article with two videos about matatus. See one of the videos below and read the full article here.
Other Kenyans are employing a different mode of creative expression—performance art—to enrich themselves both artistically and financially. The Sarakasi Trust trains at-risk youths from the Nairoibi slums in dance and acrobatics, helping to instill greater self-worth and providing a tangible skill to improve their livelihoods. Hear the dancers’ stories and watch their awe-inspiring moves here.
And more innovative artists: Jewelry makers in Kibera are benefitting their wallets—and the local environment—by using bones discarded by local butchers in their designs. Learn more in this news clip.
Lastly, these adorable and talented children are concerned about sustainable use of the massive amounts of garbage in the slums—so concerned that they’ve written and performed a rap song to tell us that “Trash is cash!” Watch their music video here.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
New Under 8 Soccer Team
A few weeks ago, we started an Under 8 soccer team from a few of our most soccer players. These boys have been playing with the Uweza team, showing up to every practice and match since 2007 when our program was just one coach, a few balls, and a few cones. They have been playing on the Under 10 team but because they were so young, they didn't have the chance to really play and participate.
We noticed their dedication and decided to create a new team especially for them, with their own coach and gear. More boys started coming and the Under 8 team is now up to 10-15 players. Hopefully, we can recruit as many as 30 players and we can start enrolling them in tournaments, giving them soccer shoes and shorts, and getting them a lot more playing time and attention.
They have been having so much fun at practice and have smiles on their faces the entire time.
More photos of the team have been posted on the website: http://uweza.org/framephoto.html.
We noticed their dedication and decided to create a new team especially for them, with their own coach and gear. More boys started coming and the Under 8 team is now up to 10-15 players. Hopefully, we can recruit as many as 30 players and we can start enrolling them in tournaments, giving them soccer shoes and shorts, and getting them a lot more playing time and attention.
They have been having so much fun at practice and have smiles on their faces the entire time.
More photos of the team have been posted on the website: http://uweza.org/framephoto.html.
Friday, October 22, 2010
More Technology, African Human Rights Day, and A Music Video
Hello to all Uweza supporters—I hope you have enjoyed my blogs so far! I have so much fun researching and writing them.
To continue on last week’s technology theme: I can’t believe that I forgot to include the endlessly interesting website AfriGadget, which spotlights technological innovation throughout Africa. AfriGadget recently profiled Gabriel Nderitu, who is building an airplane from scratch in the backyard of his Nairobi home. Learn more about “solving everyday problems with African ingenuity” here.
A blog in the New York Times highlights the vital role of motorcycles in delivering health care services in Africa, where poor or non-existent roads make the piki piki the most viable mode of transport to rural villages. If maintained properly, the motorcycle can be a powerful vehicle (both literally and figuratively!) in the provision of health care. As the article asks, “Where else can you find a low-tech investment in health care that increases patient coverage by nearly 600 percent?” Read more here.
At Dandora dumpsite in Nairobi, 2,000 tons of trash are dumped every day, and Josephat, a child from a nearby slum, rifles through the garbage to find materials like plastic and metal to sell. Watch this video of Josephat to learn about his daily life at the dumpsite and hear his dreams for the future.
October 21st (yesterday) was African Human Rights Day, which reminds me that Kenya is home to Dadaab, the world’s largest refugee settlement. The humanitarian crisis in Dadaab continues to escalate, with more refugees flooding in every day. Check out this photo slideshow on life in Dadaab.
On the lighter side: have you ever encountered people who think that Africa is a country? That it is home to one culture, one people, one language, etc.? If so, show them this very cool map, which conveys the massive size and diversity of the African continent.
And to end on a happy note: this catchy song and music video (by Marlaw, a Tanzanian singer) addresses a very Kenyan problem: traffic jams! The video is filmed partly in Nairobi and features the matatus, taxis, and cars that fill up the city streets all day, every day. Enjoy the song here:
To continue on last week’s technology theme: I can’t believe that I forgot to include the endlessly interesting website AfriGadget, which spotlights technological innovation throughout Africa. AfriGadget recently profiled Gabriel Nderitu, who is building an airplane from scratch in the backyard of his Nairobi home. Learn more about “solving everyday problems with African ingenuity” here.
A blog in the New York Times highlights the vital role of motorcycles in delivering health care services in Africa, where poor or non-existent roads make the piki piki the most viable mode of transport to rural villages. If maintained properly, the motorcycle can be a powerful vehicle (both literally and figuratively!) in the provision of health care. As the article asks, “Where else can you find a low-tech investment in health care that increases patient coverage by nearly 600 percent?” Read more here.
At Dandora dumpsite in Nairobi, 2,000 tons of trash are dumped every day, and Josephat, a child from a nearby slum, rifles through the garbage to find materials like plastic and metal to sell. Watch this video of Josephat to learn about his daily life at the dumpsite and hear his dreams for the future.
October 21st (yesterday) was African Human Rights Day, which reminds me that Kenya is home to Dadaab, the world’s largest refugee settlement. The humanitarian crisis in Dadaab continues to escalate, with more refugees flooding in every day. Check out this photo slideshow on life in Dadaab.
On the lighter side: have you ever encountered people who think that Africa is a country? That it is home to one culture, one people, one language, etc.? If so, show them this very cool map, which conveys the massive size and diversity of the African continent.
And to end on a happy note: this catchy song and music video (by Marlaw, a Tanzanian singer) addresses a very Kenyan problem: traffic jams! The video is filmed partly in Nairobi and features the matatus, taxis, and cars that fill up the city streets all day, every day. Enjoy the song here:
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Kibera Agenda Web Launch and One Year Anniversary Celebration
Uweza often works closely with other local organizations in the community, and with this post we wanted to highlight one of our partners, Kibera Agenda. Kibera Agenda is a savings and loan group that is comprised of residents of Kibera who have organized to save and provide small-scale business loans to other Kibera residents. Uweza partners with the organization to provide loans for some of our sponsored childrens' parents. Often times, Uweza is able to provide for the educational needs of a child, but they still struggle with their family situation at home. Kibera Agenda has assisted to provide loans to some of these mothers of our sponsored children, so they may excel in business and provide for their children.
Recently, Kibera Agenda had a launch party celebrating one year of working in the community of Kibera. The group invited all of its current business loan participants to join in the celebration at a Scouts Camp located next to Kibera. During the celebrations, the participants of Kibera Agenda were given opportunities to receive free loan repayments through various games during the day. We are proud that two of our students' mothers, Mama Mulinge and Mama Norman, received a free loan repayment for scoring goals during the woman's soccer match!
Kibera Agenda will soon have a website to show their work at www.kiberaagenda.com. We are continually thankful for their partnership and support of our sponsorship program.
Members of Kibera Agenda at the launching of their first anniversary working in the community of Kibera
Goal-scorers in the women's soccer competition, including Mama Mulinge and Mama Norman in the center, who received a free loan repayment amounting to 10% of their current loan balance.
Recently, Kibera Agenda had a launch party celebrating one year of working in the community of Kibera. The group invited all of its current business loan participants to join in the celebration at a Scouts Camp located next to Kibera. During the celebrations, the participants of Kibera Agenda were given opportunities to receive free loan repayments through various games during the day. We are proud that two of our students' mothers, Mama Mulinge and Mama Norman, received a free loan repayment for scoring goals during the woman's soccer match!
Kibera Agenda will soon have a website to show their work at www.kiberaagenda.com. We are continually thankful for their partnership and support of our sponsorship program.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
New scarves!
A new batch of Kenyan scarves has been added to the Uweza Shop just in time for fall and the holidays! They are $10 each and we have eight different colors.
The scarves have sold out pretty quickly in the past and limited quantities are available so snatch them up while you can!
http://uweza.org/shop.html
The scarves have sold out pretty quickly in the past and limited quantities are available so snatch them up while you can!
http://uweza.org/shop.html
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