Kenya blog: On transformative action within the Kibera slum

The Kibera slum in Nairobi is home to around 1.5 million people. That's half the population of Nairobi, squeezed into just 2.5 square kilometres. On the way there, our driver, Charles described the extent of the violence that erupted in Kibera during the 2007 elections. Cars were set alight, men, women and children were beaten as they were forced out of from their homes and pumped with tear gas by the Kenyan police. As we approached the entrance to the slum, Charles locked down the doors and wound up the windows. The public perception of Kibera within Kenya is that it’s a dangerous, lawless place.

Our perception was a very different one. We met with a group of eight women and Sheikh Ahmed Abdulrahim, a community human rights activist for a meeting under a tree just on the edge of the slum. They spread out their scarves on the ground for us to sit on and started to tell us about their campaign and their own personal experiences.

Kibera Women for Peace and Fairness connect the violence in 2007 with the extreme poverty they live in. The unrest was partly to do with a huge hike in food prices, which meant many people could only afford to eat one meal a day. This, and the horrific conditions and deprivation people have to suffer in Kibera led to the overflowing of simmering resentment against a government that ignores its citizens' basic human rights to sanitation, electricity, suitable housing and a balanced diet. It does not even recognise the slum as an official part of the city of Nairobi. Now the prices have stabilised, but people, including these women, still have to go through incredible daily hardship.

Antonina Masita, for example, is 58 years old, a widow, HIV positive and has 7 children between the ages of 8 and 14. She says she only scrapes together around 20-30 Kenyan shillings a day. A direct currency conversion of this amount is around 25p, but to put it in perspective, a 2kg bag of maize costs 50 Kenyan shillings in the slums. During the food price increases, where maize rose to around 120 shillings per 2kg bag, she was not getting any work and could barely afford to eat or pay the rent where her and her 7 children live crammed together in one room. At this time, many families only ate one meal a day, often just a bowl of porridge.

Antonina Masita, campaigner with Kibera Women for Peace and Fairness. Caroline Griffin/WDM

By campaigning for the right to a fair food price, Antonina and her friends hope they will never again have to watch their children and neighbours die. Now the food crisis is over – for now, at least – they have time to campaign on other issues, such as better conditions and an end to violence against women by changing the popular belief that if a man doesn't hit you, he doesn't love you. “We say there is no justification for violence against women. Once you say that, you are a changemaker,” Fanice Onjala, the secretary of the group told me.

So it’s high time the UK government made life a little easier for people like Antonina and Fanice so they can continue to transform their society and improve women's status rather than having to constantly worry about how they will feed themselves and their families. The government can do this by legislating to stop bankers and hedge funds gambling with food. Please support WDM and help us stop this irresponsible behaviour which is ruining lives by becoming a member for just £2 a month or taking part in our phone-in.