Kibera

Kibera is Africa's largest slum and one of the biggest in the world. You may know of it from the book and movie The Constant Gardener.

Three of us -- a PhD student from Australia doing research in Kibera, a Kenyan activist, and I -- toured the area with Raphael Omondi, a Kibera resident, community organizer, and renown activist.

There are 1.5 million people living in Kibera’s 300 acres and it’s growing. (The slum covers the lighter middle third in image above.) Post-election protestors burned down countless farms in rural Kenya, adding to the food shortage crisis in the countryside. With jobs virtually nonexistent, rains scarce and hunger rampant, villagers move to Kibera, hopeful to find work in Nairobi.

Raphael (pictured in the middle) is the founder of Pamoja (togetherness), a foundation for Kibera youth. At only 20-years-old, Raphael has already done a lifetime’s work of empowering the community through job training programs, paying school fees for dozens of students, spearheading performing arts events, organizing tree plantings… He does it all, which explains why when someone like UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon visits, he’s the tour guide.

"No Raila - No Peace"

Election violence was particularly gruesome here, with neighbors killing and raping each other, looting and burning down homes. “Raila” is the name of then presidential candidate Raila Odinga. He now occupies the newly formed Prime Minister seat in the Grand Coalition Government, which Kenyans often call the Grand Collusion Government.

Some of Kibera's youngest dwellers