Banking:

Banks now scramble for slum residents Page 4

Family planning:
Men shy away Page 3

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Issue 12 September 2012

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KIBERA MIRROR
Real life stories from the slums

Why first upgrading project collapsed

It has been about ten years since the residents last paid rent. Some residents blame the Ministry of Housing and the Kenya Slum Upgrading Project (KENSUP) for this impasse.
By Nicodemus Odalo & Paul Owino
Corruption, tribalism, lack of proper communication channels and ideological differences led to the downfall of Mathare slum upgrading project that was meant to improve housing and living conditions of the approximated 25,000 residents of Mathare 4A, the Mirror can report. Among the causes of the collapse of the slum upgrading project that started in 1991 is incitement by local political leaders who owned structures within the upgraded houses. According to the Case Study on Mathare 4A Slum Upgrading Project by Andrew Reback in September 2007, leaders and landlords disrupted the project by inciting rent strikes and urging criminals to burn houses within the slum. This caused mistrust between the slum dwellers and the project executors. Residents came to believe that the project provided no benefits to them. Rent strikes meant that no resident was to pay rent. This

Rent strikes and incitement by local leaders killed the vision for a decent livelihood

A sanitation block at Mathare 4A in a sorry state. Most of them have non functional utilities. The flushing systems do not work, the sinks are blocked and the drainage systems are not do not work either. Photo: Nicodemus Odalo

Continued on page 3

No cheers among the poor as constitution marks two years

As Kenyas new constitution celebrates the second anniversary of its passage, the nations poor say that the new law has done little for them. They accuse the countrys leadership of watering down the benefits promised by the new framework. But most people have neither read nor understood the contents of the constitution, which was approved overwhelmingly in 2010 by 67 percent of the voters. Paul Kenyatta, who sells roast maize at Waruku on

By Mirror Reporter

the western side of the capital, claims the government wanted the new constitution only to show a commitment to reforms that it does not really believe in. I thought there will be more jobs for the youth and better wages for those who earn very little. But I think that people are even poorer than they were and nothing to create jobs in the country, he said. Article 55 of the constitution says, The state shall take measures, including affirmative action programs to ensure that the youth access relevant education, training and access employment. Kenyatta further argued that the only improvement that is visible in the country is the judicial reforms.

He said, The courts have improved. But they can only be of help to you if you have a case that requires their attention. Without police reforms, the common man cannot feel this impact. I have seen the police arresting youth every now and then without any reason whatsoever. Yet I know this is against the law. Article 49 of the constitution says, An arrested person has the right to be informed promptly in a language that he understands the reason for arrest and be presented in court within 48 hours. However in the slums and other poor neighbourhoods, youth are often arrested for no particular reason by rogue police officers with the intent of extorting money from them. The

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Kibera Mirror: Issue 12

The editor welcomes articles on topical issues or the stories we publish and comments on kiberamirror@shininghopeforcommunities.org. You can also drop them at our office at Gatwekera-Kibera near PAG Church.

OPINION
Should another round of education on the constitution be carried out in the slums?
It appears most of the people who voted for the constitution did so without even reading the document. There are some who say they voted for it because the politicians told them so and even for those who read it, a considerable number do not fully understand the contents. Some just read the parts which they think apply to them. The politicians on the other hand are not keen on implementing it from the look of things. It could be because they know alot of people do not know what is in the constitution. A lot of bills have been passed hurriedly while others still lie between the Atorney Generals office and parliament waiting to be debated upon. One is the issue of police reforms that does not look as if it will end any time soon. Meanwhile youth in the slums continue being harrased each day by the police without any any reason by policemen out to make money from them. Since most of these youth do not know their rights as spelt out in chapter four of the constitution, they comply and those who do not have money spend some time in custody without being released. Their crime- loitering or idling. Meanwhile basic rights like right to a clean environment, food and shelter are not even being talked about. Right now the slums are at their dirtiest states. In Kibera, murky streams full of dirt criss-cross the streets as people are sleeping hungry and parents cannot afford to take their children to school because they dont have money. The constitution clearly states that everyone is entitled to these things but no one is talking about them as everyone is concerened about who will win the next elections. This calls for a need to educate the people especially those in the informal settlements and rural areas on the contents of the constitution. This is because most of them are getting disillusioned because they do not even see the fruits of the new constitution that they had expected. Some cannot even read so giving them a copy each will not help either. Otherwise most of them do not even know that some of their rights are being violated.

An unjust law is not law at all

Today, hardly a month passes in Kibera without hearing about a suspected either being stoned to death or lynched. Residents may argue that this is the only way to deal with the equally high number of robberies as the police do little but we must also ask ourselves whether this is indeed the only way The perpetrators of this violent phenomenon take the law into their own hands, act as accusers, jury and judge and punish an alleged wrongdoer on the spot. The person accused of a crime has no chance to defend himself or claim innocence. This procedure often ends up with the victim being beaten to death or seriously injured if the police arrive on time. Mahatma Ghandi said an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind so if you cannot see what is wrong with mob justice then there is something profoundly wrong with your moral compass. Willy Lynch an ancient vicious slave owner used inhumane methods to control the slaves. His method was injustice meant to make them physically strong but psychologically weak and dependent on the master. He would order for a male slaves to be tied each leg to two different horses each facing opposite direction then set him on fire and beat both horses till they tear him in front of the other slaves. He would then beat and bullwhip the remaining slaves but never kill so as to instill fear in them. That is how the name lynch came about and this is exactly what happens in our slums. We lynch the accused in front of the people so that to be a lesson to the unidentified culprits. We cannot replace one opportunist mob with another. This needs to be a time for calm and compassion, for conversation and questioning. Neither the right nor the left can afford to let themselves be blinded by prejudice and anger. Our instinctive responses are inadequate. History is full of dark warnings of what happens when a broken society attempts to use brute force rather than understanding to enforce stability and cohesion. To fix the damage to our society those who are found guilty should be handed to the police who in turn hand them to the court so that they learn the value of respecting their neighborhoods rather taking away their lives

Wycliffe Ayaka

world blind. The right and left cannot afford to let themselves be blinded by prejudice or anger.
Mahattma Ghandi

An eye forwhole an eye makes the

We are educated, where are the jobs?

It beats logic why the government is concentrating too much on non-issues about education when it is doing very little to improve the quality of education and job creation for graduates. What it does not realize is that a lot of youth are losing hope on the value of education in the country since a high number of university graduates do not have jobs after all. At the moment there is no big difference in the country between a university graduate and a form four graduate especially when they both do not have a job. Some graduates even spend up to 10 years looking for a job and worse still the ones who are lucky enough to get a job are paid poorly. University education costs at least half a million shillings. This is a big investment that parents make for their children and some even resort to selling property. The employers have also decided to capitalize on the situation and are treating their employees the way they like. After all, there are a lot of people without jobs with the same qualifications. The ministry of education recently threatened parents who do not take their children to high school with imprisonment. What the Minister failed to say was how the parents will get money to pay school fees. He also did not say what the government is doing to increase job opportunities for the children after they finish school. The Kazi Kwa Vijana initiative to provide jobs for the youth was a good initiative but the type of jobs they were giving the youth did not make sense. How can you tell a university graduate to slash grass or plant trees and say you have given him a job? What of all the skills he learnt at school? That is to mean all the time spent in school was a waste of time for this graduate. If nothing is done we are raising hooligans and criminals. The signs are already here with us. You saw in Mombasa how a small issue turned into a looting frenzy and youth engaging the police in battles for a whole week. It means the youth are an idle and an angry lot just waiting to be provoked.

Kevin Ogolla

Quote of the Month

Change will not come if we wait for some other person,or if we wait for some other time.We are the change that we seek.
Barack Obama

At the moment there is no big difference between a university graduate and a form four graduate especially if both do not have a job

A publication of Shining Hope For Communities Editor in Chief

Vincent Achuka Paul Owino The Team

Graphic design

Josephine Gisesa,Godwin Oyindo, Nancy Akinyi, Beth Anyango, Sylvia Nekesa, David Otieno, Isaac Gomba, Kizito Nadebu, Nicodemus Odalo, John Okewa, Paul Owino, George Bush, Peter Ombedha

In April it was agreed that people living up to 10 metres from the cliffs at Mathare 4A would vacate after eight people died when huge rocks tumbled down on their houses from the cliff during the rainy season. Infact the government even demolished some houses around the area to discourage the residents from occupying the area again. However it appears the residents living around that area have forgotten that lives were lost. If you visit the area right now houses have already been built and people are already living there. The leaders of the area also stand accused of accepting bribes from landlords who want to rebuild their houses at the expense of putting people lives in danger. Just recently a huge rock fell on a latrine and crashed it completely just a few metres from where people were killed in April but no one paid attention. If you examine the cycle of tragedies since the first one in 1992, it wont

Residents of Mathare forget very quickly

We need to empower the women if we are serious about poverty eradication

Women living in slums by default shoulder most of the problems in their households. This is a known fact. Due to illiteracy, most of these women do not get meaningful employment so they are more vulnerable to poverty. The problem of not getting education is because most of the families opt to educate their boys more than girls. Ironically the community has more women than men. On the other hand, they have proved to be key participants in projects that develop the community. They are more than willing to improve their income generating activities like garbage collection, group work and merry go rounds If they are grouped together they will definately play a major role in poverty eradication and economical development in the society and the country at large. Joseph Ochieng

take a geologist to say that we have seen the last of these rock tumbles because the whole of Mathare sits on an abandoned quarry where stones for constructing Nairobi were mined after independence. To date more than a dozen people have lost their lives in more than three accidents in just 10 years. Other people may argue that it is poverty that is driving people to expose their lives to danger in order to live but that should not be the reason to risk your life. The landlords who are building houses in those areas should not only be stopped but arrested for endeangaring the lives of their tenants as they look for quick money. Furthermore instead of blaming the government for not coming in time when a tragedy happens we should ask ourselves what we can do to prevent the tragedy itself. Otherwise we cannot tell how bad the next tragedy will be Mark Omollo

Dan Whipple& Kathleen Bogan

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Kibera Mirror: Issue 12

PAGE 3
without premises
By Mirror reporter
Pupils from Kibera Hamlets will have to search for alternative learning premises as schools open for third term. This is after a fire gutted down their school on the night of August 15 during the school holidays. The cause of the fire at the school which is known for the acrobatic prowess of its students is still unknown although some residents suspect foul play since at the time of the fire there was no one in the schools premises. The school which has 80 students from baby class to standard seven is fully sponsored. According to Mercy Ondisa, a teacher at the institution, income from the acrobatic shows by the pupils also helps to sustain the schools expenditure. Although, the Nairobi fire brigade arrived on time, it failed to access the area since there is no road network to Gorofani village where the school is situated. The truck had to turn back at Kamukunji grounds.

Who is telling the truth as the residents suffer? Pupils start term
By Beth Anyango & Isaac Gomba
Residents of Quarry area (Raila village) have decried the lack of social amenities in the area which has placed their lives in danger. Lack of toilets and bathrooms have led the residents to relieve themselves in the nearby Ngong forest where women are sometimes raped. Furthermore there have been outbreaks of waterborne diseases because of lack of clean water. The areawhich is located at the far west of Kibera, next to the Ngong forest and just a stone throw from the slum upgrading project is a home for many families with few toilets. Most of the facilities are owned by institutions such as schools. As we paid a visit to the place, a few meters down the river women are busy washing clothes as others washing utensils seemingly not afraid of any danger they are exposing themselves. One of the women, Joyce Awuor said she was from the forest. That is where she usually relieves herself due to lack of toilets. She says she cannot afford to go Kianda village pay five shillings each time for toilet use. But what can we do, we have no option if I had the money, there is no toilet facilities around here we can find them at Kianda or Soweto, which is about a kilometre away, she adds. Mr. John Mangare, an area resident, said Mr. Masheti worked closely with the landlords, building houses without toilet facilities. Their aim is to make money He adds that this is not the first time as last year a woman was raped there in the forest when she went to help herself. What Masheti is accusing me is that I gave you his number and telling you about what we in the Quarry residence are going through is wrong then let it be, he said. What we found out is that the landlords are not living there they live in other neighborhood like Kianda, Soweto. Like Joyces landlord lives in Kianda that means that they do not undergo what their tenants go through. We asked the Area Chief Richard Juma if he has come across the same issues affecting his region. Lack of social amenities is a common thing in all slums areas, not only in Quarry but Kibera as a whole, he said. I have heard of the story but all we do we depend on area elder leaders who knows what is going on in the area. He says the area has not had any project for quite some time that involved construction of toilet facility, but now they have one which is being constructed by the Kibera network self help. All the landlords with more than ten houses should give one so that I can be constructed to make toilet facility that will help overcome this problem, he said. He added that the construction of the southern bypass has also affected the construction of the toilet facility. The residents have also urged local community based organisations to sort them since there seems to be no lasting solution to the problem.

These women from Quarry wash their laundry using water from a stream just next to Ngong forest. Just last month two women were raped when they had gone to relieve themselves in the forest. Photo: Isaac Gomba
but not concerned with those who are coming to live there, he said. The residents say the problem is brought by the village elder, Mr. Masheti, who gives the authority to the landlords to build houses even without toilet and bathroom facilities. Mr. Masheti, with whom we spoke on the phone, declined to meet us. Mr. Masheti said, During the post-election violence, people grabbed the land near Maono Education Center and started constructing their own houses, he said. We didnt want to remove them because it could have brought chaos. Mr. Masheti says he was not to blame. Commenting on the conduct of the village elder, Area Chief Richard Juma said he has known Mr. Masheti for many years and he knew him as a chairman for peace in the area. Only last month two girls went to the forest to help themselves after which they were attacked, raped and left unconscious , Mr. Mangare says.

Houses brought down for by-pass

What made the first slum upgrading project in the country to collapse
From page 1
handicapped the project since rents had been the internally generated revenue resource that paid for the mainentance and construction of roads with the slum. Initially the residents paid between 200 and 400 shillings per month as rent. This is according an agreement between them and the project implementers, Amani Housing Trust. We used to pay rents of Ksh 400 per month which changed, Paul Otieno, a 20-year resident of T-area, said during an interview. We were supposed to stop paying rent after 20 years as had been stated by an agreement we signed with Amani Housing Trust, he added. T-area, which was the first phase of the project, was initially meant to be occupied temporarily by residents whose houses had been demolished to pave way for upgraded houses. T stands for temporary. After the houses were complete they would then move in to the new houses and another lot would be brought in. ever a commemorative plaque at TArea says the project was officially opened by the then Minister of Public Works on November 28, 1995. Leonard Nyambane, the public communications officer of KENSUP disagrees that there is an agreement between AHT and the residents that was allow them stop paying rent after 20 years. This was just an idea that was never implemented since the Attorney General did not write the agreement. He also says the residents have never paid rent and the payments they were making were through cooperatives as a way of saving so that the residents would be able to own the houses after some time and since they stopped paying KENSUP cannot satisfy their demands. Some residents are even demanding for title deeds, but there is no law in Kenya that allows one to be given a title deed for a 10-by-10 feet piece of land, he says. He also says the residents only cry for KENSUPs attention when they want their houses repaired but still refuse to pay rent. Since the fall of Amani House in 2000 no one ever comes for money and I wont lie I live freely in my house, area resident Sarah Oyiela said. doors to act as dykes. Those who have rented the houses complain that the landlords do not care about the tenants as no repairs are done whatsoever. This is despite most of the houses looking as if they are in urgent need of repair. The landlords on the other hand blame the Ministry of Housing for not stepping up. We repair our houses by ourselves. Those without money have to persevere. Sarah added showing us the almost falling of walls of her house. One resident claims that the project was initially for the whole community but one community tried to hijack it in order to assert control, leading to a war that led to structures and records being burnt. However the study by Andrew Reback says politicians who feared losing their influence in the slum cheated the community to choose only six individuals to coordinate the project. Initially a total of 60 representatives across the community were elected at wet cores toilet areas with every one representing a specific area. The six people who were elected to the steering committee ensured the community never participated. Statistics from KENSUP indicate that Mathare 4A has a population of 25,000 people in an area of 17 hectares of land. The population density is 1,470 people per hectare with an average monthly income of Sh 1,870 per month. Worst still is that 92 percent of residents are tenants and only 7 percent are owners of the structures. The whole of Mathare valley used to be a quarry. Like Nairobis other slums, it grew as a result of rural-urban migration, and governments failure to provide them with cheap and better housing. It was started in 1963 with ex-soldiers from World War II whom the government gave the land to settle on. Mathare 4A slum upgrading project was funded by World Bank and the German government through the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development. Local support came from the Nairobi City Council which was given responsibility for infrastructure approval and approval of all designs. They also had jurisdictions for building codes and were to also approve the board of Amani Housing Trust. International NGOs and local community based CBOs helped in ensuring the success of the project which was facilitated by the Amani Housing Trust. Today their offices at T-Area are not in use.

By Mirror reporter
Government bulldozers moved to demolish houses which the owners had not demolished by themselves in order to pave way for the Southern by pass road at Raila and Soweto villages on the last day of August. This is after notice issued two months ago expired. The demolition did not affect a lot of homes since most of the owners had already demolished theirs in advance. However some residents of the area still claimed that they had not been issued with the notice while others said the time given was not enough. The road which was commissioned on The 30-kilometer road which was commissioned on March 4 by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga is expected to link Mombasa road with Waiyaki way in order to reduce traffic congestion in the city centre. The construction has already reached the Kibera section. The project is expected to offer manual jobs for youth from Kibera

Project dates to 1980s

The project dates back to the 1980s when World Bank funded the project which at the time did not include roads. It was however rejected as it did not meet the residents needs. In 1991 the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi established AHT to execute the upgrading project. There was survey of sites condition and residents needs in 1992. Later in 1997, the first phase of the main road was completed. In 2000 the project stopped after employees were threatened, harassed and structures burnt. The project was again restarted in 2003. The structures were purchased from existing structure owners and rents reduced. By 2007, 98 percent of the roads had been completed with only 50 percent of housing upgrading complete. The future of the upgrading plans then became uncertain as the executing office became financially unstable. The government through KENSUP took up from AHT but still no significant change has been noted yet.

No rent paid in 10 years

It has been about ten years since the residents last paid rent. Some residents blame the Ministry of Housing and the Kenya Slum Upgrading Project (KENSUP) for this impasse. I have been living in this house for ten years without paying rents, Alfred Okello, a resident from the H (a section of the project), says. No one ever comes for money, he adds. He said those who collect rent currently are those who rented out their houses. Some residents have even resorted to selling their houses. The Ministry of Housing does not even list the Mathare upgrading project among the slum upgrading projects it has done so far. How-

Resident decry poor road repair

By Mirror reporter
Residents of Karanja and Makina have complained on the poor quality of road repairs being carried out on the roads passing through the area. Though it is not clear what the terms on the contract for the repair of Karanja road and Makina road are, the contractor Sinoe Construction company has only recarpeted the edges of Karanja road and constructed pavements. The repair of the two roads funded by the Kenya Urban Roads Network (KURA) is expected to be competed in January next year

Non-functional facilities
Today the whole of the project is full of non-functional utilities. The toilets and bathrooms are filthy and old. There are hardly any working flushing systems, the sinks are blocked and the drainage systems in the whole project are not working. Some toilets are not in use since no one has come out to repair them. When it rains, the alleys fill up with water and the residents have wade in order to get to their houses. Some residents have even constructed 1.5 foot concrete barriers on their

PAGE 4

Kibera Mirror: Issue 12

Pic speak
A few months ago Administration Police controlled traffic at the Olympic stage but they have not been seen there for a while and the result is a traffic snarl up everymorning that should not be there in the first place if public service drivers behaved.

Now there is a common saying If you go to Rome do what the Romans do. It appears these visitors were clearly enjoying the chapati sold on the streets of Kibera from their facial expressions.

Could this be the youngest Kibera Mirror reader? No, at his age, it is not possible that he is able to read, but he just wanted to have a feel of it.

Business Mirror

Banks come closer to the slum residents

Agent banking revolutionizes the banking industry among the societys poor
A customer transacts at an M-Pesa electronic transfer agent at Gatwekera. The success of M-Pesa with the poor in society has has made banks to start agent banking in slums as a way of increasing their customer base. The agents work just like banks and customers are able to withdraw or deposit money in their accounts in real time.
Photo:David Otieno

Stadiums cash in on new league

By David Otieno & George Bush Okewa
Sports theatres showing DSTV broadcasts are cashing in on the new football season in Europe as fans fill the theatres once again after a three month drought. Many people cannot afford satellite TV connection in their homes but the number of people that following the European leagues is huge. The theatres charge an average of 30 shillings for one to view a live broadcast of his favourite team play and because of the huge following of these leagues in the slums; the owners of the theatres are making a kill. When the Kibera Mirror visited Santiago Bernabeau (football showroom) in Gatwekera village during a live broadcast of a Barclays English Premier League (EPL), Dennis Andere, the owner of the theatre could not hide his joy at the prospect of another season of football. I am actually I am very happy to see that the EPL has commenced, he said. For the last 3 months it hasnt been well with us guys as the League wasnt there. The theatre has two DSTV decoders so that it can show two games simultaneously if they are being broadcast on two different channels during the football season. The theatre attracts up to 120 viewers when there is a big match being played. When a big team like Manchester United is playing another big team like Arsenal the football stadium (as they are called here) is filled to capacity and I can make up to 3500 shillings in the 90 minutes that the game is played, he said. The price to watch a game depends on the popularity of the team which in turn increases the number of fans who come to watch the game. In order to start the business one requires getting a DSTV connection that costs at least 5000 shillings for full installation. He is also supposed to buy a television set which can cost from 5000 shillings upwards and also rent a room whose cost will depend on the size and location in Kibera. A room that can accommodate up to 100 fans when packed to capacity may cost 5000 shillings per month. Many people do not follow the local leagues though they are also shown

By David Otieno & George Bush Okewa

Only one year ago, residents of Kibera would not have imagined a bank opening a branch inside the settlement. When they needed banking services, they had to walk over to Ayani, an adjacent middle class neighbourhood, to reach the branches of Equity or Co-operative banks. These days, however, banking services from more than one bank are now available nearby. Kibera residents can conduct transactions via agency banking, where major banks use small outlets like shops to offer basic services. The model was introduced by Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) to spread banking service to millions of people. Agency banking is credited with

taking financial services to many parts of the country, following hard on Safaricoms revolutionary mobile phone money transfer service, M-Pesa. I feel that this is a boost to the less fortunate, because for me I can do transaction just at my doorstep. Thanks for the technology, says Mercy Ayuma, a vegetable vendor from Silanga who banks using this new method. Like many residents of Kibera, Ayuma now has the option of banking through the Cooperative Bank, Equity or KCB. The banking law was revised to allow commercial banks to use third parties to offer banking services. Vendors include entrepreneurs running micro-businesses in shopping malls and supermarkets, post offices, petrol stations, laundry shops, cyber cafes, chemists, eateries and shops. Individuals and small enter-

prises can deposit and withdraw money, open accounts and check their balances through agents. This style of banking, which originated in Brazil, has gained popularity in informal settlements where most of the residents were previously assumed no to be creditworthy. In order to make the concept blend in well with the target market, banks opted to use community friendly terms. Co-operative bank agents go by the name of Co-op Kwa Jirani, KCB: KCB mtaani and Equity: M-kesho. Evans Abila, the Co-operative Bank Kibera branch manager, says the banks Co-op Kwa Jirani concept has enabled the bank to have a wider geographical network and more operating hours. Agents can operate past the normal banking hours. Customers can make

cash deposits, cash withdrawals, school fees payments, balance enquiry, mini-statements and other banking services, he says. We have 13 agents in the entire slum and we are still recruiting more people who may wish to work as Co-op agents. Apart from bringing banking services closer to the people agent banking creates employment to several people, he adds. Edward Thash of Tele Yetu East Africa, an equity bank agent operating in Gatwekera, says this system of banking has encouraged more youth and women to use banking services. Some time back most of the youth did not have a habit of saving because banks were very far. But since you can save even as little as 100 shillings, most of my clients are women and the youth, he says. Edward serves around 100 customers a day. During the weekends, he says, the number can rise to about 150 since banks do not operate at this time. Although the system works differently in the various banks, a customer is required to have an original national ID and an existing bank account that has been activated in order to use agents. It takes less than five minutes from the time you walk into an agents shop to the time you finish your transaction. All transactions are done in real time and confirmations use the banks electronic system. The agents earn profit on commission basis. The commission increases according to the amount of money transacted. In its Banking Sector Report for the quarter ended March 31, 2012, released last month, Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) noted there are 10,066 active agents in Kenya. The agents contracted by eight banks made transaction worth 762 million shillings in the period under review. Leading in the number of agents is Equity Bank with over 3,234 agents, then KCB with over 2,600 and Co-operative Bank with about 1,800 agents. Other banks that have agents include Post Bank, Chase Bank and Family Bank. Many residents argue that this banking system can help the country in realizing vision 2030 by enabling the customers to access banking services for longer working hours in line with attaining the 24-hour economy.

Kibera Mirror: Issue 12

PAGE 5

We are not sure whether the artist meant bad or dad in this painting at Lindi, but if you feel like a bad man hope you got the message.

This boy from Silanga wants to own a house one day but since he cannot afford the money at his age, he made good use of materials collected from a dumping sight to achieve his dream. Talk of ambition meeting creativity

Is this a case of seat abuse? Luckily, as it is said seats do not have rights only that they can break under pressure.

Health Mirror

Family planning: It is not a womens only issue

ning. The result is an overpopulated community with a very young population. This dramatically increases the pressure for social servicesservices which are rare or nonexistent. A 2011 study by Kenyatta University found an average number of 5.4 children per household in Kibera. The government provides most family planning services for free at government health centers. Many clinics run by non-governmental organisationslike Centre for Disease cControl in Kianda (CDC), Medicines San Frontieres clinics (MSF), AMREF at Laini Saba and Johanna Justin Jinich Clinicalso offer the services for free. According to the Ministry of Healths website, there are four broad categories of family planning from which a couple can choose: Natural, Mechanical, Chemical and Surgical. Natural Methods are called natural because they do not involve use of drugs or devices. They include Withdrawal method (coitus interruptus), Safe period (rhythm method) and Basal body temperature (BBT) method. Mechanical methods involve use of devices which may sometime have some form of drug (hormone) attached to them. They place a barrier so that sperm does not get into the fallopian tube to fertilize the womans egg. These include Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD, LOOP,

Some women are doing it secretly as widespread myths and misconceptions make men to shy away
COIL), Condoms, Diaphragm. Chemical methods alter the hormonal cycle and include daily birth control pills, emergency pill and injections. Sterilization is most effective. It is the best contraceptive method when desired family size has been achieved. It does not require constant use of a contraceptive method, regular visits to health facilities or repeated expenditure on contraceptive supplies. Although sterilization procedures usually demand a greater investment in skill, training and equipment than temporary methods of contraception, they provide lifelong protection against pregnancy, and are therefore more cost-effective. Before selecting the method to use a couple should consider several things. Grace Atieno, a reproductive health worker, advises couples to consider their overall health, the number of times they have sex, whether they want to have children someday and the possible side effects of each method. She also advises them to talk with a reproductive health worker who will advise them on which method to use. Couples that practice family planning are able to properly take care of the children they have. Furthermore women will experience a reduction in the problems of pregnancies and labour, such as having the baby too early or heavy bleeding after delivery, she adds.

Some of the family planning pills available in the country. Despite the efforts by the government to encourage families to take up family planning, Many men in Kibera still view it as a womens only issue
By Godwin Oyindo & Sylvia Nekesa
In one of the clinics on the western part of Kibera, residents all womencongregate to learn about family planning from a government reproductive health worker. This is one of the efforts of the government to teach its citizens on the importance of family planning. The government wants to reduce the population growth rate. Kenyas population has grown from 8 million at independence to 40 million today. During the meeting ,the health worker engages the women on their take on family planning and the methods that they prefer. A woman who identified herself only as Emily answered first, Previously, I was using pills which had adverse effects on my body and therefore I decided to change to the coil. I chose this method because my husband cannot realize which he saw me taking every day and disapproved. At 27 years, Emily already has three children. She is just one of the women who have resorted to secretly practicing family planning in the slums as their husbands do not want their wives to practice family plan-

Kenyan men do not want to take part in in birth control discussions

By Godwin Oyindo & Sylvia Nekesa
Kenyan men are leaving the responsibility for birth control to the women. It is common to see not a single man attending a family planning workshop in Kibera. At a recent heavily attended information session at the Kibera district health centre, many women were present, but not a single man too part in the discussion. Family planning is only for women. I cannot allow my wife to practice it since it might make her promiscuous, says Pe-

is only for women. I cannot allow my wife to practice it since it might make her promiscuous

Family planning

Peter Otieno

ter Otieno, who had come to the clinic to seek treatment but did not see a need to join the workshop.

Another man who was also seeking treatment said that family planning is not important to men since it does not affect them in any way. When asked about vasectomy, he said, That is like asking me to stop being a man by making me impotent. While a vasectomy does prevent a males sperm from fertilizing the egg to cause pregnancy, it doesnt cause impotence. Kenya is one of the first African countries to encourage family planning as a way to lower fertility rates and reduce the pressures on land and natural resources. High fertility

rates have made Kenya one of the worlds fastest growing populations. The unwillingness of men to participate in the family planning discussions is hurting this effort, however. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), It is men who usually decide on the number and variety of sexual relationships, timing and frequency of sexual activity and use of contraceptives, sometimes through coercion or violence. These factors and widespread misconceptions about family planning by both women and men have made a lot of families in Kibera have to contend with supporting many children.

Grace Atieno, a reproductive health worker, says that men should not shy away from family planning related issues. The size of a family affects the husband as well as the wife. But in Kibera there are no visible efforts to encourage men to take part in family planning. In Kisumu, the Marie Stopes Clinic ran a campaign last year to increase mens involvement in family planning. They targeted them at their favourite pastimes by football, boat and bicycle riding competitions, where officials took advantage of the opportunity to disseminate family planning information.

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Kibera Mirror: Issue 12

INSECT
Kevin Kiprorno Insect is a fast rising Hip-hop artiste from Waruku- a slum on the western part of Nairobi that few Kenyans know about. His new single Back to basics is now a regular on radio. He believes he will put his ghetto on the map as we found out.
Who is Insect?
I am a humble artiste born and brought up in Kangemi. I went to school within the neighbourhood and I also live here with my family. My baby is called Natalie. music which does not have quality will most likely not be played. For me, I have learnt so many things while working for Penya A9

one on one

Ukoo Fulani from Dandora and Ecko Dydda from Mathare. How comes there is none from this side?
That is true; I am really working hard to be the one.

Speaking of Penya Africa, how did you meet them? In 2007 when I was doing a show in Narok, I met Natalie who has a connection with

Who is you role model in Kenya and internationally?

I will put it in a different way, in terms of delivery and performance. For delivery I choose

them. She liked my music and offered to train me. By then getting music training was very expensive and I could not afford so I got them for free and I decided to share those kills with others. I volunteered in Mathare for one year and now I am the outreach coordinator for Penya Africa.

Do you think Kenyan music has grown?

There is change in terms of quality; there are a lot of studios. It is good to study ones game and know people you can work with. You have to work with people you believe in and who believe in you, you stay in one boat and even if it capsizes you are in together.

From music are you able to pay all your bills?

Yes am able to pay my rent and take care of my family.

Apart from Mathare and Kibera where else do you train?

We also offer the classes at Nairobi West Prison

Tell us about your new single?

It is called back to basics featuring a jazz artist known as Dempsey. It was recorded by a producer known as Wanyoike, who has a live recording studio in Hurlingham. He was previously in the UK and he brought the concept to the country. I also have another song that I did with Liz Aoko. I am also working on how to promote my music

Are there artistes also in prisons? Yes. There we use it for social change and to unite people together. How can music be used to promote peace during this election period? Politicians do not have power like artists. Look at all the party launches; the politicians use artistes to attract crowds. As artistes we should know we are the mirrors of the society and use our music to make our fans take the issue of peace seriously if we love our country. Many ghettos have artistes who have made them proud. There is Octoppizo from Kibera,

What challenges do artists in slums face?

It is not only in music but in life in general. There are so many issues in the ghettos but it is a matter of you are working with that will make a difference. There are so many makeshift studios out to make money from artistes. I will however urge anyone who has talent to listen to Kidums new song Kimbia where he says that his parents told him to work hard in school but forgot to tell him to work improve build his talent. So if music is what you want in life, work hard and you will get paid one day.

How do you think upcoming artistes should market themselves? Download a free QR reader from the web and scan this QR (Quick response code) with your smart phone for more and updated news, photos and videos from Kenyas slums.
I think packaging is very important for any artiste. You need to understand so many things, the content you are releasing to the market. Music is not about recording alone. There is publishing, marketing and management. The quality of the music also matters. The Kenyan industry has also changed a lot, so

If you were president Kibaki what would you do?

Make sure IDPs everyone gets a samba and its painful to see people living in tents for five years.

No cheers among the poor as constitution marks two years

vice is so common that it has become an accepted way of life, though the new constitution prohibits it. Haroan Irungu, a newspaper vendor said the leaders who campaigned for the constitution in Kangemi made him very optimistic on the prospects of being in a new Kenya, but he does not feel any change. Whatever the politicians were telling us at that time cannot be seen. The poor people do not have better housing, food or health care. The only thing we hear is bills being passed in parliament, he said. Like most people he does not fully understand the contents of the constitution but he voted for it. According to the findings of a baseline survey Empowering Communities in the Implementation of the New Constitution, which was carried out in the months of November and December 2011, out of 95.5 percent of Kenyans who are aware of the existence of the new constitution, only 54 percent understood some parts of the Constitution. Nearly one in every five individuals in the study relied on information from others regarding the constitution for aspects they thought they understood. In Kibera, Louis Otieno, a newspaper vendor, accused the leadership of the country of being against the reforms laid out in the constitution. The members of parliament are on the forefront of violating the very constitution that they swore to defend by mutilating it, thus killing the hopes that we all had. The leaders who are supposed to look after our affairs are only thinking of themselves, he said. The latest causality is when the MPs passed a tampered integrity bill that will make it easier for corrupt leaders to vie for office during the general election in March 2013. The initial bill had a provision for public vetting of people wishing to hold public offices but it was struck out in parliament. Grace Awino, a resident of Mathare 4A said she is saddened by the way the MPs and the government have been treating the implementation. She said, They have taken advantage of the laws that were supposed to be created to make the new constitution operational and as you can see most of these laws favour the politicians and the rich. If everything was done according to what is spelt out in the constitution, Kenya would have been very far, but we are just where we were two years ago.

The latest causality is when the MPs passed a tampered integrity bill that will make it easier for corrupt leaders to vie for office during the general election in March 2013.
As much as slum residents complain that the members of the parliament are not serious on reform, they might not be aware that the constitution allows them to petition parliament to consider any matter within its authority as spelt out in article 119. It states, Every person has a right to petition parliament to consider any mat-

ter within its authority including to amend, enact or repeal any legislation. Article 204 states that, The state shall establish an equalization fund which will be used by the national government to provide basic services including water, roads, health facilities and electricity to marginalised areas to the extent necessary to bring the quality of those services in those areas to the level generally enjoyed by the rest of the nation, so far as possible. In the slums however, little or nothing at all has changed. In Kibera, for example, there is only one government health centre that is supposed to serve the huge population. Access roads and other social services are virtually non-existent. Residents are still living in squalid conditions. The situation is replicated in all the slums in Nairobi. Article 43 says, Every person has the right to the highest attainable standards of health, accessible and adequate housing and to reasonable standards of sanitation. It also states, Every person has a right to be free from hunger, have adequate food of acceptable quality,

clean and safe water, social security and education. Part three of the article states that the state shall provide appropriate social security for persons who are unable to support themselves and their dependents. On the brighter side the new constitution has ensured there will be devolution of power, equitable sharing of resources and better representation in parliament. Article 89 says there will be 290 constituencies. This created way for the creation of Kibra constituency which means that the residents of Kibera shall have their own constituency. Half of the bills required to have been passed into law before the general election have already been passed. According to the Committee for the Implementation of the Constitution 27 of the 46 bills that are supposed to be passed have already been signed into law. However it appears most of the people living in informal settlements voted for the constitution because their leaders told them to and because the public mood at that time was for a new constitution and without understanding the constitution.

Kibera Mirror: Issue 12

PAGE 7

Pool: Youth turning into addicts

Some even borrow money or sell stuff just to spend the whole day playing the game
By Godwin Oyindo & Peter Ombedha
It is on a cloudy Tuesday around 10a.m and a group of men have set their eyes fixed at one point. A few seconds later a click is heard and their eyes again shift as they follow a small white ball to see whether one of those playing has scored or not. Though it is a working day, they are playing killer, an addictive form of pool that is fast turning into a gambling avenue for many youth especially men in Kibera. Like many slums where most of the youth are jobless, some of the youth are spending whole days at joints that have pool tables to play the sport and earn some money in the process. It is even said that some people who are very good at the game make their living from the proceeds they make from the game. What many of the players do not know is they are turning into gambling addicts. This is because you need to spend hours a day on the table to refine your fundamentals of the game; secondly, you fall into the ambient zone of playing and, what appears to be focusing on the match to you, others may see as engaging in delinquent behaviour. Michael (not his real name), is a watchman by night has been playing every day for the last seven years and does not want to admit that his addiction is costing him. On a good day I make up to 600 shillings but I can lose half or all of it depending on the number of games I play per day. I do not make enough from my watchmans salary so this is where I get extra money to cater for all my needs He says. My biggest problem is that and employment due to gambling. Pool table owners are also making a killing as their pool tables are kept busy from morning to evening. This is a massive business, I open at 9 a.m. and close after 9 p.m., making around 2000 per day, said an owner who did not want to be identified. We are required to have a license even though mine is not up to date. It expired last year, authorities dont really come here regularly and we capitalize on that and when they do, they grab the pool stick and a few balls but on a small tip they let go, he added. John who admits being an addict to the game sees nothing wrong with it as it helps him pass the day as he says. Plus I know lots of people who earn a living from it. As so long as you are not stealing, what is wrong with it? He asks. He however adds that he knows a lot of people who have fallen into debt and even resorted to playing just because of playing pool. Sometimes the players turn violent because money is involved and people have turned the game into an income generating activity, he adds. The community also associate the pool joints with crime and most of the people who are known to spend their time there are thought to be criminals. The area chief for Sarangombe location John Mutai says as so long as a pool playing joint is licenced the government does not have a problem with people playing pool the whole day. As so long as you comply with the law and do not engage in crime, we do not have a problem, He says. He however cautioned those who do not have licences that they risk being arrested.

Society Mirror

Community media houses to step up

By George Bush
Community media houses have been urged to stamp their presence in Kibera by their reporting. This is one of the resolutions made in a workshop on community journalism on August 11. The workshop which took place at Mchanganyiko hall along Karanja road was attended by journalists from the community including those of the Kibera Mirror was aimed at creating a partnership between the local media houses during the election period and also to discuss the role of community media in the slum. Other media groups represented were Victorious, Bone craft, Kibera kids, Voice of Kibera, GBV, Kenya scout, Baraka ZA Ibrahim, Kibera Women network, Pamoja youth foundation, among others. We should not wait for main stream media houses to come and report the happenings in our area. If a mainstream media house reports something in Kibera before we do it, it means we are not doing our jobs, remarked Wycliffe Sunday, the youth coordinator of voice of Kibera, during his presentation. The media houses also resolved to monitor the election period and vet all the aspirants for the general population. There was also a concern that most of the local media houses are internet oriented and thus do not reach the target population as almost everyone does not have internet connection.

Pool players at a local joint. Some lovers of the game admit to borrowing money, selling stuff or even stealing in order to afford playing the game on a daily baPhoto: Peter Ombedha sis.
am addicted to a point that I can loan out my property to come and play plus I dont spend my time with my family. I regret it but my addiction keeps me going. He adds. In order to play, players must first agree on the amount that they will pay for the game. The winner takes it all though 5 percent of the amount collected is paid to the person who records the scores. The balls have to be hit by a certain sequence and each time you miss you are deducted some points. So a person might spend the whole day there hoping that he will win. According to top medical diagnosis website medicinenet.com, gambling is a disease just as addiction to drugs. Some of the symptoms of an addict include: Gambling for the purpose of escaping problems or to relieve sadness or anxiety, Returning to gambling after losing money in an effort to recoup losses and Lying to family or other loved ones, mentalhealth professionals, or others in an effort to hide the extent of the gambling behaviour . Addicts also commit crimes or resort to selling property in order to finance gambling. They also risk important relationships

Pupils from kibera set to use e-learning

By Mirror reporter
The Kenya National library has made a patnership with E-limu and educational organisation to offer lessons on using computes to study to pupils from selected primary schools from the slum. The pupils will visit the library on rotational basis every weekend and be taught to use tablets which are preloaded with educational software. The project which is funded by the Electronic Information For Libraries Network, international organisation based in Europe initially targets only class seven and eight pupils from ten selecte schools in the slum but will be roolled out to other classes if it turns out successfull.

Students sent home at start of third term as teachers strike

Pupils of Olympic Primary School go back home after schools closed immediately after reopening for thirs term on September 3. Most of the students had an extended holiday.
teachers at the institution were hurdled in the staffroom while others were just walking around. The students had to contend with learning by themselves. Others engaged in small talk probably on how they spent their holidays. At Kibera Primary School children were just playing outside the class rooms and outside of the school. There was no teacher around. The schools watchman sent us away.

Photo: Peter Ombedha

Students in Kiberas public schools had to go back home on September 3 as teachers started a nationwide strike against a threat by the teachers service commission to withhold payment for teachers who did not attend class. A spot

check by the Kibera Mirror at Olympic primary school and Kibera primary confirmed that learning was not taking place in the two institutions on the first day of third term. At Olympic primary- which is the biggest public school in Kibera,

However learning went on as usual in informal schools and private schools within the slum. With only four public schools in the area most of the students attend informal schools
Delvin Kolio, a class seven student at the school was just riding a bicycle outside the school in his full school uniform. When we came in

the morning, there were four teachers in the school but since they went back home we are on our own. He said. At Raila Education Center the teachers were just standing outside talking about the strike. The students were however served with breakfast since the schools meals are provided by a sponsor. George Muga, the deputy head teacher said they were to send the students home since no learning was taking place. We will not teach until the day the government will decide to honour the agreement we made in 1997. He said. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has asked for a 300 per cent salary increment and immediate implementation of the 1997 Legal Notice 534 in regard to the allowances payable to teachers. The candidates expected to seat the national examinations which start in a months time will definitely be affected if nothing is done to make the teachers go back to class However learning went on as usual in informal schools and private schools within the slum. With only four public schools in the area most of the students attend informal schools which do not offer good quality education. some of them do not even register their students for the national exams like the ones taking place at the end of this year

Youth business under threat

By Mirror reporter
A row over a public piece of land is threatening the livelihood of over 25 youth who operate a car wash on the piece of land at Waruku slum on the western part of the capital. Land grabbers who claim they own the land which sits on a road reserve are threatening to evict the youth. The youth belonging to Waruku Self Help Group have been operating their business for 5 months now after the chief for Kileleshwa ward allowded them to do their business from the spot Trouble started when the piece of land was secured by unknown people using barbed wire who said the land had already been bought. The youth who make about 200 shillings each per day are crying to the local authority to come to their rescue as they have no source of income.

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Kibera Mirror: Issue 12

LEAGUE UPDATE FOR HOME TEAMS

Karate starts to gain popularity

By Paul Owino & Erick Ouma
Although football remains the most popular sport in Kibera, Martial arts is also catching up fast if the number of gyms and training centres are anything to go by. Driven by the need to learn self-defence and keeping their bodies in shape a lot of people of all ages are trooping to gyms every evening to learn Karate, boxing, tae kwondo or kick-boxing. Black Kenpo Karate Kibera along Kibera drive near AIC church is one such centre. With 150 students currently training there, it is the biggest centre of its kind in Kibera training its members on an all-round empty hand fighting form of Karate known as kenpo karate. It boasts of successful alumni like Geoffrey Nyata who has been Kenyas champion twice and Elkana Indiya who owns another training centre in Mwanza, Tanzania. Master (as he is known) , Michael Otieno Onyango, Kenyas first seventh degree black belt holder in all-round karate is the founder and trainer of all the stars that Kenya has ever had in Kenpo karate. To come up with the whole idea Michael thought of tradition. In his argument karate started here in Africa and whatever is being taught from outside is traditional. Karate started in Africa even them, Chinese and Japanese will tell you they learnt of it from Africa, he said. However there are several theories that say the Chinese and the Japanese were the first ones to practice the sport. However Otieno says, There was war in Africa those days, masters and professors from these countries had spread in Africa and learnt the art before going back to their countries to teach the same to their fellow countrymen. Today they boast of being our mentors, but one thing for sure is what they are teaching is our tradition. Like any other sporting activity karate requires discipline. Otieno attributes the success of his students to it. Though at early stages of learning they might have been chicky and canning they have always been very disciplined while rules though as it is applied if one is attacked and has to defend himself. In Korogocho, on the eastern part of the city, a group of elderly women known as the Martial arts grannies have been teaching themselves karate in order to prevent themselves from rape. Though not a well-known sport in Kenya karate has its league running throughout the year with only one fight every two months, champion is gotten at the end of the season when accumulated points are gathered and tallied. At the top of the current league standings is Dempsey Odhiambo a Kibera resident who Masters current students are viewing as their role model. We are proud to have produced Kenyas finest and even now Dempsey is beating guys in the ring badly, Michael excitedly said. With tournaments still running, Michael Otieno hopes that his student, Dempsey, who has won several fights in different categories in the ring consecutively, ends his season well and might as well be his successor at Black Kenpo. Their next tournament will be held in Mwanza, Tanzania. To get a black belt which is the highest qualification in the sport, one has to train for three consecutive years. During this time you are graded differently starting with white belt for the newly joined students who after getting little conversant with karate. Then you proceed to the next level which is the orange belt then to purple belt before moving to green belt then brown belt. The final stage is the black belt which has 10 degree levels. To attain the rank of Master or professor one has to at least be a third degree black belt holder. Master Michael Otieno Onyango remains so far to be the first and the only Kenyan to attain the seventh degree black belt holder in black kempo karate. He is ranked second in Africa. Karate has several disciplines including Boxing, kick boxing, Tae kwondo, Shotokan, Goju Ryu, Kenpo, Shorin Ryu, Judo, among others which are Chinese, Japanese and Korean martial arts being supported in Kenya. To be a member of the gym one has to pay 200 shillings registration fees and 50 shillings per lesson.

KPL Division 1 zone A

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TEAM Bandari Bidco United Kariobangi Sharks AP Mahakama Ligi Ndogo Admiral Congo JMJ Unt Nairobi Stima K.R.A. Sparki Youth Moyas Magongo Rangers Kibera Celtic Coast United KSL Thola Glass Iron Strikers Green Berets Gatundu Stars Mathare Youth

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Michael Otieno Master showcases his skills outside the Black Kenpo School of Discipline along Kibera drive. The centre is the largest in Kibera with 150 students Photo:David Otieno
at the ring. Discipline defines success, while at the ring my students understand that it is a sport therefore rules must be followed. He adds There are three forms of the Karate: sport karate, self-defence karate and physical fitness karate. As a sport it involves rules that must be followed. An example of such rule is during a fight no opponent should bleed as it may lead to disqualification. During the game one earns points by hitting his opponent on the cheeks and stomach. These parts are supposed to be covered by a protective material to avoid injury. Hitting anywhere else may lead to disqualification. Referees should be present in the game to

Nairobi Provincial League

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In Korogocho,a group of elderly women known as the Martial arts grannies have been teaching themselves karate in order to prevent themselves from rape.
make sure these rules are followed. Self-defence karate has no

20 Pioneer United

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Best slum films showcased

By Nichodemus Odalo
The best film makers from Nairobis slums were awarded for their exemplary work during gala of the Slum Film Festival at Alliance Franaise on August 23. The festival which ran simultaneously at Mathare and Kibera for one week showcased films made by and about slums. During the week-long festival, residents in two of Nairobis largest slums got a chance to watch films from projector screens mounted at public grounds simultaneously for one week every evening. The idea was to raise a positive perspective of the slums and create awareness about the growing film industry in the slums. Out of 33 films that were show cased, some of the films that were awarded at the gala include short dramas like Step Mothers, Brave and In-laws. In-laws, directed by Joash Magelo from Kibera Film School won the category. The best documentary was won by a documentary shot in Uganda called, Zebu and the photo fish directed by Tony Kinyua. The best music film was Afar. Speaking to the Kibera Mirror during the event, Cathy Stephens a film maker from the Netherlands said she really appreciated the films being made by upcoming film producers in Kenya. The films shown here today were of good standard and very inspiring. However I would urge the film producers to also concentrate in the rural areas as there is also talent there only that there is no one to inspire the producers there, she said Eraston Walter, a student at the Hot Sun Foundation said he appreciated the effort being made by film producers in the slums who operate under difficult circumstances like lack of enough members of the cast Sometimes I have to double cast and direct the film at the same time which is quite challenging, he said of his experience. Filmmakers from the slums face special challenges. Budgets are small or non-existent. The lack of resources means filming is done on-location instead of sets.

KIBERA MIRROR

The Kibera Mirror, is a monthly community newspaper published and distributed for free by Shining Hope For Communities as part of its programs aimed at empowering the youth through developing their media skills and also to bring attention to the issues affecting the residents of Kibera and other informal settlements. All the work that goes into production of this newspaper is done by youth from Kibera. Correspondence should be addressed to kiberamirror@shininghopeforcommunities.com. You can also visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/kiberamirror for constant news updates, photos and videos . News and advertising: 0721689996, 020-2329661