We went to Korogocho, which at 200,000 has the largest slum population in Nairobi. One of the biggest problems in the community is around the environment and garbage. The slums are right next to a landfill where all the garbage in Nairobi is dumped. There is a lot of illegal dumping, and when the toxins from the garbage combusts, all the gas floats into the community endangering the lives of its residents.
The community's response to this problem (and many others) has been to organize young people. In this case, young people go around to collect garbage from individual homes to bring to the dumpsite, which alleviates illegal dumping, provides clean water for showers, and encourages community-wide recycling, among other benefits.
It was a humbling experience, thinking about how much garbage I threw out just before packing for this trip. The culture of consumption in the US has spread globally and the impact of things we take for granted becomes someone else's problem in their backyard. The idea that waste is not waste until wasted is one that I want to think about especially in terms of my own practice and consciousness.
On a personal level, being part of the GGJ delegation has been great. As I write, the communications team who put this blog together is reflecting on the day together. Having this time and space to talk, debate, and share different perspectives is just as much a part of the experience as being in Kenya and learning about the context of struggle in this country. I am thankful to have the privilege to be in this space.
by Helena/CAAAV
photo by Ansje Miller
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