Always Feeling Humbled

In the end, I did not make it to Kibera. The concierge was unable to leave work on time and I needed to be out of Kibera before it got dark. I'm up in the area on whether or not this was a good thing. For emotional as I can become, I'm not sure that I could have maintained my composure through the visit. Kibera is roughly 1.25 square miles and has a population of 1 million people. The average home is 10 feet squared and is inhabited by 5 people. How does one comprehend such living conditions. While I was incarcerated, I was in a cell that would have held about 8 people. The house I live in would be inhabited by 110 people. Simply, incomprehensible.

I did meet with two of the organizers from the Tuendelee Mbele EPZ Workers Welfare - HIV/AIDS Education Project. Tuendelee Mbele stand for We Continue Forward." It's located in the Ruaraka slum area. The EPZ's are Export Processing Zones where many garment factories are located. I will be going to meet with the larger group this afternoon/evening. The group was organized by several union organizers that were put down by the government during a country wide effort several years ago. One man, John, wheres a deep scar on the back of his head -- the result of a clubbing during the strike. I was hooked up with this group by two Canadian volunteers that were in Bungoma the same time as me last year.

I am talking to them about my experiences living with HIV. They recently had a training of 30 peer leaders and did testing. Some of those tested are now dealing with the fact that they are HIV+. Stigma and discrimination reigns high. Additionally, women workers make up about 70% of the work force. They are often subject to forced sexual relations in order to keep their jobs. Because of this, HIV continues to spread throughout the community.

I wish this entry could be a bit more upbeat, but it is the reality of the rampant poverty and the result affects on HIV infection. The bright side is that workers are beginning to strive for healthier working conditions.

Tomorrow morning I'll be headed to Bungoma. The bus leaves from downtown at 8AM. I should arrive in Bungoma by 4 or 5PM. Despite the relatively short distance (200 miles) the speed of the bus is hampered by the poor road conditions. I'm excited about being back in Bungoma and the work I'll be doing.