Eight years have passed since my last visit to the slum known as Mathare Valley in Nairobi, Kenya. During this time memories of children lapping water out of sewage-filled streams and eating food off garbage heaps haunted me. I wanted to believe conditions had improved, that the 180,000 residents were somehow being rescued from poverty and disease. I hoped to see pure running water, toilets, new homes and adequate food.
But as our vehicle enters the slum, my hopes are quickly dashed. (read more…)
