Land of the shadow

Standing on the edge of Mathare Valley (the oldest slum in Nairobi), you can look down on a vast area 2 two kilometres in length, crammed with tiny shacks.

They stand back to back, each measuring about 8ft by 6ft and usually housing over 10 people. The slum is home to over 500,000 people. Nairobi river flows through the heart of the slum.

By the time the river has reached Mathare Valley it has collected all kinds of rubbish and debris along the way. This river provides the only water source and, as can be expected, is the cause of much disease and death. The inhabitants of Mathare Valley are mostly unemployed; there is not enough work available. As a consequence this area has become renowned for being a home to criminals, drug addicts and prostitutes.

When first entering the slum, seeing for the first time the reality and ultimate despair of poverty, it was simply inconceivable to compare the Western World with what was now before me. Children crying, covered in dirt and grime, sew-age running through every path in the slum's labyrinth, piles of rubbish lying heaped around some of the homes and a strong repugnant stench emanating from all around. These and many, many more reasons can make you want to turn and run, to try and pretend that such a place does not exist - yet it does.

Writing on the wall

Women, men and children all live and die in this place. Standing in a dimly-lit room in the centre of the slum, as I tried to comprehend the horror I was witnessing, these words in Matthew's Gospel, written on the wall, confronted me: 'The people living in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in the land of the shadow of death a great light has dawned'.

Since 1994 a Kenyan pastor, Daniel Ogutu, has been responding to some of the many needs of the inhabitants of Mathare Valley. At the very heart of this slum Daniel has set up a school. The numbers are continuing to grow and last term there were 350 children in regular attendance.

Education

Education is something very much taken for granted in the West, but in Kenya schooling has a price. Not surprisingly most people are unable to afford schooling, therefore there is a high rate of illiteracy. Providing the slum children with a free education gives them a chance to break out of the vicious generational cycle.

At the school the children are taught a wide range of subjects including English, Kiswahili and, most importantly, they learn about Jesus. All the teachers are Christians and many of them have given up high-salaried careers to teach in the slum. They are a dedicated group of people who truly love God. The school does not only provide education, but the children also receive a good, nutritious meal each day. The feeding programme has dramatically reduced the child mortality rate. This meal, for many of the children, is the only meal they will receive each day.

Aids has hit Kenya in a devastating way and many children have lost both of their parents to the disease. The children are all needy, but they have a reason to hope. This school has been the first building block to bringing real change to the area. As a result, once a week the children's mothers are being taught basic health care and dietary needs.

Sponsors?

There are two reasons for writing this article: Firstly, I hope that it has brought some encouragement in demonstrating the faithfulness of our Kenyan brothers and sisters.

While I had the opportunity to see this project I realised that there was little I could really do to help, because the project lacks one thing. . . money. During my time in Mathare Valley I learned from Daniel Ogutu that for this project to continue providing in such a way for these children, there is a real need for child sponsorship.

So the second reason for writing is to try to find sponsors who can support a child from this project. £16 a month pays for one child's education, food and a school uniform.

If you would like to sponsor a child or learn more about the project, please write to Child Sponsorship Programme, 16 Artillery Road, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4NW.

Emily Kennard

© Evangelicals Now - May 2000
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