You never really choose to be born in the slums; you wake up one day and realize that you are in a community full of injustices. In a vicious cycle that is hard to escape. Young people who come from places like this often end up on drugs to escape reality. Looking for money to support their drug and alcohol habits and a sense of belonging, the young boys join gangs in the slums to rob and mug people in and outside Mathare slums leading to insecurity in Mathare slums, the city of Nairobi, and the whole country of Kenya, and sometimes they end up in jail or, even worse, an early grave. The young girls live under the fear of being raped; some turn to prostitution to earn a living, leading to the rise of teen pregnancies and abortion cases, which further damage their emotional wellbeing.
The children and youth in Mathare slums live in pathetic conditions. Most of the children come from single-parent homes, while others come from very poor families since their parents are sick, unemployed, or underemployed. Orphans who are helpless after both or one of their parents die of HIV/AIDS or other causes are forced to face the harsh reality of an unbearable slum life. These children and youth have no one to care for them in this dangerous slum.
The most disheartening of all is learning that children who would be in school run about in tattered clothes, hassling for something to eat, and looking for any open space to play. These children have nothing except their life and age in common with the children in better-placed city localities. This is the common reality and destiny of many children in Mathare Valley.
Despite the gloomy outlook in Mathare slums, at Light and Hope Initiative, we believe that offering education opportunities, mentorship, and entrepreneurship support is the only effective way to engage at-risk young people and help them come out of the vicious cycle of poverty. Through our efforts, we’ve witnessed successes and will continue to build on them as we strive to uplift those trapped in the clutches of poverty. We invite anyone passionate about making a change to join hands with us in our mission to equip at-risk young people in Mathare Slums.
