In January of 2009 we traveled to Kenya with an organization called Global Connections. While there we stepped into the second largest slum in the World, Kibera, where around 1,000,000 people live within a square mile. It was in Kibera that we began to understand how the lack of education tragically affects the low income children of Kenya.

The Problem

As we walked through the streets of Kibera we saw every plague known to poverty- disease, endemic HIV/Aids, drug use, orphans, child prostitution, abuse, rape, and even open latrines. It did not take long to see that like so many other low income Kenyan communities the children carry much of the burden for the community. Many children suffer with inherited HIV aids, others are forced by their parents into prostitution, and others are even sold out as child laborers. Talking to the locals we began to understand that Kibera exists because the Kenyan government has turned its back on the community. Although they provided squatting-land for the 1 million+ and some basic education for primary students, they offer no clean water, food, or healthcare.

When leaving Kibera that day our hearts were torn. How could we help? What was the real need? Looking back on our time living in Uganda, and talking to the locals we soon pinpointed where we wanted to begin our efforts to fight for the children in Kibera.

The Solution

Education. The children in Kibera, like other children across Kenya, find themselves in a downward cycle. They cannot get jobs because they do not have enough education, but they cannot pay the expensive cost for high school education because they cannot find quality jobs. If we can help provide education to low income children, then they will have opportunities to find employment. As children are educated they will bring back into their communities businesses and impetus for projects to provide clean water and healthcare that will improve the lives of those in the community. Leaving Kenya in January of 2009 we had a dream, to build a high school for the children of Kibera. This was a dream that we would soon discover to be too small.

In June of 2009, Annie and I returned to Kenya to learn how to build high schools for the children of Kibera. The question that would carry us through the rest of the summer is how do we form and build these schools. Over the next six weeks we were regularly able to meet with Kenyan principles, the Ministry of Education, landowners, contractors, and even a group who has built over 50 schools. During our time in Kenya our relationships with those who wished to join us in the building of high schools spanned from America, England, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. As people began to catch onto our dream we began to see that our goal of building one school was too small. We were learning the ropes and we were seeing more and more communities in need.

Stepping into the Kibera slum lit a spark. While our hearts were first tugged in Kibera, our vision has expanded to looking for ways that we can fight for children all over Kenya. We are beginning with education, because with it we have found a focused need that will make a lasting impact in the generations to come. In time we may expand the route we choose to help these communities, but for now we are focused on providing an education for children who may not have the opportunity to attend high school otherwise.