A Glimpse of Life in Korogocho, Nairobi, September 2013
In September 2013 I visited Korogocho, one of the many informal settlements (or “slums”) in the city of Nairobi, with colleagues from the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC). APHRC has been carrying out household surveys in Korogocho and other areas of Nairobi for more than a decade, as well as assisting with various community development projects. These photos present just a glimpse of the daily living environment for residents of Korogocho.
Learn more about Korogocho on the APHRC website; it includes a short video depicting life there created shortly after I visited.
There are few paved streets in Korogocho, but they are crowded with market stalls
A variety of goods for sale
Housing in Korogocho is of poor quality, often constructed of whatever materials are available
The houses are crowded together; many families have only a single room
Although many units have electricity…
…most do not have running water or indoor plumbing
Open sewers are common
Even so, most residents pay rent for their living quarters
This area has become an open trash heap
These toilets have been abandoned because the area was too dangerous for women after dark
That’s why APHRC helped construct this community toilet
We dropped in on an informal school sponsored by a church; this is the “baby class” for ages 3-5
Further down the road is the Big Pen Academy
The buildings are solid, but in poor repair
Classrooms are ill-equipped; unfortunately I did not get a photo inside
Children pose in front of a water tank
At the edge of Korogocho is the Dandora waste site, dumping ground for much of Nairobi’s trash
It’s a large area and not formally managed
Fires were burning as we passed, and it’s not clear whether intentionally set or spontaneous
Land near the dump is cultivated; this view is looking down over a sheer drop
We stopped by a small community health center that provides minimal diagnostic and preventive services
As we headed back to the office, we stopped to let a herd of goats pass