Daily Life Part II - A Different View

Last week I had my first opportunity to go into the "field".  This meant visiting refugees at their homes, either because they cannot make it to the office (no money for the bus or no one to watch the children) or because we want to evaluate their living situation (size of home/room, number of people living at that location, access to clean water, bathroom facilities, etc.).  The whole experience was eye-opening, starting with the journey there.  Upon entering one of the refugee neighborhoods, the road became impassable by car.

The homes we visited in this particular area ranged from a tiny one-room tin shed that housed 6 people, to a two-room apartment in a seven + story apartment building.



Above - view heading towards a one-room dwelling, entrance through the opening at the end and then to the left.

Right - the "kitchen"

Below -  view from inside looking out.  Note the child's toy car in the bottom right (stick with wheel).

View of apartment buildings. 



This area of Nairobi is called Eastleigh and has a thriving economy.  The main street is filled with markets, shopping malls and businesses.  We had lunch at a local restaurant that sold cappuccinos for 30 cents! Eastleigh is predominantly Somali and is known as "Little Mogadishu".  Although a bustling commercial center, where many go to do their shopping, Eastleigh is lagging in infrastructure.  Many homes do not have indoor plumbing and the potholes in the streets can swallow cars.  As you can see  above and below, the streets are littered with  garbage, causing quite a stench in the neighborhood. And dust is everywhere - I can only imagine what it's like when it rains!

One block off the main street of Eastleigh.

Seems like a world away from downtown Nairobi!