MYSA

Saturday morning we met early to go on another visit. We bused to Mathare, the second largest slum in Nairobi. We walked through Mathare, most of which is situated on a hillside. The sanitation issues were even more apparent here than they were in Kibera on Friday. As we trudged up the tiny paths, we slid around in the mud and slime. A dirty stream ran through the settlement, and livestock grazed in pens just near the river’s edge. Kids played near the toxic water, and it was quite apparent that there were not many sinks around for them to wash before they ate.

As we walked through, we received the typical calls of “Mzungu!” and choruses of “Howareyou, howareyou, howareyou”. We were allowed to take our cameras out at certain times, and the kids went nuts. I suppose they don’t see themselves often, so after showing them a picture I had snapped, they almost knocked me over trying to have their turn! 

They were adorable, but as we walked through we felt very conspicuous and intrusive. It was very humbling to see, but it also served as a reminder that we need to be respectful of the complex situation of the people in the slums.

Our walk ended at a library of MYSA, the Mathare Youth Sports Association. The organization has been around since the 80s and has made a huge difference in Mathare. It began as a way to bring kids together to play soccer. Its league continues today, but it has expanded in scope to do other things for the community like providing free books.

We were lucky enough to see a street performance by a group of MYSA volunteers. 

The performers began by playing drums to draw people in. They then performed a skit about family planning (in Swahili, so I understood close to nothing). They wrapped up the time by dancing and singing and even pulled in a few members of our group.

After the performance the MYSA guides treated us to lunch at a local restaurant. It was a little sketchy…we sat at any open seat and noted a few cockroaches. Tried not to think too much because I was hungry. 

Supuu Dishes (supuu=beautiful) might not get many return customers from our group but it was tough to be picky after seeing the conditions of the slum.

My dish was not supuu...but it was an incredible day!