Around Town

Joy, Bonding, Unity and Love in Kibera [PHOTOS]

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On our last day at FAFU, I look back in amazement at how fast the week has passed. We have learned so much in the short time we have been in Kibera, and I don’t think any of us will forget our time here. Each morning, Simeon, the founder and director of the school, shared a word with us, and it was intended to be our motivation for the day. I would now like to share the lessons we have learned during our time at FAFU:

Joy
Bonding
Unity
Love

[Editor’s Note: This week, we are publishing posts from Julia Douglas of the New Canaan YMCA as she writes from Nairobi, Kenya, where she’s volunteering with a team working in the world’s second largest slum, Kibera. Read all of Julia’s posts here.]

Around Town

As Playground Plans Erode, a Silver Lining Emerges

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The idea to build a playground at FAFU was conceived almost two years ago, and since that time the New Canaan YMCA has been working to make that vision a reality. Along the way, we partnered with Kids Around the World, a nonprofit, which specializes in bringing playgrounds to children who are the “victims of war, natural disaster, injustice, and economic stress.” The organization has constructed playgrounds in 60 countries over the past 20 years, and continues to grow its presence around the world. Kenya has one of the most challenging customs agencies to navigate, and according to Dave, with Kids Around the World, there is no way to ensure your items arrive to the designated location in a safe and timely manner. Our playground has been one such item. The playground arrived to Kenya in December 2015, and was finally cleared by customs late Tuesday afternoon.

Around Town

FAFU: An Oasis Amid ‘Rotting Food, Human Waste and Burning Charcoal’

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On our first day in Kibera, Facing the Future, or “FAFU,” was likened to an oasis, and I’m not sure we fully comprehended the comparison until we had the opportunity to visit a couple of the students’ homes today. The first day we arrived we had taken, what appeared to be the main roadway through Kibera, and walked a side path the rest of the way to FAFU. I truly thought that we had gotten a glimpse into what Kibera was like, but today I see how truly naïve that assumption was. The slum is approximately the same size as Central Park, and the deeper you go into the mud and corrugated tin maze, the worse the living conditions become. There was a small trench that ran alongside the footpath, and it was filled with sewage and garbage.

Around Town

New Canaan Y Reps Welcomed at FAFU in Nairobi

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There are so many things I could write about today, and honestly, to look back and reflect on everything is somewhat overwhelming. Instead, I’m going to focus on one small part of the day that had a powerful, and I’m sure lasting, impact on the group: Our immediate arrival at Facing the Future in the Kibera Slum of Nairobi, Kenya. FAFU is not accessible by vehicle, as it is located on a very narrow dirt pathway. In order to reach the school, you need to have your vehicle drop you off and then walk the remainder of the way. It’s only a 5-minute walk, but in that short time you step across active railroad tracks and jump across a trench filled with waste.

Around Town

New Canaan YMCA Group Arrives in Nairobi, Kenya

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[Editor’s Note: This week, we are publishing posts from Julia Douglas of the New Canaan YMCA as she writes from Nairobi, Kenya, where she’s volunteering with a team to build a playground in the world’s second largest slum, Kibera.]

We arrived at Jomo Kenyatta Airport after more than 24 hours of travel, and the exhaustion quickly shifted to excitement as we stepped off of the plane. We had finally arrived in Kenya, our flights had been fantastic, and we were ready to begin this adventure. The initial visa and passport checks went smoothly, and we proceeded to fill the carts with luggage and duffle bags full of school supplies. We had 12 bags in total, most of them labeled with New Canaan YMCA logos, to say we stood out a little would be a gross understatement. We continued our preparations to leave the airport, and feet from the exit we were stopped by a customs official asking to speak to the leader of our group.