The slum children of Kibera really gotta go!
No, we're not advocating disposing of children!
However, when children gotta go, they gotta go.
Change a flying toilet into a drop toilet
In the Kibera slum (the largest urban slum in Africa), there are only 600 drop toilets for over a million residents. That’s over 1650 people to 1 toilet, which is a looooooooong queue when you’re desperate!
Subsequently, the majority of residents use ‘flying toilets’, which involves defecating into a plastic bag and then throwing it out of the window. This leads to very unsanitary living conditions throughout the slum and promotes the spread of disease.
(The endless piles of rubbish including hundreds of 'flying toilet' bags cover much of the ground in Kibera)
Future Stars Development and Rescue Centre
At Future Stars Development and Rescue Centre, we provide a home for orphans and abandoned children, as well as a free primary school for some of the most vulnerable children of the slum.
Every day, there are over 65 children, plus their teachers and carers, who need a place to go to the toilet.
Originally, there were two drop toilets in place for the children to use. However, back in April, 3-year-old Tashley almost fell down the hole after her foot broke through the floor. Thankfully, an older child was on hand to prevent her from disappearing down the 30-foot deep hole.
(Little Tashley)
On May 15th, the health inspector paid a visit to the centre and the toilets were condemned. He ordered that they be demolished immediately to prevent any unauthorized usage. This was carried out later that day.
The Dangers of Disease
The children are now forced to defecate in the open, or to use plastic bags which are then left to decompose. This waste can easily contaminate drinking water and the transmission of disease, both from consuming the water and from the presence of excrement in the vicinity of the children’s play space, is inevitable.
There are a huge number of diseases that are known to be caused, worsened, or transmitted through poor hygiene and sanitation. Many of these can prove permanently disabling or even fatal, particularly to vulnerable children.
How can we stand back and let even one child become sick or die simply for the lack of a hole in the ground?
It’s only a hole in the ground
A hole in the ground is all we need to make a vast difference to both the health and the dignity of these children.
Our plan is to dig a new toilet hole upon which a floor will be laid. This will then be divided into five individual cubicles using stone and iron sheeting. The stone will come from the quarry in Kibera and labour will also be sourced within the slum, thus providing work and wages to those who really need them. In this way, funds can do good twice – in providing essential facilities for the children, and in ensuring a few families can afford a proper meal.
How much does all this cost?
We’re looking to raise a total of £750 for the project. A breakdown of costs is shown below (prices in Kenyan shillings). We need to add extra to cover the cost of transferring the money to Kenya and for currency exchange.
Who are we?
We are Chaffinch, a small charity founded in February 2014 and with our registered office in York, UK. We raise funds to provide for some of the most vulnerable children of Kibera through the Future Stars Development and Rescue Centre. This includes providing food, clothing, school fees for older children, accommodation, the free primary education, medical treatment, and all the sundry expenses involved in looking after over 65 children.
Our website is at www.chaffinch.org.uk and we also have a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/chaffinch.org.
The children say ‘Asante Sana’
The children of Future Stars are very excited at the prospect of having new facilities. They are looking forward to hearing about everyone who expresses an interest and chooses to make a difference in their lives. They would like to say ‘asante sana’ (thank you very much) to each and every person who can find it in their heart to care.
Want to help us in another way?
There are so many ways to support our ongoing work, including many ideas that won't cost you a penny. For suggestions of ways to get involved, please visit www.chaffinch.org.uk/donate/ways-to-help.