A member of the Soweto Forum in door to door campaign explains the SMS action to a Peter, a slum dweller ©Amnesty International
Evangelia Papada is in Kenya
We left the hotel at 8am and headed for the high-rise project, one of the entry points to Kibera, the biggest slum in Kenya and perhaps in the entire continent.
It has been a very exciting day from the start. Immediately after we arrived, we met with the ISSA community project in Laini Saba, one of Kibera’s most active neighbourhoods. We have planned to march through Kibera and raise support and interest for our action with a street theatre act.
Eventually, we arrived in the neighbourhood of Soweto and met with Amnesty International Secretary General, Irene Khan, and a team of colleagues and journalists. In an atmosphere of traditional dancing and celebration, Irene Khan addressed the crowd and urged everybody to speak out, to tell the Kenyan government what it means for them to live with dignity. It was a very special event, one of joy and people participation.
The response has been very positive. Some of the texts we have received from Kibera are truly inspiring. I would like to share some with you:
For me, living with dignity means “setting principles to your ways and standard of living and be true to them.” Anonymous, Kenya
“Dignity is having three meals a day. Clean water. shelter. Good roads. justice for all but not for the few corrupt” Peter, Kenya
“Dignity refers to carrying humanity with respect and honour” Anonymous, Kenya
am a new online member here and could like to thank amnesty international for that great initiative. am a planning student in the university of nairobi and could like to be actively involved in your activities alongside the e-activism. is this possible? thanks
“Demand Dignity” is a campaign after my own heart. Thank you Amnesty International.
I love the idea behind this campaign and I fully agree that we need to demand dignity for all people worldwide no matter what their class status is, etc. It makes me sad to think of all of the people in the US as well that do not get three meals a day, running water, or shelter simply because they cannot afford it. A lot of people leave out those in the US, UK, etc do the status of their country, but we need not forget the many that exist in those places as well.
Iam a father of three children and have lived in Kebera soweto east from 1990 when i was in college.I got married while staying in the slums and now Iam a proud father of three,my first born in form one.
Life in slums is not worthy living.Is very bad and there is nothing better to be proud of.One can imagine a toilet waste flowing next to ones door step after the toilet fills up.When it rains everywhere is soft mud mixed with all kinds of waste.Sometime you step on human waste in a paper bag and as you goes to job,you will smell the bad smell not knowing is on your shoes.
I thank the govement for the move to get better living standards for the people.
The move should be done in a better way,that is the stakeholders should have been consulted and a better way to effect the changes be agreed on.
1.I invested all my income in bulding structures which I have been living in and extra ones collecting Rent to support the family and educate my kids.We were forcefully evicted without being given an alternative.If the Government gave us a small plot elsewhere as landlords,then we could take our materials for safety.Our investments are all gone to waste.We dont know where to start again because the young ones are in school and we dont know where to get support from.
2. We did not come to Kibera by mistake,we were allocated the land by the adminstration after paying a fee.we are Real Kenyans and have been there for more than twenty years which qualifies us to be given the land we occupy to own.This way we can do better houses.
3.It is inhuman for a child who was born there and has known Kibera as the home,one day to be told to leave without being told where to go.