Making the slum flourish

During my research trip in Kenya in spring 2023, the activist and community organiser Alfred Ayoro invited me to visit Kibera where he grew up. Kibera is the biggest slum in Kenya and arguably all over the African continent with Hundert thousands of people living with close to no public services. Alfred gave me a rare chance to learn more about the hardships and strength of the people living in Kibera. I was deeply impressed by the engagement and skills of young people who are determined to make the slum more equitable, greener, and more resilient. In this reportage I try to link insights into people’s everyday lives with the ongoing political crisis in Kenya and the socioecological changes that the communities are facing. Shortly after publication, protests erupted again in Kibera and all over Kenya.