As a westerner walking through the paths and walkways of the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya, one is bound to hear the phrase “How are you?” from the mouths of countless children. Children come running as fast as they can when they see white skin, all the while yelling “How are you?”. Surprisingly, during my few hours in Kibera not one of these children asked for money, instead all they wanted was their picture taken.
Kibera is one of the largest slums in the world, with an estimated population of 1 million people, all packed into a three square mile area. The entire area is riddled with garbage and open sewer systems. There are relatively few public toilets so most people use “flying toilets” more popularly known as a plastic bag that can be thrown into a stream after use.
