Kibera is the largest slum in Africa, and among one of the largest in the world. It hosts approximately half a million people who are not officially acknowledged by the Kenyan government. Most of the slum’s residents live in extreme poverty, earning less than $1/ day. Unemployment rates are high and diseases such as AIDS and HIV are common, and even cholera and typhoid frequently run through Kibera. The majority of the households do not have access to basic needs, including electricity, running water, and medical care. 

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Education is often said to be the key to a better life. At Red Rose, we try to be part of that key to start to improve our students’ lives and their future opportunities. However, in aiming to do so, we face many challenges. First of all, the lack of access to information for both the parents and the school causes a first barrier. Most parents, due to various reasons, most primarily severe poverty and lack of an education themselves, do not see the value of education for their children. This leads to the children being absent from class often, due to the lack of school fees or because they are involved with other income generating activities for the family. This sometimes doubles up with domestic issues, such as fighting parents, prostitution in the family home or even abuse. 

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Our staff provides much more than just the standard education to the children, they are also mentors and guardians to their students. They know the personal, sometimes complex and vulnerable, stories of each of the children and are therefore uniquely placed to be a support network that is often lacking.