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Community
In Mgongeni basic living conditions are unacceptable. There is massive
overcrowding resulting in substandard housing, inadequate water supply, poor
drainage and inadequate sewage disposal. There is no rubbish collection so it is
everywhere which encourages rats and other rodents that spread disease. The area
floods in the rainy season undermining houses, leaving stagnant water where
mosquitoes and other parasites breed. There is chronic poverty made worse by
neglect. Many children do not attend school, there is high unemployment and with
no benefit system many people live below the breadline. There are no medical
facilities so many people die of diseases that are treatable.
Housing
Mgongeni is not a shanty town. Most houses are built of coral blocks with corrugated
iron roofs. To meet demand landlords have used inferior materials, cheap construction
and unskilled labour. Many houses are now dilapidated from lack of investment and
repairs.
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Most people live in Swahili houses which are single storey buildings with a central
corridor and 4 rooms on either side. Each family occupies one 14ft x 14ft
room. Some houses have electricity but none have running water. People cook on a
single charcoal stove and use smoky kerosene lamps for lighting. There is a pit
latrine that is shared by all the families.
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Inside a Swahili house
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A few people live in traditional houses, made from wooden poles with lattice and
mud walls and either thatched or corrugated iron roofs.
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A Traditional House
There are no planning laws or building regulations. The houses are crammed
together as land is expensive and there is overcrowding. Access for emergency
vehicles is very difficult, especially fire-engines, so when there is a fire the
consequences are often catastrophic with properties being destroyed and loss of
lives.
Water
Water is piped into the community from a distant reservoir. The pipes are too small
to supply the necessary volume and after 50 years they are in urgent need of replacement.
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The reservoir supplies most of the Coastal region and is no longer sufficient
to meet the growing demand. The result is a break in supply for up to two or three
days a week. When it is available women commonly queue for up to 3 hours for their
drum of water.
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Women queuing for water
Mustard Seed Project has built a well to help meet demand. After 2 months of digging
by hand water was found 83ft below ground level. Money is required to build
at least 4 more wells to ensure that everybody has enough clean drinking water.
Efforts are being made to introduce water harvesting for washing and general use
but like anything new it takes time for people to become accustomed to the idea.
The well being dug by hand
Rubbish Collection
The Municipal council has never collected rubbish from Mgongeni and as there is
no designated waste area it is spread all over the community.
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In places it is like a landfill site and is a breeding ground for rats, flies
and other creatures that spread disease.The women and the youth are going to clear
the rubbish so that the land can be used for urban horticulture and recreational
purposes. The visual affect on the community will be tremendous and will hopefully
encourage people to feel proud and value their environment.
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Rubbish and floods. The cause
of many diseases
To maintain the environment both the women and youth will then set up rubbish collection
and recycling businesses. Householders will pay a small amount each week to have
their rubbish collected. Negotiations are progressing with the council for them
to agree to collect the rubbish and dispose of it in landfill. People in Mgongeni
deserve the same services as people in more affluent areas.
Flooding
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There is no drainage systems in the slum and so rain water finds the lowest point.
arts of Mgongeni flood to a depth of 3ft and more making many houses uninhabitable.
This means that the pit latrines are filled with water, overflow, spreading
raw sewage over the community. Many houses have built there own flood defences that
prevent the properties being flooded but the residents are then marooned.
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One of many flooded areas
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Mustard Seed has introduced members of the Mgongeni CBO (Community Based Organisation)
to leaders of the Municipal Council. They subsequently started lobbying them to
take action and build flood relief systems. After a concerted campaign the Council
have dug large soak-aways to collect the water. If these do not drain naturally
the Council will empty them to reduce flood levels.
A soak-away being built to handle the flood waters
If the soak-a-ways are successful at controlling the flooding then the land could
be used for horticulture and the soak-aways converted for water harvesting to provide
water for irrigation.
Stagnant Water
Malaria, the biggest killer in Mgongeni is caused by the mosquitoes that breed
in the stagnant flood water. To fight this menace Mustard Seed and the CBO
sought and found an affordable supply of treated mosquito nets so that most families
now have one. They
have also approached the council to work in partnership with them to treat the stagnant
water to prevent the larvae hatching. If the Council provides equipment, chemicals
and training, then the community will carry out the spraying of all stagnant pools.
Chronic Poverty
For the poorest in society their standard of living continues to deteriorate.
Only small charities working in Africa reach the people with greatest need. Food
inflation is close to 20% which has had a devastating effect on the poor. Maize
flour the staple ingredient has increased from KSh85 (Kenya shillings) in
October for a two kilograms bag that lasts an average family for a day to KSh130. With a daily income of about 100KSH
many people now go hungry. There is not yet mass starvation but people do not have
a balanced diet and malnutrition is widespread.
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Many children are denied education because they cannot afford a uniform, shoes and
books. Although primary education from age 7 is free early education has to be paid
for and there are conditions. Those who
miss the early years can never catch up when taught in classes of 80 to 100.
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Children denied education
through poverty
With no social security, benefits or welfare support many families struggle just
to survive. People lucky enough to have a job are expected to support their immediate
and extended family which means that they are also very poor.
Unemployment
More than 65% of the population of Mgongeni is unemployed. This is even higher in
the 16 to 25 year age group where very few have jobs. Another lost generation and
so much talent wasted. Efforts are being made to encourage the youth to seek training
for work or to start their own small businesses. At the request of the young people
Mustard Seed set up a computer training centre but take up from this group has been
poor. Already many have descended into a life of unemployment, doing nothing, having
no interests and accepting this as an inevitable future.
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Action needs to be taken before it is too late. Money is urgently needed to start
vocational training workshops to give them skills that will make them employable.
They need their confidence building to encourage them to believe that they can achieve
and lift themselves out of poverty and make a real difference to their own lives,
their families and the community.
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Discussing future aspiration with the youth
Single Families and the Elderly
For many families life gets harder. Family breakdown is endemic leaving many mothers
to bring up, feed and educate the children on a very small income.
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Recently the HIV AIDS epidemic has killed whole generations leaving the elderly
grand parent to bring up the grand children on a very small pension. This is causing
real hardship for everyone and the situation gets worse. Orphans are mostly adopted
by the extended family putting more pressure, and strain on families. In African
society parents expect to be looked after by their children in their old age.
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Security
After dark Mgongeni is dangerous. Unemployment and drugs mean that many have turned
to crime as the only option. The criminal may not be from the community but some
are.
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With no police force and only a few private security guards the thieves feel safe
in the dark, but the population do not. Following their success with the flood defences the
CBO have turned to the MP for help and he has found government funding to erect
large security lights that illuminates most of the village. This is another success
for empowerment.
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Security lighting
The committee followed this by demanding that the Municipal Council erect streetlights
along the main roads and this project has already started. Another success.
The Community Based Organisation (CBO)
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Mustard seed helped the community to set up and register the Mgongeni Community
Based Organisation (CBO) something between a parish council and a charity. It’s
remit is to build relationships with the Council, the Chief, the MP and other influential
bodies then get them to support the fight for a real future.
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Elders and members of the CBO
Mustard Seed and the CBO are beginning to make a difference. Members now have the
confidence to get involved and start using their voices. Important people
in power are beginning to listen.
Amir Thoya
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Amir Thoya has been elected as village representative on the Freretown Council:
he also represents the community on an influential committee of the Municipal council.
Adjacent communities are beginning to notice the changes taking place in Mgongeni
and are asking questions.
Within the next 9 months there will be elections so that the committee is democratic.
At that stage it will include women and youth to represent a cross-section of the
community.
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The new National Constitution adopted in the August 2010 referendum should start
to create a more equal society. The right of women for equality was reinforced by
the constitution and this will be high on the agenda for Mustard Seed and the Mgongeni
Development Committee (a coalition of all the women's
groups).
Updated June 2011
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40p per day will provide all educational costs and porridge for a needy child.
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A gift of £4 will provide a 10 hour startup training course.
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£100 could provide a business startup loan.
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