The best of the pickings, inured to the heat soaked stench, the dangers of rummaging through illegally dumped hospital waste that should have been incinerated, and inured to the millions of flies that settle on faces, hands, babies’ mouths and eyes, and on the unwashed food that enters people’s mouths. Ironically, the dump’s voluntary community leaders have heard of no cases of people dying. Pigs and dogs fall sick. Dead birds Yes. But the immune systems of the people, like their hope, have been tested beyond measure then there’s the ongoing sexual violence and intimidation.
ou want to pee at night Wake your neighbour. Go in twos and threes. Predatory males have raped in groups. “You want food, girl You know what you must do.” It is frightening and dangerous beyond belief. I held a meeting with of these young women in a building next to the dump, organised by whatsapp mobile number list three amazing women community leaders on and around the dump site themselves struggling. Seven of the girls stood up to tell their story. Brave. They had never stood up in public to speak before. Five couldn’t complete their harrowing tale because they broke down. We three visitors were all in tears.
The other girls looked on stony faced, in traumatised silence, identifying with their visibly broken sisters. This is Nakuru almost people the largest urban centre in Kenya’s rift valley. A human tragedy virtually un noticed and unremarked upon, accepted as normal by politicians in their pre election rallies. Why so Meeting with women. Photo Scott Jones Meeting with women. The voiceless poor, their infant children condemned like their mothers to a life with no prospects, thrown out by parents, ignored by society, unable to vote most have no papers and therefore ignored by politicians too.