Visiting Bega Kwa Bega couldn’t have been more different than this morning spent in Nairobi. We headed out to the Kariobangi district, which is a slum very much like the ones where Undugu may find children seeking an education.

A slum in photographs or on the TV cannot prepare you for the sights, sounds and smells that greet you in reality.  Rachel expertly navigated the car down the narrowest of streets where a huge number of stalls and shops were, selling everything from clothes and shoes, to animals, haircuts and mobile phones!

We clearly provided some interest for the children who were keen to press their noses up against the windows of the car and shout hello to these friendly looking strangers.  The overriding sensation was one of positivity, hustle and bustle.

These people really have nothing, yet they are all making and selling things to try and provide essentials for their families. It made me acutely aware of the different approach taken in the West where people in a similar situation often think that things should be provided for them without any effort, and do not possess the same drive to improve their situation.

At the end of our journey, we reached Bega Kwa Bega which means ‘shoulder to shoulder’ a wonderful description of the approach they take to utilising their skills and improving lives for the group as a whole.  There are four main areas to this operation (basket weaving, doll-making, tie-dye goods and jewellery makers), which was initially established to give women on the streets alternative options to earn a living other than that such as prostitution.

Having discovered that the demand for jewellery tends to come from July onwards in order to fulfil the needs of the Christmas market, rather than despair at their downtime, these women have recently diversified into cake making.  So, in effect there is now a fifth arm to the business.

Some of the women choose to make their various products at home and bring them to the central location to be packaged up and sold, but many of them like to work alongside their friends and be close to the action, keeping up to date with any orders that are received and the progress made.

Each arm to the business has two representatives who form a committee, but this is overseen by Ignatius who is the only paid employee.  It was he who negotiated with Shared Interest for a longer term loan for machinery and the bulk ordering or materials to avoid fluctuating prices.

With this loan they have purchased eighteen sewing machines, which will allow them to bring in ten new female members of staff in to establish a tailoring section in their already burgeoning business.

Ignatius also purchased a laptop, internet modem and a digital camera. This will allow them to forge much closer links with their customers, suppliers and supporters such as Shared Interest.  They will also be able to photograph samples and e-mail them to prospective purchasers.

As we made our way back through the slum, I thought about how easy it would be to categorise someone as a slum dweller, yet in that tiny geographical area, we saw innovation, drive, and determination that their future will not be their past; all very inspirational and quite humbling.

Fighting our way through the rush hour traffic in Nairobi was the greatest worry that we had later that day, again putting into perspective the challenges that we face as opposed to the street children whose lives are transformed thanks to the educational brilliance of Undugu and the slum dwellers of Kariobangi, many of whom may literally not know where their next meal is coming from.

The one feeling that we do all share is a hope that they are given the support they need along the way, as they stand as one ‘bega kwa bega’.

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