I'm okay being called Mama Korogocho

In the last four years since her arrival to Kenya as a diplomat's wife, Osnat Keidar has endeared herself to the residents of Korogocho, to the extent that she has been christened Mama Korogocho she spoke to, HAROLD AYODO

When my husband Jacob Keidar was posted to Africa in August 2007 as an envoy in charge of six countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Seychelles), I was just about to start my Doctorate in Philosophy (PhD) research in Jerusalem, Israel. I decided I could kill two birds with one stone by following my husband to this country and simultaneously continue with my studies.

That is how I was attached to the African Population Health and Research Centre in Upper Hill, Nairobi as a visiting scholar, where I resolved to work with communities living in informal settlements.

 I then identified Korogocho as my study area.

My research work and project at Korogocho entailed promoting health in schools and a behaviour change in personal hygiene.

We appointed health coordinators in the schools and made the institutions own the programmes.

I work with eleven schools in Korogocho because I believe health and education go together.

Children perform well in school when they are healthier.

To start off my project, I conducted a needs assessment for a holistic approach to the objectives.

My first project was to promote hand washing using soap in schools with parents, teachers and students. I had to seek donors and partnerships with the UN Habitat before we hit the ground running from January 2009 to today.

We later connected water to the schools and improved sanitation. The connection of piped water was done in collaboration with the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company.

We even put water tanks for storage (in case of dry spells) and supplied liquid soap for hand washing. Afterwards, we taught the communities how to make their own soap and tanks.

Next, we renovated and reconstructed toilets then embarked on a thorough, skill-based health education focusing on health and hygiene through curriculum and co-curricular activities like poetry, exhibitions, competitions and plays, which were run by teachers in coordination with the Ministry of Education. At least 132 teachers have been trained in these forms of communication.

Radio station

Another activity under the project is waste management.

We bought airtime in Koch FM, which is a radio station within the slum, and hosted bi-weekly programmes on Saturdays for children for six months, discussing hygiene among other interesting topics.

At one time, my husband and Permanent Secretary James Ole Kiyiapi paid a visit to Korogocho on our invitation and visited schools. Twice the Israeli Embassy, which supports the project, commemorated two independence days in the slum and even constructed a centre for disabled children. Additionally, the embassy reconstructed Kisumu Ndogo School, which had been demolished, and sent some teachers to Israel for training.

I guess that is why the residents here call me Mama Korogocho and I’m okay with the name. I have made friends here and I’m happy the children are healthier and there is a visible change in the slum community.

For instance, when Nairobi recently suffered acute water shortage, only a few students here suffered from diarrhoea and stomach ailments. Majority did not. Teachers also recorded improved concentration and performance in class.

We have since partnered with the Ministry of Education and run school feeding programmes. We also distribute sanitary pads, books, built kitchens, food, bed linens, blankets and mosquito nets.

It has been hard balancing my roles as a wife, mother, PhD student and philanthropist for residents of Korogocho. Initially, my work in the slums was emotionally difficult, as I was taken aback by the poverty as I moved around.

Many of the people I brought from the international community that wanted to volunteer and support could not survive more than one week in Korogocho. Seeing the conditions under which the residents lived in broke them down emotionally. But what touched us the most, and still does, is the way the residents can still afford to smile in the face of such poverty. They are also very open, kind and accepting.

I love Kenya, especially the nature and game drives in the animal parks and reserves. At the expiry of my husband’s term in Kenya, my dream is to come back to Korogocho at least every four months each year. My future plan is to expand the project to other slums and rural areas across this beautiful country.