The culture of poverty; a visit to Rhoda slum

Hilton slums near Gioto dumpsite in London Ward, Nakuru County, on June 18, 2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] 

Last week, I accompanied a friend and his family on one of their philanthropic visits to a school tucked deep in Rhoda slum, Nakuru. What I witnessed was not just poverty—it was a heartbreaking culture of deprivation embedded in every crevice of that community.

Poverty there does not hide. It walks openly, confidently—almost as if it has taken permanent residence. The Gilani family, well-known for their quiet but impactful acts of kindness, has for years been donating school uniforms to needy children. On that day, we visited a local primary school, home to about 2,500 pupils. Walking through the dusty compound and into the overcrowded classrooms, it was clear that hope fights hard to survive.