The day before Nicholas Hoult left to see some of the work Christian Aid has been doing in the slums in Kenya, he was attending the premiere of Hollywood blockbuster, Clash Of The Titans; apt considering the clash of living standards that exist between the lifestyle Nicholas has become used to, and the lives of almost half of Nairobi’s population who live in over 100 slums and squatter settlements within the city.

Nicholas has observed many other celebrities jetting off to Kenya and watched shots of them starting to break down, but he said, “You can’t begin to fathom it until you’re actually there. When you see a family of ten living in a space the size of two toilet cubicles, It’s shocking.”

The slums in Kenya are informal settlements which are not formally recognised by the government, and despite the residents paying their taxes, they receive none of the benefits. A recent survey by Transparency International-Kenya and the development group Maji na Ufanisi estimates that only half of Kenyans have access to clean, safe water, over 20% don’t have access to electricity, and access to toilets and showers is a privilege for few. Nicholas said, “The only comparison I can make with home life is that it’s like a music festival where you can’t get out, and the toilets never get cleaned.” Nicholas was visiting a brand new purpose-built water kiosk, toilet and shower blocks; which was constructed with the help of Christian Aid.

The sanitation block serves around 3,000 people on a daily basis; it provides access to a clean and legal supply of water. Incidences of preventable diseases such as typhoid, cholera and diarrhoea have been dramatically reduced. It has also restored a sense of dignity and privacy, prior to the sanitation blocks where residents had to negotiate over large putrid open sewers on a daily basis and use a plastic bag as a toilet.

Members of the community pay the equivalent of 2 pence a day to have full access to all the services, this money is then used to pay for someone to maintain the block and has also been invested in an innovative land ownership scheme. For the first time the residents have land which is theirs to do with what they want, and is a haven from the threats of eviction they have become accustomed to in the slums.

The sanitation blocks have become the hub of community; youth clubs have used the partner example to lobby the local council to collect a weekly rubbish collection which never happened before, women who are often the most vulnerable in the slums have since become engaged in campaigning and advocacy and no longer have to worry about their children getting sick due to poor water supply.

It starts with a shower but it ends with families being able to build their own future free of the burden of poverty. Nicholas said if everyone in the UK gave just a small amount to initiatives like the ones Christian Aid create, people could enjoy a cleaner, safe and healthier life: "Just 16 quid could pay for five metres of sewage piping. That showed me just how a little money - the cost of an evening in the pub - could make such a big difference.”

Words: Holly Davis
Photos: Christian Aid/Lee Thompson

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