The Mwelu Foundation is a self-help group operating in the Mathare Valley slum of Nairobi. We are working with a group of approximately 40 ambitious, positive and talented young people to help them realize their potential through photography, film production and the building of life skills.You can find more information about this group here. This is not a group that we worked with while in Mathare, but I found their videos online and they give a picture of the people and conditions in the Mathare Valley as well as the abundant creativity that I saw when I was there. There are many links to movies, documentaries, and photographs on their main page. They are worth checking out.
This video is called "Ghetto Survivor" and reviews the issues facing residents of Mathare slum, Nairobi, Kenya. Judy Joy Mugechi tells of high school fees, water shortages and poor health.
This video is called "This is e" and is about Anthony Mwelu, aged 14, who tells the story of his life in Mathare slum, speaking of his life at home with his mother, his success and struggles at Valley View School and the problems within the slum.
The last video is very sad and hard to watch, but shows the reality for many young people in the Mathare Slum. This is a very real way of existence for many. We saw it. It is called "Street Urchin". The Mwelu Foundation meets 14-year-old Clinton Maronji who tells the sad story of his life of bhang (cannabis) and msii (jet fuel) on the streets in Mathare and of his hopes to one day attend school. You can see why education and school is very important to children in Mathare. This is one of many reasons why the Joska School is a boarding school for Mathare children in grades 6-8.
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