Habitat Norge gjennomførte fra april til august 2020 en informasjons- og innsamlingskampanje på Facebook for Mathare ungdommens «COVID 19  -Handvaskaksjon». Det ble her i løpet av sommeren rapportert løpende fra den kritiske situasjonen skapt bl.a. av «lockdown» og politiovergrep i en av Kenyas største slum-områder, også med innspill fra FN Habitat i Nairobi.

Det ble i alt samlet inn NOK 20.500-. som er overført, flere videoer ble vist med tusenvis av «treff», avisartikler skrevet og brev adressert til statsminister Solberg om støtte. Den norske ambassaden i Nairobi kom på banen med et bidrag som de har gjentatt i 2021.

Handvaskprosjektet har som modell hatt betydelig ringvirkninger og er nominert til FN generalsekretærens «Innovasjonspris».

Habitat Norges Årsmøte vedtok å bevilge overskuddet fra salget av boka «Verden av byer/Planet of Cities» til Mathare ungdommens fortsatte arbeid. Vi vil både på hjemmeside og facebook holde dere informert om utviklingen verden over mht. urban fattigdom og marginalisering. VI TAKKER FOR STØTTE OG INTERESSE.

BLI MEDLEM AV HABITAT NORGE PÅ http://habitat-norge.org/become-a-member/

Her finner du et utdrag av sluttrapporten fra Mathare til Habitat Norge:   

Habitat Norway’s support

The initial handwashes were done from April to August 2020, what has now become known as the first wave. The peak of infections in Kenya was around July, topping out at on average 700 cases per day. Yet, due to the stringent health care measures such as enforced social distancing, masks, and handwashing combined with programmes such as the youth-led coalitions protection of the vulnerable slum communities, the cases never overwhelmed the system and infections fell dramatically through September. The fear was though, as was happening globally, that there would be a second and a third wave which would overwhelm the already stretched system.

Kids in masks
Photo by: Douglas Ragan, UN Habitat

Thanks in part to Habitat Norway and the Norwegian Embassy, this did not happen in Mathare nor Kibera, and the second wave was blunted. Though the other funders finished their support, Norway continued on and expanded their support through this critical period. Habitat Norway sponsored 2 stations and the Norwegian government 13. Habitat Norway’s stations, positioned in 2 key areas at the entrance to the Mathare One Stop and near the Antonio Guterres Slum Soccer pitch (1), allowed 28,357 people to wash their hands. A large majority of them children and youth who frequent the One Stop and the Pitch, and women who access the stations during the day. In addition to the hand washes, education and prevention outreach was done from the stations. Coordinators of the stations were trained in COVID-19 prevention information and techniques which were passed on to those coming to the stations.

Masks donated by a local football star – presently professional in Canada, Victor Wanyama were distributed through the stations. And the stations also inspired others to support Mathare Environmental, donating money to a mural painted on the side of the One Stop which promoted prevention as well as anti-violence messages. The International Organization for Migration was impressed with the work of Mathare Environmental, and donated extra equipment for the recycling centre which employs young people in the community, providing critical livelihood training in addition to the resources provided to those coordinating the stations. Thus Habitat Norway supported Mathare Environmental during a critical time with considerable positive side effects.

Way Forward

Mathare Environmental has committed to maintaining the stations and their expanded mandates of prevention and education. The Embassy of Norway has indicated they will also look to continuing their support to Mathare Environmental. Due to the reopening of the schools, many of the handwashing stations will be moved to the schools. Currently 5 schools with approximately 4,000 students have been identified. Handwashing will be critical both for the prevention of COVID-19 as well as other gastrointestinal diseases.

Award for innovation

It is clear that without the timely support of Habitat Norway a critical gap in COVID-19 prevention could have arisen. Habitat Norway can as well take credit with the other supporters of Mathare Environmental with the nomination of the COVID-19 Youth-led Emergency project to the UN Secretary General Award for Innovation. This award highlights the excellent work of the young people living in informal settlements and towns and is a testament to the commitment and partnership of donors such as Habitat Norway. 

(1) The soccer pitch was inaugurated during the visit of UN Secretary General António Guterres inaugural visit to Africa in 2017, where he visited Mathare Environmental and met with young women and community leaders.