On women scavenging at Dandora dumpsite

Women and children living in Dandora are forced to live with rape and molestation trauma. The victims say that seeking for justice and help has become too daunting for them.

The women allege that for the victim to get help from police officers one has part with a given amount of money to have her case worked on.

At Dandora slum in Nairobi women wake up early in the morning to trek to Dandora dumpsite to scavenge on the waste, segregating the valuable waste that they sell to the waste buyers. The women make a living out of scavenging from the dumpsite.

In the process of making a living from the dangerous spot, the women are exposed to a number of risky factors that most of them overlook because that is the only available hustle for them to fend for their families.

“I always make sure that I get to the dumpsite early so that I can get more plastics. I am a single mother, so I leave my children in the house alone because I have no one leave them with,” narrated one Joyce Onyango.

Early in the morning that is the time men are either at their “base” smoking bang or the youths mugging people while heading to work. For me I have been robbed my phones and money, nowadays I don’t carry anything I just walk with my sack to the site they now know me because I pass there every day,” Joyce added.

Even after Joyce has outgrown the fear of being robbed, her walking alone along the streets full of men smoking bang and conducting criminal activities exposes her to other forms of risks. Which for her, she says she is aware, but there is no other way for her to eke a living. She says she is always afraid if one day she finds herself in a rape scenario.

“As much as I know am putting myself at risk of these men attacking me, but there’s is no other route to that place. You see madam, if today I decide I won’t go to the dumpsite, my children will not have anything to eat and they are very young,” says Joyce.

I can’t sit here and see my kids crying of hunger, and I know I can get some money from the dumpsite. Before I leave in the morning, I always pray and apart from them taking my phone on different occasions I have never had anyone wanting to rape me.” Joyce said but with fear in her eyes.

According to the women, rape cases have been on the rise, not only for women trekking early to the dumpsite, when scavenging at the dumpsite the men prey on them and conduct the act at the dumpsite area. Women living at Dandora Phase 4 and 5, say that they are also at risk of getting raped as youths under influence of drugs keep roaming the streets.

“One day when I was walking home from the shop, 4 men hijacked me and dragged me to the dumpsite and started raping me. It was very painful, it pains me to date because those men wanted to gang rape me. But as I was shouting and calling for help, some women came to help me. Only one of them raped me. The women took me to Kinyago police station, which is near the dumpsite then I was taken to hospital,” A victim narrated what she encountered.

The women most of them say that in one way or another, they have been affected by the rising rape cases and sodomy within the slum set up. The women say that getting help from the police has been a challenge. While the medical part has also been a problem, because in most cases they are asked to go buy the medication which is impossible for them to afford.

Through a partnership between Claires Community Center and Still Young organizations, the women have found help. Where they receive counselling and guidance on how to pursue the cases and seek justice.

According to Angela Kinyanjui, the executive Director for Still Young Organization helping the women seek justice has been an uphill task, as the relevant authorities supposed to help the women are not doing their job effectively.

“There is a lot of insecurity in this area and that is part of what is bringing the issue of rape and sodomy in this area. Our police force really need to work with these people and help them out. Imagine you report a case and you are asked to fuel the car. Where will the victim get that money, they got raped maybe when going to find some money for their families,” Angela said

Angela said that they have tried to reach out to women politicians to see if they can provide some help to support the women, but they have not received any tangible feedback.

According to Everyln Agala, the Director for Claires Community School, “apart from the partnership helping in creating awareness and guiding the women on how to seek help, a holistic approach is paramount to help curb the menace.”

“The issue of poverty has led majority of the parents to work in the dumpsite and the process to work in the dumpsite has it’s hierarchy. You cannot just work, you have to pay to enter that space and work,” said Evelyn.

“You realize even the less dollar they work for in a daily basis, has contributed to opening a leeway for our sons and daughters to be raped, because the parents are not able to provide satisfactorily. The children become part of them, providing for their families by going to pick plastics and metals, in order to meet the need that is in their house,” Evelyn explained.

“If the government is able to do something about the dumpsite for example, the women scavenging in the dumpsite can be empowered with knowledge and skills that can help them venture into entrepreneurship.” said the director.

“It doesn’t have to be in very big organizations, even if they narrow it down to Claires Community School, where by we have more than 300 mothers and we get this kind of training to these mothers.” Evelyn added.

“And if the government structure things in a manner that these women are able to be empowered in a way that they are not left scavenge and leave their children vulnerable, then we are going to bring poverty reduction rate in our specific area.” the director added.

We don’t have to go to a very big place, but when we work with the numbers we have in terms of training and empowering them. Then it means that the mothers will be in a better position to take care of their children,” the director advised.