Poverty+2+Case+Study

Narrowed Topic:
We were given the topic of poverty which was too broad of a topic and so we had to narrow it down to one specific type of poverty in one place. In the end we feel that children are being affected greatly by poverty in Africa and so we have decided to focus of child poverty. The specific place in Africa that we are focusing on is **Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya.** In Kibera there is the largest slum in all of Africa where half of its population is below the age of 15. Child Poverty in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya which is located in the continent of Africa.**
 * So the narrowed topic that we have chosen to do is:

__Name: All Four Of Us__

1. **What is the specific topic your group decided to focus on?** The high amount child poverty in Kibera, Kenya led us to choose focusing on that area for our organization. Kibera is one of the largest slums in all of Africa with kids below the age of 15 eating one meal or less a day. The unique location of Kibera differentiates it from other slums, in that it is located in Nairobi, Kenya, the capital and business center of Kenya. Many of the impoverished people of Kibera cannot even afford drinking water that they, out of desperation, are drinking water from the sewage. Kids living on the streets sadly pass through each day by doing drugs like sniffing toxic glue or smoking marijuana. When not harming their body they go out on the streets begging for as much money as possible. Even so about 50% of Kibera are unemployed and unable to provide for their families, leaving many kids left on the streets in these terrible conditions. All the problems we have researched on Kibera only prove to us just how much these children need our help, and having this opportunity to make a difference is definitely a chance we are not afraid to take. Throughout this project we hope to learn more about this issue and find ways to help out and even better--make a difference in our part.

2. **Which organization did you choose to focus on and why?** The organization we chose to focus on is Carolina for Kibera (CFK). The four programs it offers to the local population is, "The Youth Sports Program", "Tabitha Clinic", "Taka ni Pato", and "The Binti Pamoja Center". We chose this organization because it focuses specifically on Kibera, Kenya the area we plan to focus on. CFK wants to help fight poverty and prevent violence in the area which is basically the idea we have. Our group likes best that the organization is using community based programs such as a sports association to help reduce the brutality. They help to sponsor this community, not just through money, but by helping to build bonds and ease tensions. For example, "The Youth Sports Program" is required to be ethnically diverse, creating a more tolerant environment for the children who join. CFK also helps to sponsor the local medical clinic in Kibera, known as "Tabitha Medical Clinic". The CFK helps to train provide and train volunteers for this clinic, which is one of only two clinics in Kibera employing two full-time physicians. Many other great ideas that we believe are unique and innovative are being done by this group. As we researched this organization we came across countless ideas that we could take and use to do our part in this issue. For example, we can have fund raisers and begin by educating others about the life of these kids in slums and in poverty. This organization helps to manifest the dreams of many into a reality and through their guide, we can hopefully find many new ideas for our organization.

3. **What exactly are they doing to try and combat or change your issue?** To change our issue, CFK plans to promote youth leadership and ethnic and gender cooperation through many events such as sports, community development, and young women's empowerment in Kibera. Although poverty is its main goal, CFK also plans to improve education, health care, and sanitation throughout Kibera. For example, CFK has helped grassroots organizations develop youth-based programs in many communities in both Kenya and nations around the world. CFK also accepts donations while giving out many consultations and speeches about Kibera's poverty to help educate others. Through this method, they hold many different events for the public to both enjoy and learn at the same time. Our group believes this to be very effective action plans that can help bring change to this community, and we too hope to figure out plans to work just as well.

4. ** What are some of the things you like about their program?** An example of what we liked about their program was their idea to promote leadership and ethnic and gender cooperation through activities like sports. They have made an all-girls soccer team, the only one in Kibera that is ethnically diverse, this then helps these girls see more on an equal level with different ethnicities. We also like there donation idea letting people donate right on their website and through events. Also we like that they are not only helping just poverty, but other issues around Kibera as well, like health care. For example, through the "Taka Ni Pato" program, youth groups are able to help collect trash to recycle and reuse. Through this, they are helping to clean up the community, while creating jobs for more people there. They also teach other people like us about different issues in Kibera, stating many facts on their website while also holding conferences and events. We believe these ideas are well thought up and we hope to be inspired by CFK, by both learning something from their plans and taking up information to help make our own.

5. **How do you plan to become involved with this organization or model your action plan after it?** Our plan to become more involved with this organization is to do things like also having activities to get other people involved in donations. For example we would like to hold bake sales, sell t-shirts, hold car washes, or even just asking people to donate money for the good cause. I think we can also start by educating others about our cause. For example, we can hand out brochures, type up important facts on our wiki, and during our presentation, we can begin to teach others about the life and hardships these kids face everyday, creating a deeper understanding between others and the population in Kibera. The unsanitary conditions in Kibera are causing its populations to drink contaiminated water, so we believe we can start donating money to build wells to provide clean water. We can help clean up the slums through donations as well as make models and present videos to others on life in Kibera. Many of these kids are suffering with one meal or less a day, we can help by holding food/can drives and donating them to organizations to give to the children, saving them from their starvation. Either way we hope to become involved with this organization and take some ideas to make our own unique plan to fight against child poverty in Kibera. If we all do our own little part and pitch in, //**WE**// can make a difference.

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