Today, we got to experience first hand the difficulties a heavy rainfall can create in an urban slum. The dirt roads we drove in on were entirely transformed into small rivers in just a few minutes! Having to literally leap over the river to get to our bus really points out the importance of proper infrastructure to health. Without a drainage system to deal with significant surface runoff, disease may be directly and indirectly increased in this area. Not only does the flowing water cause potential contamination and injury locally, as recently seen in Huruma (a Nairobi slum), but also eventually contributes to the decline of water quality in Lake Naivasha. Today’s experiences highlighted the importance of needing to personally have feet on the ground in the area you wish to understand!
By: Lucy Reid and Elva Ou (MMASc in Global Health Systems in Africa Candidates) and Aggrey Wandera (BSc Egerton University)
The Africa Institute Blog 