street life

A one man one-stop shop

As we make our way onto the street, we run across this vendor pushing his handcart loaded with an improbable array of wares.

Boys’ Dormitory

John and I visited the dorm in which he slept for many years. As John is telling me stories of his time in the orphanage, we’ve attracted a crowd of current residents.

It’s Bath Time

John would bathe and wash his clothes in this river adjacent to Mathare and just below the Thika Rd. expressway.

Foul Broth

Daring boys like John, wade into the foul Mathare River to scoop up metal scraps using a magnet tied to a string.

A Maze of Footpaths

Street boys earn money by collecting scraps. Each day they wander the streets and maze of footpaths between shacks collecting discarded plastic and metal.