Slum is not a bad word.

Slum is not a word with beautiful connotation. For most of us, slum means dirty, slum means ugly, slum means poor. But slum is not a bad word.

In Kibera, the word slum has an entirely different meaning. Slum means community, slum means family, slum means home. For the 1.5 million people living in one of the largest slums in the world, the word demands an entirely different definition. Slum is their neighbors, friends and family. For many, slum is the only thing they have ever known. For most, slum is the only thing they will ever know. But slum is home for all. Slum is not a bad word.



Eddy scored the highest grade in his primary school class on his national exams allowing him to have the opportunity to attend high school. Eddy works hard and dreams of having a successful career. His first year at high school, Eddy ranked #1 out of the 183 students in his grade, most of whom live outside the slum. For Eddy, the slum is his roots for a bright future.



Grace has lived in the slum her whole life. She sews and makes jewelry to provide for her family. In 2010, Grace came home to find a baby left on her doorstep. Grace had no idea who the baby belonged to or why they chose to leave the baby with her. For Grace, the slum is becoming a mother to an orphaned child.

While most of us cannot even begin to imagine how a place of such poverty can be considered home, the people of Kibera find joy in the slum, they find love in the slum, they find hope in the slum.

Slum is not a bad word.