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Dandora is one of Nairobi's Eastern suburbs and one of its biggest slum areas. It is also, according to the UN, one of the most polluted sites in the world. Established in 1977 as an attempt to offer higher housing standards, it soon turned into a densely populated slum with very high levels of unemployment. It's quarry also became the site of Nairobi's biggest rubbish dump, the 30 acre Dandora Municipal Dumping Site. Until its recent closure at the end of 2008, it was the dumping site for all Nairobi's waste, generated by its 45.000.000 inhabitants. This means that over 2000 metric tonnes of waste were deposited there daily, with serious health implications for all Dandora's inhabitants.
Dumping was unrestricted, thus including industrial, agricultural, domestic and medical waste. The Nairobi river, which passes alongside the dump, also became contaminated by the toxic waste, thus extending the environmental hazard to all the communities living downstream. Nearly half the soil samples have Lead, heavy metal and toxic substance levels that are almost 10 times higher than what is normally acceptable. This causes problems such as low birth weight, memory and learning problems, asthma, anaemia, skin infections, damage to the nervous system, respiratory problems and gastrointestinal diseases amongst others. Also, since waste dumping is unrestricted and unmanaged, people are also at risk from contracting blood-born diseases such as hepatitis. But nonetheless, the dumpsite is still, for the majority of Dandora's residents, their only source of income. Every day scores of people, including many children, use the dumpsite to find food and recyclables that they can sell
Villa Teag is a children's centre is located in the Dandora Slum. It was officially inaugurated in 2003 with the goal of providing for Dandora's vulnerable children. The centre started by admitting 35 orphaned children from age 3 to 12, the majority having lost their parents to HIV. It now houses over 50 children who live and learn at the centre on full board basis. The aims of Villa Teag are to ensure all that the children get access to education, health care and shelter. To ensure that they all receive food, that their basic needs are met and that they are protected from child abuse. And finally to empower them so that they can gain confidence, commitment and motivation.
This motivation and commitment to their local area is evident from the photos they have taken and the stories they have to tell. The dump site is a common theme amongst the youngsters that took part in our project, but they also reflect on vulnerability, lack of resources and loneliness, leading on to their hopes and dreams for the future, amongst which is to make Dandora, their home, a better place.