Saving youths in slums from life of crime

By Michael Oriedo

Holding firmly at a cue-stick on his right hand, the young man bends over a table strewn with tiny but differently coloured and numbered.

With undivided attention, he points the cue-stick at a white cue ball, which he hits and rolls towards a green ball. The ball hurtles down a hole at a corner on the table.

His colleagues cheer him on as he takes an aim at another ball, again sending it into a different hole. The young man is deeply engrossed in the pool game that when a ball he hits misses the hole, he reluctantly lets his opponent to play.

Youths play pool at Kiamaiko slums. The pool business is managed by Reality-Tested Youth Group (RYP), a youth group which helps fight crime in slums. PHOTO/MICHAEL ORIENDO/ STANDARD

The group numbering about 20 are involved in a project aimed at saving hundreds of youths from crime in Nairobi’s Huruma, Mathare and Kiamaiko slums.

"We use sports, art, education and environmental cleanup activities to keep the youth from crime," says Francis Irungu of Reality-Tested Youth Group (RYP), a community based organisation spearheading the project.

RYP, says Irungu, encourages youth in the slums to form and register self-help groups, which it then supports. "We ask them to establish self-help groups through which they can engage in income generating activities," he says. The pool game group is one such an association. It is run by a number of youths a majority of whom are former criminals.

The youth formed a self-help group and with the help of RYP purchased pool equipments. They then charge the people to use the facilities.

"Individuals pay Sh20 to play two games. Since the project began, it has attracted many people, majority of who were engaging in crime," says Peter Gweno, a member of RYP. Interestingly, the equipments are located at Huruma grounds, a spot where mugging and other criminal activities were rife.

"Initially, you could not use this ground without being mugged or your items getting stolen. However, since we placed the pool tables here, security has increased. You cannot be mugged because there are people around this place," observes Gweno. Irungu says members of the group have relinquished crime since they now earn some money especially during the weekend when members of the public visit the place to play pool.

Another group that has given up crime after RYP’s assistance is that comprising of youths engaging in garbage collection in Mathare Slums.

Named One Love Youth Group, it comprises of 40 members, some who are former criminals with some having served longer sentences in prisons.

"We began about two years ago," says Kennedy Chingi, the leader of the group. "After being released from prison, we started collecting garbage in Mathare North to earn a living."

Economic activities

However, Chingi says the money they used to get was so little that they found themselves reverting to crime.

"We used to charge Sh20 per household but not everyone would pay. Some believed we were still criminals. Life became tough. We would collect garbage during the day and engage in crime at night," says Chingi.

However, this exacerbated their predicament since residents declined to pay knowing that they were criminals.

Chingi says it is then that they approached RYP for help. The organisation through sponsors bought for them uniforms, gumboots and gloves.

"They also gave us Sh10,000 as seed capital and trained us on how to work resourcefully. We transformed into a professional group," he says. With the uniforms, Chingi says, residents can now recognise them easily. "We introduced all our members to residents and we have specific days and time when we pick garbage. They have now accepted us," he notes.

Chingi says they charge Sh30 per household per month. "The money has helped us sustain ourselves and none of our members has reverted to crime," says Chingi who spent eight years at Kamiti Maximum Prison.

Community police

Irungu says that One Love is one of their most successful groups.

"One can hardly remember that they were in crime. Members have transformed and are helping other youths to quit crime and drug abuse which is a major problem in Mathare slums," says Irungu. Other groups that are giving youths in the three slums hope include environmental, women and security associations. Joseph Mutua, a member of a registered community-policing group in Kiamaiko slums says they liaise with the police to fight crime.

"Most of the crimes that happen in slums do not reach the police. Through our group, we report crime in our neighbourhoods at Huruma Police Station," he says. "We formed the group after we saw crime was rife in the slums."

Mr David Ndirangu, the Assistant Chief of Kiamaiko location says youth groups have helped to reduce crime in the area. "Many youths resort to crime when they do not have something meaningful to do. The self-help groups have helped them keep off crime," he says.

Ndirangu says his office cooperates with the community-policing group to combat crime. "They pass to us any information concerning crime. As administrators, we cannot know all criminal incidents happening in the area unless residents inform us," he says.

A senior police officer who asked not to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the press acknowledged the group’s help in getting information about crime in the slums. He said through them, they also learn the public’s response about their work. RYP’s activities caught the attention of the French Embassy. The embassy bought for them several computers, a building that houses their offices and with other organisations, it is sponsoring their work.

"They help us to organise sports tournaments, cultural events and youth forums where our members participate. One of our cultural groups is currently on a tour to Dubai," says Simon Kokoyo, RYP’s secretary.

Although their efforts have helped youths to renounce crime, Irungu says the vice remains the main challenge to residents. "Each day, many youths join crime hoping to make quick money," he notes. His prayer is that their efforts would encourage many to quit crime and engage in income generating activities.