Background:

Older people living in slum settlements, in cities throughout the developing world, are particularly vulnerable to abuse and neglect, and many live well below the poverty line. In Kenya, the lack of employment opportunities, coupled with non-existent social welfare supports, mean that life for an older person is a daily struggle.

The HIV/AIDs epidemic is also altering Kenya's demographic future, by reducing life expectancy, raising mortality and leaving thousands of orphans in its wake. As a result, there is a missing generation of middle-aged people to care for children and elderly parents, and grandparents are being called upon to support and raise their dependent grandchildren. The pressure of this on the older person can be immense and exacerbates their daily struggle to survive.

Karika Vision:

"To Empower Ageing People and Give Them A Better Quality of Life"

Karika was established in 2003 with the aim of alleviating poverty and hardship among the older people of Riruta/Kawangware. Currently, Karika directly supports a group of forty older people, and actively mobilises another one hundred and fifty who are living in the area.

Riruta/Kawangware slum:

Karika is located in the slum settlement of Riruta/Kawangware, an area of 7.3 square kilometres, in the Dagoretti Division of Nairobi. There are approximately sixty-six thousand people living in this area, and most live in tiny one-roomed 'shanty-like' corrugated iron structures, no more than nine square feet in area. These shacks have no running water, electricity or sanitation.

The problems facing the people of Riruta/Kawangware include:

- Chronic poverty

- Lack of water, electricity and sanitation

- Drug and alcohol abuse

- Prostitution

- HIV/AIDS

- Crime

- Street children and orphans lacking parental guidance

- Poor access to education

- Lack of medical assistance

- Unemployment