"Good Fortune," a film produced by Landon Van Soest and Jeremy Levine, documents the U.N. effort to redevelop a slum in Nairobi called Kibera and how international efforts to alleviate poverty may be undermining the people they aim to help.
This excerpt from the documentary, which is part of The Economist Film Project series of independently produced films, focuses on the very different perspectives of Francis Omondi, who helps manage Kibera; Silva Adhiambo, a midwife who lives in Kibera; and Sara Candiracci, the program manager of the U.N. project.
According to Omondi, the U.N. Habitat has millennium development goals, and one of the goals is that by the year 2020, they should provide better housing for at least 100 million people living in slums such as Kibera. The plan is to move people being evicted, or forced out of their homes, into temporary housing.
For some, the idea of better housing sounds promising, but some residents of Kibera disagree.
"This is government land. Every time they threaten to build on it, we get worried that we will lose the only place we can afford to live," Adhiambo said.
The documentary shows Adhiambo searching for a new home, but she said there is no way she can afford to pay for one.
"It's like Kenya belongs only to the rich. I would prefer it if those people just let us stay in the slum," she said.
Candiracci, United Nations Program Manager, said the challenge is that a lot of people need to be relocated. She also said that the U.N. Habitat is really supporting building low-cost housing in Kibera.
Quotes
"Kibera is very dramatic. It's kind of shocking. It's not only the images. It's everything. The health situation is very bad. The sanitation situation is very bad. There are no roads. There is nothing. It's not acceptable that Kibera exists. It's not acceptable. I mean -- and I'm so happy that now this project is a successful project." Sara Candiracci, United Nations program manager.
"Can't you see the government is lying to us? We will be evicted like dogs one day." Silva Adhiambo, midwife.
Warm Up Questions
1. In what region of the world is Kenya located?
2. What type of social issues affect Kenya and its neighboring countries?
3. What is a slum?
Discussion Questions
1. What is the United Nations trying to accomplish in places like Kibera?
2. Do you think international efforts to alleviate poverty in Africa may be undermining the people they aim to help? Can you give examples from the video to support your answer?
3. What would be some possible solutions for the people of Kibera?
Additional Resources
'Good Fortune' Looks at Pitfalls, Possibility of Development in Kenya
