Nairobi, Kenya, is a city of extreme diversity. While Nairobi gets a bad rap, this city has become one of the most beloved places on this earth, largely due to the millions of Kenyan smiles greeted at every turn, regardless of race, ethnicity, or income level.
In a day, one can start with a morning run around the Giraffe Centre in Karen (a wealthy suburb), visit a local designer, and explore one of the many charitable organizations working within the slums of Nairobi. However, a word of warning: make sure to leave yourself enough time as the traffic can be maddening.
Nairobi's Slums: A Glimpse into Kibera and Mathare
Did you know that 70% of the 2.3 million residents of Nairobi live in the slums and earn $2 per day or less? Many children in these slums receive an elementary education thanks to foreign donors, but secondary education and career opportunities are often out of reach.
Charities such as AMREF and One Life Africa are working to break the poverty cycle and give these children a chance. Here's a closer look at two of the largest slums in Nairobi:
Kibera Slum
The largest slum in Kenya and second largest in Africa, Kibera's population is estimated to range from 800,000 to over 1,000,000 residents. AMREF's vision is for lasting health change in Africa, empowering communities with the knowledge, skills, and means to maintain good health and break the cycle of poverty.
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Mathare Slum
In Mathare Slum, children affectionately chase visitors, repeatedly asking, "How are you?" One Life Africa brought the author to Mathare Slum to visit Valley View Primary School, where 40% of the students come from. The charity aims to assist qualified grade eight students who lack the funds to continue their education by providing scholarships and mentorship.
Valley View Primary School currently houses over 500 students, with the number expected to increase to 887 by the fall term. The school's greatest need is to increase the monthly salary of its teachers from $100 to $250 USD, which will help attract and retain qualified educators.
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Kenya Ware: From Death Row Records to Hollywood
Kenya Ware's journey began in the fashion world, where she styled many artists on Death Row Records, propelling her career forward. After the death of Tupac Shakur, she transitioned from music and styling to working in the costume department for television and feature films.
Ware, an L.A. native, married Tha Dogg Pound member and Snoop Dogg’s cousin, Daz Dillinger, in 1991. Helping in any way that she knew how, she began to shop for Death Row Records’ artists, including Snoop, Tha Dogg Pound, The Lady of Rage, Nate Dogg, often hand-delivering wardrobe to the set of music video shoots and TV appearances. From there, she became Death Row’s West Coast marketing representative.
Throughout her 20-year career, Ware has worked as a costume buyer for films and TV shows like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1, Ride Along 2, Entourage (film), and Straight Outta Compton.
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Meeting Tupac
Ware met Tupac after he was released from jail and signed with Death Row Records. [Her ex-husband] Daz [Dillinger] would always write letters to the Clinton Correctional Facility to try to keep Tupac's spirit up while he was in jail on the rape case. Once he got out and signed with Death Row, I threw him a party at our place. We invited Method Man, Redman, Rage, Snoop, Kurupt, and a few other people to celebrate Tupac being released from jail and also signing with Death Row Records.
Speaking of Versace, Tupac walked in a runway show with Kidada Jones for the Italian fashion house in 1996. During those days, if you were an artist on Death Row Records the rule was you had to always wear your bulletproof vest and keep a bodyguard at all times. The bodyguard was definitely Suge Knight’s call.
Styling Tha Dogg Pound
Shopping for Tha Dogg Pound and Snoop was always fun because Ware got to create something different than gangster wear. They were in love with Guess shirts but still wanted the baggy Karl Kani jeans. It was a slow process to get them away from the Dickies uniform. Ware had to make sure that whatever she bought for them was oversized and was in either blue or grey, which were Tha Dogg Pounds’ and the Crips’ colors.
Tupac's Style
Tupac had his own style. He wasn't interested in clothing right away. He said the only thing he wanted to do was stay at the studio and make as much music as possible. Ware often pulled boxes of Karl Kani clothing for the boys and let them pick out what they wanted to wear for events.
Ware tagged along with Suge Knight and ‘Pac during the [boxing] fights in Las Vegas. Shopping at Caesar's Palace during the fights was the best. It was kind of like a status quo. That's where you got to showcase how much money you really had because all the ballers were watching. Tupac wasn't that into fashion but at that point, in the ‘90s, you had to dress to impress. He slowly transitioned away from the gangster clothes to Versace. Suge was about to hire Ware as ‘Pac’s personal stylist, but then ‘Pac got killed.
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All Eyez on Me
For the film "All Eyez on Me", Ware wanted to ensure that all of the replicas were right. Sometimes getting information from third parties or Google aren’t that accurate, so[All Eyez on Me producer] L.T. Hutton figured it would be better to hire a person who actually knew Tupac and was around him a lot.
Ware describes Tupac's style as a revolutionary gangster. A revolutionary gangster. He set the tone for the durag on your head, the body tattoos, and the oversized baggy jeans.
One specific look they tried to copy for the movie was an advertisement Tupac did for Karl Kani, ensuring the actor Demetrius Shipp Jr. looked and wore the clothes just like Tupac. They also copied the Black Panther Party look because his mom was a Black Panther.
Ware sourced the wardrobe from places like Greenspan in South Gate, a one-stop shop for ‘80s and ‘90s gangster clothes, since she grew up in L.A. in those decades, the shopping came naturally.
The Night Tupac Was Killed
Ware was actually in Vegas with Tupac and Suge when he was killed. She was with Tupac downstairs at the Luxor Hotel after they got into a big fight at MGM Grand. Ware spoke to him right before he took that car ride to Club 662. She made the first call to [Suge’s ex-wife] Sharitha Knight and Daz and let them know what had just happened. One minute I was walking into Club 662 wondering why it was taking Tupac so long to get there and next thing you know we were told that something had happened to him. I drove like 100 miles an hour trying to get to the crime scene. It was the craziest night of my life.
Nairobi Index
For those planning a trip to Nairobi, here's a quick index of recommendations:
Where to Stay:
- Ngong House: Offers tree houses and one of the best shops.
- Hogmead: A large home with great views of the giraffes.
Local Designers:
- Anna Trzebinski: High-end fashion and home ware designer.
- Lana Trzebinski: Chic, casual/beachy wear.
- Penny Winter: Unique jewelry and clothing.
- Charlotte Lefebvre (Bush Princess): Reasonably priced handbags and accessories.
Cultural & Family Activities:
- Karen Blixen Museum & Gardens: The former home of the author of "Out of Africa."
- Giraffe Centre: An educational institution dedicated to rescuing endangered Rothschild giraffes.
- Nairobi National Park: A protected area close to the city center with diverse wildlife.
- The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: A charity dedicated to elephant and rhino conservation.
| Location | Description | Key Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Kibera Slum | Largest slum in Kenya | Support AMREF's health initiatives |
| Mathare Slum | One of the oldest slums in Nairobi | Visit Valley View Primary School with One Life Africa |
| Giraffe Centre | Conservation and education center | Interact with Rothschild giraffes |
| Nairobi National Park | Wildlife reserve near the city | Game drives, bird watching |
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