This week, Victor Odero, Concern’s Advocacy Program Manager in Kenya, writes about life in the slums of Nairobi.  The challenges of daily life in the poorest urban slums require “heroic” coping skills and resilience: even the most basic resource can become the armor that allows people to survive what he calls “critical strikes.” 

Victor shares the story of the heroic resilience of Anne Wairimu, a 42-year-old grandmother of six living in Korogocho, one of Nairobi’s worst slums. Anne receives $20 from Concern Worldwide each month through an emergency initiative that targets the poorest, most vulnerable women in the slums, giving them installments of emergency cash to allow them to meet their most urgent, basic needs. Through the program, Victor saw just what that $20 meant to Anne, a widow living with HIV who must support herself and her children.   

This week, Victor challenges you to respond to a tough question about the HIV and AIDS crisis and post your answer on our blog site.  Tell us what you think: How can a developing country with very limited resources, such as Kenya, respond to its HIV and AIDS crisis?