A young girl from the Quarry community helps with the evacuation.

On Thursday September 3rd, 2009 residents (over 10,000) of the Quarry community in Nairobi were forced to abandon their homes because of demolition and the threat of fire.

Quarry Community Evictions – Pictures of the evictions and evacuation

The 1010 Project’s community partner, Fair Oaks School & Redeemed Gospel Church, provided this email report:

They [vigilant group of young men who have been hired by private developer] released terror on the people and threatened to set a blaze the slum which has over 10,000 people and 3000 houses made of iron sheets including the church. The eviction and demolition came in at a time least expected because the notice given by the land owner was too short to allow anybody plan for the next move.  This is the most heart breaking and the most unfortunate thing that has ever happened to me and the church here at Quarry.  I am watching the walls and the roofs of the church go down and there is nothing much I can do because the owners of the premises have already sold out the property and they have demolished to build up their estates and other personal properties.  Our negotiations with the land owner were unfruitful even after lengthy consultations.

Hundreds of people living in this slum have been affected by the eviction for two nights now most of them have been spending nights in the cold. The church and the school have been affected. For two days running the school is closed and the church activities have been suspended.

Furthermore, Redeemed has been providing vocational training (compute skills, embroidery, tailoring) to young adults in the communities.  These critical services have been temporarily suspended as a result of the demolition.

The 1010 Project is working with Northside Christian Church to raise financial support for the reconstruction and rebuilding efforts.  If you would like to support this vibrant community and important project, please include in the special instructions section or memo line of your donation – “Redeemed Reconstruction”.