Beatrice's Dream: Life in an African Slum

First published in hardback in 2011, this paperback version of Williams and Stone’s moving account of a young girl’s life in one of the world’s most difficult places is welcome. It tells us, through a sensitive written account and evocative photographs, of the daily life of a 13-year-old girl, Beatrice,  living in Kibera, Nairobi.  Many of the people living in Kibera have no modern sanitation, drinking water or electricity and this leads to health problems and low life expectancy.

The bright element in Beatrice’s life is her time spent at school where her day is structured into lessons and routines: lessons, lunch, lessons, break, communal chores and extra study time.   In spite of a hard life, Beatrice is a bright and resourceful young person who hopes to pursue a career in nursing.  Since the book was first written there is some good news about her progress: she has left Kibera and gone on to study at a girls’ boarding school in Nairobi. This is a good step towards her realising her dream of a career in medicine.