Page 18 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 28
P. 18
Community
jungle by massacring the trees. The crane doctor’s assessments diagnosed him with
has become our constant howling noise that severe depression quickly getting angry
replaced the rooster that used to wake us in and irritable. Mama Joy who is our estate
the morning. Even when the chickens are treasurer has been to the hospital severally
awake, they no longer confirm who is still because Joy is suffering from panic attacks
there and where because of the level of noise and she has lost so much weight. Joy has
pollution in the morning by the contractor’s been out of control during outbursts, feels
crane they cannot endure and is not for the less hungry than usual and consistently feels
faint-hearted. This noise sustains throughout nauseated. She struggles to sleep and wakes
the day and the chicken no longer wants out up in the night with bad dreams.
of the house to pasture because stones and
dust replaced the insects and leaves. One of the most silent members of the
committee yelled, “The estate can now be
The construction site hammering and officially renamed to Mental Health Crisis
whipping the environment has declared war and Noise Pollution Estate”. While talking
against children. Tears well up in their eyes to a doctor who works in the city, she
as mourning screams fill the houses when reported that they have registered increased
the construction clobbers their peace and cases of hearing loss among children. Upon
their parents cannot shield them from the investigation, Mental health workers, on
tycoon. The tycoon drives in a V8 and only the other hand, are supporting more children
lowers the window while instructing the struggling with sensitivity to sound. The
contractor. He is the real gangster paradise paediatrician’s community can confirm
who cares less about the environment. Yes, that congestive heart failure is not rare
he was the only viable “public participation” in Kenya. This occurs mainly before five
for the approvals he managed to get because years of age years and noise pollution is
his pockets are full of taxpayers’ money one of the factors. The loss of green space
and bribing using public funds is public trees is scientifically been positively linked
participation. Parents in frustration hide their with increased cases of mental illness, high
tears as they roll down helplessly because mortality connected to cardiovascular and
they cannot understand how to deal with the increased lower-respiratory tract illnesses.
ghosts of the tycoon.
These construction sites are traumatizing
During our estate meeting, mama Amani and re-traumatizing populations in the city.
shared how her children are always feeling We are making comfortable and normalizing
fatigued and she just received a warning high levels of internal stress among children
letter at work citing she is less productive as a way of life. Most children in the city feel
and has been finding it hard to concentrate. unease and our environment evokes inner
Baba Baraka told us that 8-year-old deadliness and a sense of meaninglessness.
Baraka got antidepressants because the While trying to manage this, children and
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