Nigeria's Makoko slum
is a shantytown located in Lagos, Nigeria. Makoko slum is seldom visited
by anyone from outside and it is dangerous for strange visitors to go
in without guides.
The slum features
wooden houses built on water, which is claimed one among the liveliest
neighborhoods of the city. The slum’s residents use canoe, boat or some
wooden bridges and walkways to travel through the neighborhood. Being
established as a fishing village in the 18th century, Makoko’s
population is said to be over one thousand people.
Most of Makoko's residents
said that their main forms of industry are fishing and wood processing.
Therefore, life is very hard for them as their income is not enough to
support for their family a better life.
A resident walks on a wooden bridge in Nigeria's Makoko slum
Makoko’s residents live on fishing and wood processing
According to the United Nations, Makoko is heavily overcrowded. There
are up to 14 children living in some homes. The birthrate of the slum
quickly increases because their culture is not giving birth to just one
or two children but more.
The birthrate of Makoko quickly increases
Those poor people in the slum have to live in an poluted environment which is so hectic, dark and incredibly smelly
In order to make a living in the floating slum, many people run beat shops that float through the neighborhood to sell different items from noodles to palm oil.
It is said that you can buy anything in such these boats
Makoko is known as a self-governed and security forces rarely appear in
the slum. The shantytown is defended by what is called “area boys”,
which features gangs of unemployed young men who defend their territory
by violence.
Therefore, Makoko is a dangerous place to explore alone or without a trusted guide
You can’t find any sewer system in Makoko. All the toilets are made in the way that let everything fall into water beneath their homes. The region also has no running water. The water in the region is black and they have to buy clean water.
The water in the slum is black and murky with pollution
There are also several schools for young children in Makoko, while the
older children attend schools outside the floating slum. However, only
ten percent of Makoko’s residents are educated up to primary school.
These children go to school by floating school boats
Source: http://travel.ezine9.com/discover-makoko-nigerias-floating-slum-7737468d387.html
