Slum Survivor

Inside a slum dwelling

Young people spent a night and a day living in temporary shelters to learn about the experience of a billion of the world’s population.

Slum style

A slum dwelling under construction

A quality construction job: the grassy mound above the car park looks like a great building location

Ordered to move

In the darkness there is consternation when a government official orders the grassy mound to be cleared of dewllings

Moving one of the dwellings

Relocation, relocation, relocation: if we work together we can get everything moved

Inside a slum dwelling

Welcome to our temporary home!

Wearing onesies

Well wrapped up for a cold (but thankfully dry) night

Ellen in mountain survival kit

The ultimate Slum Survivor: Ellen had brought mountain survival kit

Asleep in a slum dwelling

Morning has come a bit early for some slum dwellers

A newly-built slum dwelling

More construction in the morning as the younger Revive group arrive: the folding door is a novel architectural feature

Inside another slum dwelling

My dwelling has bubble wrap on the floor: I can pop it if I get bored

Four inside a slum dwelling

We’re all friends here: we can cope with a bit of overcrowding

Find out more about related activities on our youth and community action pages.

Many of the world’s poorest people live in temporary shelters on land they don’t own, with little access to clean water and an uncertain supply of food. Slum Survivor aims to give some idea of what it is like to live in these conditions.

Our car park was turned into a shanty town as young people and leaders lived in shelters made of wooden pallets, plastic sheeting and cardboard and were exposed to the hazards of urban poverty through a series of games and challenges.

Outside the Christ Church youth room

Meal time: It’s rice and beans! As it will be for every meal from now on…

Writing a Bible verse

“Be on your guard against all kinds of greed”: reflecting on how we felt about the forced clearance

Making a football out of plastic bags

If you have no money, a football can be made out of plastic bags: this one was used for a tournament

Rice, beans and a bacon roll

Rice and beans again for lunch… but 3 people were given bacon rolls too! Life is so unfair, in the slums and elsewhere

Dangerous dilemma

When a stranger turns up and offers places for young people at an agricultural college, it sounds like a good deal… until someone else comes along, hands out chocolate and offers the opportunity to work in the houses of rich Westerners, with good pay and accommodation. Let’s debate this… who should we trust?

An aid worker makes an offer

An aid worker makes an offer… is it genuine?

Money and water challenges

Money challenge

How can a slum family make enough money to survive a week? Especially when an aged member is sick and needs medicine…

Water challenge

Teams had to transport water over long distances by some highly inefficient methods. How much do we value access to clean running water?