Partnerships for Successes in Slum Upgrading: Local Governance and Social Change in Kibera, Nairobi

Meredith, Thomas; MacDonald, Melanie; Kwach, Harrison; Waikuru, Esther; Alabaster, Graham

With global trends towards increased urbanisation, conditions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) present unique challenges. Kibera, in Nairobi, Kenya, is among the largest informal settlements in SSA, and has been part of ambitious programs to improve quality-of-life conditions for residents. This chapter explores one initiative involving a partnership of the Kenyan Government, UN-Habitat, a local NGO called Maji na Ufanisi, and community-based leadership groups. The program was part of a slum upgrading initiative called the Soweto East Project and relied heavily on community engagement to build trust, encourage active participation and define community concerns. Priorities included water supply, sanitation and waste management, but also an access road, a community resource centre and capacity building activities. We describe the mechanisms used to cultivate community engagement, the problems that emerged and the successes that followed. We conclude that environmentally sustainable and socially acceptable enhancements in informal settlements will require both a strong commitment from within the community and sustained support from outside institutions. The innovations that were a part of this program provide evidence of strategies that yield positive outcomes.