Life in a slum: understanding living conditions in Nairobi’s slums across time and space

Abstract

This paper overviews the role of slums in urban Africa, focusing on Nairobi. It reveals the characteristics of slums and how these have changed over time. Spatially disaggregated data show that slum areas are very dense with poor-quality buildings, lacking access to key services such as sewage disposal and electricity. However, improvements to building quality, public-service provision, and socioeconomic characteristics are mostly outpacing those seen in the formal sector. Measures such as child health and school attendance have caught up or are on pace to catch up in the near future with the formal sector, while improvements in building quality and service provision are advancing more slowly. We find significant heterogeneity across the city, and in particular that central slums look to be 'stuck' with low-quality buildings and poor service provision, though not with low socioeconomic indicators. We explore potential explanations for why slums located on highly prized land near the centre may be stuck with poor infrastructure.

The Social Network: How People with Visual Impairment use Mobile Phones in Kibera, Kenya

“…Informal settlements are unplanned settlements usually located in peri-urban areas of many large cities in LMICs. From a social-economic point of view, informal settlements combine elements of urban and rural communities and are often characterized by poverty and scarcity of services compared to formal urban settlements [6]. The conditions found in informal settlements are known to impact negatively on the quality of life of residents [78].…”

A Critical Review of High and Very High-Resolution Remote Sensing Approaches for Detecting and Mapping Slums: Trends, Challenges and Emerging Opportunities

“…This estimate is based on a slum being classified as a household with one or more of the following deprivations: inadequate access to water, sanitation and other infrastructure, poor structural quality of housing, overcrowding and insecure residential status [4]. However, no standard definition yet exists for slums [5]. While the terms "slums" and "informal settlements" are often used interchangeably in the literature, the United Nations Human Settlement Programme views an informal settlement as one Once data is collected and made available, it then becomes necessary to process it so that meaningful information and knowledge can be derived.…”

Population Density and Spatial Patterns of Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya

“…The expansion of most informal settlements is related to employment opportunities, considering that these areas are mostly established by workers employed in nearby factories and shops or by wealthy families [48,49]. Even though the informal settlements have poor living conditions and a lack of services, they still offer opportunities for housing and work that are not available in the formal sector for vast numbers of people [49][50][51]. Where people choose to settle is a decision process between the expected benefits and the cost of living.…”