Case Study 4: Urban Migration in Kibera Flashcards
What did Kibera community members want?
○ An access road
○ Access to computer training
○ Access to better schools
○ Food
○ Sanitation blocks
○ Job training; why bring in outside contractors to rebuild our community?
Describe Asia and Africa’s urbanization profile
have majoritarily rural populations
have higher urbanization rate than other regions
what percentage of the population lives in urban slums in sub saharan africa
in nairobi?
62%
60% of the population lives in slums that represent 5% of the land
What are the 4 units of viability that one could take to study the human ecology of slums?
the biological cell
- need matter and energy
the organism
- requires an ecological niche
the social organism
- requires matter, energy, ecological niche, and social integration
humans
- need matter, energy, ecological niche, social integration, AND cultural elements
What role do slums play in human ecology?
provide service in urban economy
provide income repatriated to rural communities
hub for communication, innovation, education
engage in social, economic, political interactions
environmental impacts
generate political unrest
Who are the Nubian people?
People from the Kenyan/Sudanese border who first occupied Kibera. They now represent 15% of the Kibera population, are mostly muslim, and are mostly shack owners
Who are the Kikuyu?
the majority tribe in Nairobi.
they are one of the majority shack owners, but most are not tenants
Who are the majority of tenants in kibera?
Luo, Luhya, and Kamba
What are problems faced in Kibera?
- only 20% have access to electricity
- little access to water, many collect from dam which contains Typhoid and cholera
- no toilet facilities
- no government clinics or organizations
- dangerous abortions (little contraceptive use and availability of drugs and alcohol)
What are the 7 components of the integrated water sanitation and waste management program in Kibera?
1) access to credit for water and sanitation
2) improve drainage system
3. initiate small-scale door-to-door waster collection and recycling initiatives.
4) Enbale the Soweto East community to gain basic knowledge of computers and internet accessibility
5) establish governance frameworks to regualte accessibility to water and sanitation
6) build a road through the slums
7) popularize non-motorized transport system
What is KENSUP?
the UN’s Kenya Slum Upgrading Program
What are the 7 take home messages from Kibera?
1) humans shape their environment
2) other humans are part of our environment. their viability affects our viability
3) managing the environment means managing all aspects of the ecosystem, including the social and cultural ones
4) just like water and air, education, employment, governance, and political stability are part of the socio-ecosystem
5) WE are part of the socio-ecosystem of kibera (through commerce, global governance, global environmental change, NGOs, development interventions)
6) Slums are a huge, growing challenge
7) the challenge is complex
What is a decanting center?
temporary housing for displaced slum dwellers while improved housing is built
