Hustling themtaaway: the Brain Work of the Garbage Business in Nairobi’s Slums

Abstract

Abstract:The inhabitants of slums have developed creative ways of addressing the inherent instability of their lives. Chułek analyzes two approaches to self-organizing work on the basis of data gathered in two slum areas of Nairobi, Kibera and Korogocho, arguing that the key element of slum inhabitants’ actions is the reproduction of structures which enable their survival by making their lives predictable. These structures are evident in the work of trash pickers andorodhapeople, who have developed a finely-tuned infrastructure that governs their actions while allowing room for as many as possible to participate. They can also be seen in the work of hustlers, whose “brain work” is dependent on their network of relationships and on their constant improvisation. These are two examples of the way that inhabitants of Nairobi’s slums manage to maintain a sense of autonomy and agency in the face of constant economic challenge.