Korogocho Slum Research Articles

Urban Slums Morbidity Spectrum: A Cross Sectional Study on Korogocho Slum, Kenya

Community health outreach is part of community-based health care, an extension of facility-based primary care services used to reach the underserved. Slums population in sub-Sahara Africa has been growing by 9 million persons per year making slum occupancy to form more than 56% of urban settlements. A slum is characterized by inadequate access to safe water, inadequate access to sanitation and infrastructure, poor structural quality of housing, overcrowding, and insecure residential status. People in slums due to their environment are more vulnerable to communicable diseases, respiratory diseases, malnutrition and accidents. The main objective was to identify the 10 top most prevalent diseases in Korogocho slums. A cross-sectional study design was applied. Study period was between January 2021 and December 2021. Data was collected through a series of 12 Community health outreach sessions at Korogocho slums in Nairobi, Kenya. Secondary data was extracted and analyzed using SPSS version 25.A total of 3699 individuals were treated, there were more females (67.96%) than males (32.01%) and at least 1 person was identified as a transgender. Age group of 0 to 59 months (472 patients) had more males than females while 19 to 59 years old (1413 patients) females formed majority of Community health outreach attendants. Modal age group was 19 to 59 years among females and 0 to 59 months among males representing 45.28% of the total patients. An average of 308 patients was seen per session. Respiratory tract infections (44.8%), skin diseases (13.8%), abdominal diseases (13.2%), musculoskeletal disorder (7.86%), eye conditions (4.75%), genitourinary diseases (4.18%), ENT diseases (3.9%), hypertension (3.36%), dental problems (2.1%) and wounds and injuries (2.05%) respectively formed the 10 most prevalent diseases in Korogocho slums. Public health intervention of wearing of medical face mask to prevent allergens and airborne infections is highly recommended, prompt and timely treatment of respiratory diseases will help in reducing respiratory related complications. Cost effective and sustainable water treatment options should be availed to the locals to help in improving water quality so as to reduce infective abdominal-diseases.

Social-Cultural Factors Associated with Common Mental Health Disorders among Pregnant and Parenting Teenagers: A Case Study of Korogocho Slums, Nairobi County, Kenya

Background: Teenage pregnancy is a significant problem in Kenya, with over 18% of teenagers aged 15-19 being pregnant or already mothers, with rates even higher in low-income areas such as slums. Existing research has shown that teenage pregnancy increases the risk of mental health disorders, and maternal complications during childbirth, and postpartum. Objective: The study aimed to determine the social-cultural factors associated with common mental health disorders among pregnant and parenting teenagers. Method: An analytical cross-sectional research design was applied. A stratified random sampling technique was utilized to recruit 153 study participants, where Cochran formula for smaller populations was applied to determine sample size. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques of data collection were applied. The chi-square test for independence was employed to determine the degree of association between the dependent and independent variables. Statistical significance was set at p=≤0.05. Results: The prevalence of common mental health disorders in this study was 55%. When the bivariate analysis was done, the following social-cultural factors were found to be significantly associated with common mental health disorders. Absence of social support (X2=2.983, df=3, P<0.005), intimate partner violence (X2= 25.970; df=1, P-value=< 0.000). Presence of physical violence (Physical abuse before pregnancy(X2=19.006, df=2,p<0.001*), Physical abuse during pregnancy(X2=21.169, df=2, <0.001*), Physical abuse after delivery(X2=26.173, df=2, <0.001*),) and presence of sexual violence(Sexual abuse before pregnancy(X2=13.896, df=2, <0.001*), Sexual abuse during pregnancy(X2=5.208, df=2, 0.035*) and Sexual abuse after pregnancy(X2=8.405, df=2, 0.003*). Conclusion: The prevalence of common mental health disorders in this study was high. The following social-cultural factors were found to be significantly associated with common mental health disorders, absence of social support, presence of physical violence, presence of sexual abuse, and the presence of intimate partner violence. There is a need to develop psychosocial and legal support programs targeting pregnant and parenting teenagers to prevent them from common mental health disorders. Furthermore, the community including parents, teachers, and policymakers should support adolescents during their growth and development stages and protect them against teenage pregnancies which will ultimately lead to a healthier population.

Demographic Vulnerability to Crime Victimization among Urban Residents in Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya

The mushroom of the informal settlements in urban spaces has confined the urban poor in deplorable life at the periphery of socio-economic development. The residents in these informal settlements do not just have to grapple with a deprived lifestyle, they are also the key targets of criminality that is rampant in their neighbourhood. This study examined the demographic vulnerability to crime victimization amongst the informal settlement residents. The study focused on four slums in Nairobi, which included Kibera, Mathare, Korogocho, and Mukuru slums. The systematic sampling design was used to determine the 659 respondents. The questionnaires were administered to the respondents, this was quantitatively and qualitatively filled by the respondents to ensure a higher response rate. The study established that most residents were victimized by crime at least once and the common crime included the brewing and consumption of illicit brew. The other commonly experienced crimes included general robbery, burglary, muggings, drugs, assault, murder, robbery with violence, pickpocketing, sexual abuse, arson, kidnapping. Most of the residents lived with the fear of criminal victimization, with nearly a half of them falling victims of crime in the past year. Most of these criminal activities happened early in the evening and early in the morning and were perpetrated on the victims either along the way or in their homes. The crimes were mostly conducted with a weapon and the criminal attacks were often carried out by the youth and middle-aged individuals. The study recommended the establishment of sensitization programs to educate the residents about crime in their neighbourhood and the available ways of seeking justice. The study also recommended the enhancement of community policing in the informal settlement to protect the vulnerable girls who are susceptible to victimization due to the illicit brew that is sold and consumed in their neighbourhood

Nature of Conflicts and Their Resolution in Korogocho Slums, Nairobi, Kenya

Majority of the households in slums are female headed and have very low incomes. Survival for these women exposes them to illegal income generating activities including prostitution, hawking and making illegal local brews. This results in conflicts not just among themselves for competition over the shared resources but also with the law enforcement agencies. The study sought to establish the nature of conflicts prevalent in Korogocho slum, Nairobi Kenya. The study employed the Liberal Feminism Theory to conceptualize and analyze the nature of conflicts and focused on two ideals, equality and liberty to explain the consequence of the push factors leading women into slum life. The study respondents were women, local administrators and leaders, village elders, clinical staff and officers from Civil Society Organizations selected through simple random sampling procedure and purposive sampling. Data was collected using a standard questionnaires with both open and closed ended items. There was also a focused groups and key informants interviews. Quantitative data was exported to Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) while qualitative data was thematically analyzed. Findings showed that most of the conflicts were: over competition for scarce resources. The conflicts resulted in physical battery. The slum vigilante groups led in the resolution of the conflicts with limited police intervention. Given that the groups were male dominated, women got little justice. The study recommends the need for the government and development partners to build inclusive community agencies to identify and respond to the common problems facing women in the slums instead of leaving the slum residents to solve them on their own.

Slow Storytelling and hybridity: Re-staging community storytelling as a tool for co-thinking

Since the early 2000s social media has transformed the internet into a site for the exchange of stories through the mass democratization of publishing. And yet, new forms of digital and online storytelling have at the same time compromised one of the core functions of storytelling, namely its social aspect, the ability to build community when two or more people share stories in the same space, at the same time, breathing the same air. Somewhat ironically the advent of social media may have broadened the audience for any one person’s storytelling, whilst diminishing the social intimacy of the storytelling experience. As part of its research work into storytelling as a means of engaging people in the public debate around environment, the Storytelling Academy at Loughborough University has been developing new forms and processes of digital storytelling to promote wider engagement and dissemination of environmentally driven personal stories. ‘The Reasons’, first staged in Cambridgeshire in 2016, was an attempt to create a live, community social event that provided a public forum for storytelling as a way of debating issues around drought and water governance in the Fens. Inspired by a re-staging of La Rasgioni in Sardinia in 2015, a traditional form of conflict resolution, whereby a ‘mock’ court provides the means for the community to publicly tell its stories to each other, ‘The Reasons’ was co-designed for the Fenland context and was performed twice in 2016. It was then further adapted for use in the Korogocho slum in Nairobi for an event to discuss the issue of waste management with members of the local community, as part of an initiative with UN Live. ‘The Reasons’ is an attempt to bring together the advantages of digital storytelling as a reflective process with the social intimacy of the live storytelling event. The result is a new form of hybrid storytelling that seeks to build community and establish co-thinking processes to build resilience to environmental change. This article reflects critically upon the development and evolution of this work over the past five years.

Conceptualisations of masculinity and sexual development among boys and young men in Korogocho slum in Kenya

Youth and adolescence are times when young men negotiate their identity in relation to social and cultural expectations of being a man, with enduring implications for sexual health and wellbeing. This study explored how boys aged 10–14 years living in Korogocho slum in Nairobi, Kenya conceptualised masculinity, their perceptions of how masculinities are performed, and the linkage between conceptualisations of masculinity and sexual development. Three bases of gender socialisation were identified: (1) verbal messaging (mainly from parents and teachers); (2) observing the behaviours of older men in the community; and (3) information received from mainstream and social media. Masculinity conceptualisations focussed on financial stability, family life and responsibility, physical attributes, character and religion. Two contrasting portrayals of masculinity emerged in the form of idealised and dominant masculinities. A close linkage was found between masculinity conceptualisations and sexual development. Findings are important for programmes that aim to transform harmful gender norms and signal the need for longitudinal research exploring how gender beliefs may change over time.

Depressive symptoms as predictors of sexual experiences among very young adolescent girls in slum communities in Nairobi, Kenya

ABSTRACT Mental health issues are a predisposing factor for HIV acquisition. We examined the association between depressive symptoms and patterns of sexual experience among girls aged 10–14 years living in Korogocho and Viwandani slums in Nairobi, Kenya. We analysed data collected in 2017 from a random sample of 606 girls. Using Latent Class Analysis, we modelled patterns of sexual experiences and used multivariable regression analysis to determine the association between self-reported depressive symptoms and sexual experiences. Seven in ten girls reported at least one symptom of self-reported depression in the past 12 months. About 13% of girls had had a sexual experience, resulting in two patterns of sexual experience – naïve and experienced. Girls reporting depressive symptoms were more likely to be sexually experienced. Sexual and reproductive health programs targeting adolescent girls should consider including intervention packages that address mental health conditions such as depression.

Gender norms about romantic relationships and sexual experiences among very young male adolescents in Korogocho slum in Kenya

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between gender norms about romantic relationships and sexual experiences of very young male adolescents (VYMA) living in Korogocho slum in Nairobi, Kenya.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data from a sample of 426 VYMA living in Korogocho slum. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis to, respectively, explore and validate the factor structure underlying gender norms scale items. We used structural equation modelling to assess the association between gender norms and sexual experiences of VYMA.ResultsWe found high endorsement of heteronormative beliefs about romantic relationships and low endorsement of sexual double standards. Sexual experience was associated with low endorsement of heteronormative beliefs, being pre-pubertal, school absenteeism and being below recommended grade for age. Sharing a sleeping room with more than two people, been born outside Nairobi, and living in households headed by older persons lowered the likelihood of sexual experience.ConclusionsOur findings underscore the need for further research to understand how gender norms evolve as young boys transition through adolescence to adulthood and how these changes impact on sexual behaviors

Exploring Beliefs and Knowledge about Maternal Health: The Case of Women in Korogocho Slums, Nairobi

Despite the fact that the government of Kenya has taken several steps to make it easier for all women to access maternal healthcare services (MHS), studies show that utilization of these services continues to be poor in the informal settlements of Nairobi, resulting in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Studies further reveal that utilization of MHS is influenced by beliefs and knowledge about maternal health. In view of the aforementioned, the purpose of this study was to investigate beliefs and knowledge about maternal among women in informal settlements. T his study, which was conducted in Korogocho slums, Nairobi, adopted a mixed method approach, which involved a survey and analysis of secondary data. Almost all of the subjects believed that some groups of women were at a greater risk of experiencing maternal morbidity than others, and that maternal health is affected by many different factors, including biophysical, socio-economic to cultural practices. The study established that 42 percent and 54 percent of the respondents were aware of danger signs during pregnancy and delivery respectively, while only 19 percent were aware of danger signs during the post-partum period. Most respondents identified blurred vision, convulsions and difficulty in breathing as the main danger signs during pregnancy. During delivery, the most commonly identified danger signs were severe bleeding, convulsions and fainting. However, during the post partum period, only two fifths of the respondents identified convulsions as a danger sign. The study recommends that the Kenyan National government and the Nairobi County government should conduct awareness campaigns with targeted messages to improve maternal knowledge, with a view to improving maternal health outcomes in informal settlements in Nairobi.

Drugs and Substance Abuse among the Secondary School Students in Korogocho: Implications for Behaviour and Performance

<p>Globally, Drugs and substance abuse continues to be a challenge, especially among the youth in school and out of school. It impacts negatively on the academic, social psychological and physical development among the abusers. This paper examines the effects of drugs and substance abuse on social conduct and academic performance among the students as well as the mitigating measures. It is based on a study carried out at Korogocho slums. A total of 102 students and 15 key informants were sampled. Questionnaire and interview guide were used to collect data. The study revealed that marijuana, miraa, alcohol and cigarettes are the most abused drugs by secondary school students and had eroded the core values hence affecting their social skills development and academic performance. The study concluded that slum life, peer pressure, congestion as well as poverty are the recipe to drug and substance abuse among students. The study recommends increased public awareness campaigns on dangers posed by drug and substance abuse involving media, civic education and all the stakeholders; and proper policy formulation and implementation.</p>

A facility-based study of women\u2019 satisfaction and perceived quality of reproductive and maternal health services in the Kenya output-based approach voucher program

BackgroundThis is a facility-based study designed to assess perceived quality of care and satisfaction of reproductive health services under the output-based approach (OBA) services in Kenya from clients’ perspective.MethodAn exit interview was conducted on 254 clients in public health facilities, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations and private facilities in Kitui, Kilifi, Kiambu, and Kisumu counties as well as in the Korogocho and Viwandani slums in Nairobi, Kenya using a 23-item scale questionnaire on quality of reproductive health services. Descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis, reliability test, and subgroup analysis using linear regression were performed.ResultsClients generally had a positive view on staff conduct and healthcare delivery but were neutral on hospital physical facilities, resources, and access to healthcare services. There was a high overall level of satisfaction among the clients with quick service, good handling of complications, and clean hospital stated as some of the reasons that enhanced satisfaction. The County of residence was shown to impact the perception of quality greatly with other social demographic characteristics showing low impact.ConclusionMajority of the women perceived the quality of OBA services to be high and were happy with the way healthcare providers were handling birth related complications. The conduct and practice of healthcare workers is an important determinant of client’s perception of quality of reproductive and maternal health services. Findings can be used by health care managers as a guide to evaluate different areas of healthcare delivery and to improve resources and physical facilities that are crucial in elevating clients’ level of satisfaction.

Ghetto Classics: Bringing hope to underprivileged children in Kenya

Abstract Ghetto Classics (GC) is a youth orchestra with players ranging from seven years old to late teens. It was formed around 2008 in Korogocho, a slum in Nairobi city, Kenya. The group performs western classical and other art music, introducing underprivileged children to the structure and discipline of art music performance. Through the lens of social constructivism theory proposed by Lev Vygotsky I will explore how children as learners construct ideas about music and their own musicality, as well as how knowledge construction in music results from interaction between learners and their tutors within the social environment of Korogocho slums with its attendant culture.

Comparison of domains of self-reported physical activity between Kenyan adult urban-slum dwellers and national estimates

ABSTRACT Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – largely the result of modifiable behavioral risks such as physical inactivity that gradually develop into physiological risks – are a main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Kenya, a nationally representative STEPwise survey of risk factors for NCDs established that 10.8% of Kenyans accumulated low levels of total physical activity. Objectives: The goal of our analyses was to compare domains of self-reported physical activity in two Nairobi slums to national estimates. Methods: Levels and time of self-reported activity in three domains (work, transport, and recreation), collected as part of a SCALE-UP study conducted in Korogocho and Viwandani slums in Nairobi, were compared to STEPwise findings. Results: The samples included a total of 10,128 participants (5,628 slum, 4,500 national). Only 7.1% and 4.0% of slum dwellers reported low levels of work and transport physical activity, respectively, but 95.9% reported low levels of recreation-related activity. Slum residents reported higher mean daily minutes of total activity than the national estimate (499 minutes versus 291 minutes), however, both samples spent similar proportions of total activity on work (79.0% slum, 78.3% national), transport (20.4% slum, 18.1% national), and recreation (0.6% slum, 3.6% national) activities. Conclusions: While the total amount of time spent in different domains of self-reported activity differs between urban slum residents and the national Kenyan population, proportions of time in each of the three domains are similar. It is important that such differences or similarities be considered when addressing NCD risk factors in these populations.

Infant Feeding Challenges Encountered by HIV Positive Mothers in Korogocho Slums, Nairobi, Kenya

Infant Feeding Challenges Encountered by HIV Positive Mothers in Korogocho Slums, Nairobi, Kenya

Ecosandals.Com: The Digital Transformation of a Social Enterprise

Two individuals were instrumental in the transformation process of Ecosandals.com: Benson Wikyo, a social worker based in Nairobi, Kenya and Mathew Meyer, an American student from Brown University who was on a study-abroad program in Kenya. Mathew Meyer was studying Swahili in the study abroad program and sought to gain experience in how the language is used by embedding himself in Korogocho, a slum in Nairobi characterized by high levels of poverty. Benson Wikyo, as a social worker, had, over the years, interacted and counseled with many residents of Korogocho slums and therefore understood the extent and the impact of poverty on the lives of the residents. The experience of poverty and destitution in the Korogocho slums led Mathew and Benson to reflect on role they can play to improve the lives of the residents of Korogocho slums. Having worked and lived in the area for many years, Benson was aware that many residents were involved in various small enterprises such as making sandals made from discarded used rubber tires. Mathew and Benson partnered to focus on how to improve the quality of the lives of a group of sandals makers by starting a cooperative known as the Wikyo Akala Project in 1995. The Wikyo Akala Project, as a cooperative, was setup as a social enterprise that sought to pool the efforts of the sandal makers to improve their sales revenues by using the Internet platform. In transitioning to the use of the Internet platform, Mathew Meyer played a decisive role by injecting capital obtained from a grant of the Samuel Huntington Fund of Westborough, Massachusetts, USA. Wikyo Akala Project struggled to survive as a “bricks-and- mortar” social enterprise in the first six years of operations. However, with the adoption of a “clicks-and-mortar” digital strategy through the Ecosandals.com e-commerce platform, the project witnessed phenomenal growth as the Internet architecture provided them with an opportunity to re-think their operating model. The launch of the Ecosandals.com ecommerce site in February 2001 saw phenomenal growth in labor capacity (from 5 to 30) and a rapid increase in sales which rose to over US$ 7000 within the first six months of operations. There were also major increases in international sales, with the selling price improving from barely US 15 cents to sometimes over US$ 40 per pair of sandals.As the adoption the Internet platform (ecosandals.com) became much more intertwined with the very survival of the social enterprise, the decision to transform to a more “clicks-oriented” or digital model became more urgent. There was need to understand how to evolve to a new digital operating model, with new mass customized products; and to transform processes of the social enterprise to align appropriately with a new digital environment. In seeking to transform to a digital enterprise, the key considerations revolved around how to organize the logic for the business processes related to sandal making and develop the necessary Internet-related capabilities to ensure success of the operating model. Articulation of the extent enterprise standardization and integration requirements therefore formed the basis of a new digital strategy that transformed the enterprise from “bricks and mortar” to a “clicks and mortar” enterprise that has successfully operated as a social enterprise since 2001. In crafting a strategy and adopting a particular digital operating model, the decision options available to the founders involved deciding on the extent (low to high) for both process standardization and process integration.

Resilience in the face of post-election violence in Kenya: The mediating role of social networks on wellbeing among older people in the Korogocho informal settlement, Nairobi

Older people in slum settings are a vulnerable sub-group during crises, yet have received minimal attention in the development discourse. This paper examines the protective role of different types of social networks for older slum dwellers' wellbeing during adversity by investigating the relationship between social networks, the Kenyan 2007/08 post-election violence, and dimensions of wellbeing namely self-rated health, life satisfaction and happiness amongst older people in the Korogocho slum, Nairobi. The analyses are based on conditional change logistic regression models using data from a unique longitudinal survey of the health and wellbeing of older people. The results show that maintaining or increasing formal local networks reduced the detrimental effects of the post-election violence for older people's wellbeing, whilst household environment and informal local and non-local networks did not influence the relationship. Consequently, the paper provides evidence that supporting inclusive community organisations which are accessible to older people can be valuable in promoting the resilience of this population group.

What Has Changed? Parents and Community Members’ Perceptions on an Education Intervention for Girls in the Slums of Nairobi

The objective of the paper is to examine reflections of parents and community members with a community based intervention for girls aged 12 - 19 years in the slums of Nairobi. The intervention involved mentoring in life skills and after school support for girls; and, parental counselling on supporting girls’ education. This paper is motivated by the need to identify from the perspective of parents and community members, what has changed in regard to the education and social lives of the girls, both at school and within the households as a result of one-year exposure to an intervention. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) during the qualitative midterm survey conducted in Korogocho and Viwandani slums, in Nairobi, Kenya. Results show that parents and community gatekeepers’ generally have a positive experience with the outcome of the intervention one year after the onset of the intervention. In conclusion, the knowledge gained by the beneficiaries is gradually leading to an empowerment process within the urban informal settlements, as both girls and their parents become advocates of the program.

Ethnicity and Delay in Measles Vaccination in a Nairobi Slum

The influence of ethnicity on vaccination uptake in urban slums in Kenya is largely unknown. We examined the disparities in timeliness and coverage of measles vaccination associated with ethnicity in the Korogocho slum of Nairobi. The study used data from the Maternal and Child Health component of the Urbanization, Poverty and Health Dynamics Research Programme undertaken in the Korogocho and Viwandani slums by the African Population and Health Research Center from 2006 to 2010. Vaccination information was collected from children recruited into the study during the first year after birth, and a sub-sample of 2,317 who had been followed throughout the period and had the required information on measles vaccination was included in the analysis. Cox regression analysis was used to determine the association of ethnicity with delayed measles in the slum. We found significant disparities in the coverage and timeliness of measles vaccination between the ethnic groups in Korogocho. The Luhya and minor ethnic groups in the slum were more likely than the Kikuyu to have delayed measles vaccination. Ethnic groups with a high proportion of children with delayed measles vaccination need to be targeted to address cultural barriers to vaccination as part of efforts to improve coverage in urban slums.

Korogocho Slum Upgrading Programme

This article presents certain aspects of the Korogocho slum upgrading programme in Kasarani, Nairobi. It focuses on the goals, design, implementation and impact of this programme while presenting some of the key challenges that have been faced in the implementation process.

SP4-20 Influence of socio-cultural practices on HIV infection in two Nairobi slums; a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in Africa accounting for more than 20% of all deaths. Major concerns have been expressed regarding the continued rise of HIV infections among...