Settlements In Kenya Research Articles

The theory of planned behaviour in exploring dietary diversity practices among mothers in informal settlements in Kenya

One of the leading causes of malnutrition, which contributes to morbidity and mortality in children, is lack of dietary diversity. Despite remarkable improvement in exclusive breastfeeding in Kenya, there are still poor dietary diversity practices among children aged 6-24 months. Limited studies have applied the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to examine the factors that influence dietary diversity practices in informal settlements in Kenya. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore behavioral, normative, control beliefs, intention, and dietary diversity practices, based on the TPB. The study sites were Kibera in Nairobi, Manyatta A in Kisumu, and Kaptembwo in Nakuru. Participants were 64 mothers of children aged 6-24 months selected using purposive sampling. Nine focus groups, each comprising of 5-10 mothers were conducted and the data analyzed using thematic analysis. Using a focus group guide, based on the TPB, mothers described salient beliefs regarding their attitude, subjective norms and perceived control of dietary diversity. Analysis of the data showed that some mothers had intended to introduce solid foods at six months. However, barriers such as mother not feeding well, baby’s hunger, perceived insufficient breast milk production, and return to work led to earlier introduction of foods. Most mothers indicated their intention to give a variety of foods to their children but were hindered by barriers such as poverty/inadequate money, non-availability of food at home, and inadequate knowledge about complementary feeding. Friends, health professionals, fathers, neighbours and friends were cited as most salient referents that influenced the dietary diversity practices. The most frequently provided starchy foods were chappatis, mandazis, potatoes, rice, weetabix, porridge, and ugali. In conclusion, the results indicate that mothers had positive attitude towards dietary diversity. The ‘significant others’ who mostly influenced dietary diversity practices were health professionals, fathers, and friends. Future interventions need to target mothers' perceived child-feeding responsibilities, influence subjective norms, and increase parents' perceived control over child feeding.

Mental Health during COVID-19 Pandemic among Caregivers of Young Children in Kenya's Urban Informal Settlements. A Cross-Sectional Telephone Survey.

The emergence of COVID-19 has profoundly affected mental health, especially among highly vulnerable populations. This study describes mental health issues among caregivers of young children and pregnant women in three urban informal settlements in Kenya during the first pandemic year, and factors associated with poor mental health. A cross-sectional telephone survey was administered to 845 participants. Survey instruments included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, General Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, and questions on the perceived COVID-19 effects on caregiver wellbeing and livelihood. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and univariate and multivariate analysis. Caregivers perceived COVID-19 as a threatening condition (94.54%), affecting employment and income activities (>80%). Caregivers experienced discrimination (15.27%) and violence (12.6%) during the pandemic. Levels of depression (34%), general anxiety (20%), and COVID-19 related anxiety (14%) were highly prevalent. There were significant associations between mental health outcomes and economic and socio-demographic factors, violence and discrimination experiences, residency, and perceptions of COVID-19 as a threatening condition. Caregivers high burden of mental health problems highlights the urgent need to provide accessible mental health support. Innovative and multi-sectoral approaches will be required to maximize reach to underserved communities in informal settlements and tackle the root causes of mental health problems in this population.

Impact of the DREAMS interventions on educational attainment among adolescent girls and young women: Causal analysis of a prospective cohort in urban Kenya.

DREAMS promotes a comprehensive HIV prevention approach to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). One pathway that DREAMS seeks to impact is to support AGYW to stay in school and achieve secondary education. We assessed the impact of DREAMS on educational outcomes among AGYW in Nairobi, Kenya. In two informal settlements in Nairobi, 1081 AGYW aged 15-22 years were randomly selected in 2017 and followed-up to 2019. AGYW reporting invitation to participate in DREAMS during 2017-18 were classified as "DREAMS beneficiaries". Our main outcome was being in school and/or completed lower secondary school in 2019. We used multivariable logistic regression to quantify the association between being a DREAMS beneficiary and the outcome; and a causal inference framework to estimate proportions achieving the outcome if all, versus no, AGYW were DREAMS beneficiaries, adjusting for the propensity to be a DREAMS beneficiary. Of AGYW enrolled in 2017, 79% (852/1081) were followed-up to 2019. In unadjusted analysis, DREAMS beneficiaries had higher attainment than non-beneficiaries (85% vs 75% in school or completed lower secondary school, Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.9; 95%CI: 1.3,2.8). The effect weakened with adjustment for age and other confounders, (adjusted OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 0.9,2.4). From the causal analysis, evidence was weak for an impact of DREAMS (estimated 83% vs 79% in school or completed lower secondary school, if all vs no AGYW were beneficiaries, difference = 4%; 95%CI: -2,11%). Among AGYW out of school at baseline, the estimated differences were 21% (95%CI: -3,43%) among 15-17 year olds; and 4% (95%CI: -8,17%) among 18-22 year olds. DREAMS had a modest impact on educational attainment among AGYW in informal settlements in Kenya, by supporting both retention and re-enrolment in school. Larger impact might be achieved if more AGYW were reached with educational subsidies, alongside other DREAMS interventions.

Mobile Loan Frequency of Repayment as a Predictor of the Financial Performance of SMEs in Urban Informal Settlements in Kenya

This study explored the effect of repayment timelines on the financial performance of SMEs in urban informal settlements in Kenya. This study adopts the descriptive survey design. Data were collected from 120 SMEs in the 6 wards of Mathare Sub- County. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires. It was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. From the study findings, it is evident that repayment timelines influenced the application for mobile loans. The ability to pay mobile loans without problems due to flexible repayment times also enhanced the performance of the respondents’ businesses. While loans with short repayment periods discouraged the businesses from borrowing due to immense pressure, long repayment periods were preferable since it meant that the stock purchased could be converted to cash. Budgeting could also be made easy due to the certainty of cash flow in long and flexible repayment periods. Lastly, a long repayment period meant that the intended use of the money borrowed could be realized. The study made the following recommendation based on the study objective. In this regard, most of the various mobile loan providers should put in place flexible repayment plans to make their loans appealing. They should also market their mobile loan products to make them visible since only 4, Safaricom-Fuliza, M-Shwari, Tala, and KCB-Mpesa were the most used. Civil society organizations in collaboration with mobile loan providers should also carry out capacity building campaigns among SMEs in informal settlements.

Exploring Infant Feeding Beliefs and Practices among Mothers in Major Urban Informal Settlements in Kenya

Appropriate infant feeding is a proxy indicator for the good health and nutritional status of infants. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore mother’s beliefs and practices of infant feeding practices up to two years of age or beyond in major urban informal settlements in Kenya. A total of nine focus groups were conducted in three randomly selected sites, namely: Kaptembwo in Nakuru, Manyatta ‘A’ in Kisumu, and Kibera in Nairobi. Sixty-four mothers of children aged 6-24 months were chosen purposively, and the results were thematically analyzed. Results showed that most mothers still breast-fed their children, but they intended to stop breastfeeding when the child is 18 months old. Generally, the mothers reported the benefits of breastfeeding for two years of age or beyond, such as protection against diseases, improving health, and making the child strong. They perceived barriers to breastfeeding up to two years or beyond such as child illness, child’s decision, return to work, baby addiction to breast milk, and inconvenience brought about by breastfeeding. The foods perceived by mothers as good for the baby included yogurt, groundnuts, pumpkins, bananas, pawpaw, watermelon, oranges, spinach, and traditional vegetables. While the foods perceived as not good for the baby were processed milk, eggs, and sweet foods such as sodas, biscuits, cakes. Participants had a positive attitude towards water treatment and handwashing practices. The most commonly reported method of treating water was boiling. The perceived barriers to water treatment and handwashing practices included lack of fuel and water, forgetfulness, inadequate money, not able to control children. The findings indicate that increasing awareness on the duration of breastfeeding may motivate more mothers to breastfeed for two years and beyond.

Patterns and predictors of private and public health care utilization among residents of an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundKnowledge of health care utilization is important in low-and middle-income countries where inequalities in the burden of diseases and access to primary health care exist. Limited evidence exists on health seeking and utilization in the informal settlements in Kenya. This study assessed the patterns and predictors of private and public health care utilization in an urban informal settlement in Kenya.MethodsThis study used data from the Lown scholars study conducted between June and July 2018. A total of 300 households were randomly selected and data collected from 364 household members who reported having sought care for an illness in the 12 months preceding the study. Data were collected on health-seeking behaviour and explanatory variables (predisposing, enabling, and need factors). Health care utilization patterns were described using proportions. Predictors of private or public health care use were identified using multinomial logistic regression with the reference group being other providers.ResultsMajority of the participants used private (47%) and public facilities (33%) with 20% using other providers including local pharmacies/drug shops and traditional healers. In the model comparing public facilities vs other facilities, members who were satisfied with the quality of health care (vs not satisfied) were less likely to use public facilities (adjusted relative risk ratio (aRRR) 0.29; CI 0.11–0.76) while members who reported an acute infection (vs no acute infection) were more likely to use public facilities (aRRR 2.31; 95% CI 1.13–4.99) compared to other facilities. In the second model comparing private facilities to other facilities, having health insurance coverage (aRRR 2.95; 95% CI 1.53–5.69), satisfaction with cost of care (aRRR 2.08; CI 1.00–4.36), and having an acute infection (aRRR 2.97; 95% CI 1.50–5.86) were significantly associated with private facility use compared to other facilities.ConclusionsThe majority of urban informal settlement dwellers seek care from private health facilities. As Kenya commits to achieving universal health coverage, interventions that improve health care access in informal and low-resource settlements are needed and should be modelled around enabling and need factors, particularly health care financing and quality of health care.

Financial Inclusion and Poverty Alleviation in Kenya: Effects of Mobile Loan Interest Rates on the Financial Performance of SMEs in Urban Informal Settlements

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of interest rates on the financial performance of SMEs in urban informal settlements in Kenya. This study adopts the descriptive survey design. Data were collected from 120 SMEs in the 6 wards of Mathare Sub-County. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires. It was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings show that low-interest rates could influence the propensity of SMEs to apply for these loans. The ability to pay mobile loans without problems due to low interest rates enhanced the performance of the respondents’ businesses. This goes on to contribute to poverty alleviation in urban informal settlements through enhanced access to capital; one of the goals of the World Bank. This has further ripple effects since it can contribute to income diversification for the inhabitants of poor urban areas. The following recommendations were made. The government should also reduce interest rates to lower the cost of mobile phone interests as well as the interest rates of other loan products. Mobile loan lenders should also ensure that their loan products are affordable for the urban poor.

Mobile Loans as Financing Options in Kenya and the Financial Performance of SMEs in Low Income Areas in Nairobi County

This study sets out to examine the effect of loan accessibility on the financial performance of SMEs in urban informal settlements in Kenya. Based on the descriptive survey design, data were collected from 120 SMEs in the 6 wards of Mathare Sub-County using semi-structured questionnaires. It was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings show that all the loan accessibility had a significant and positive relationship with the financial performance of SMEs. In this regard, enhancing loan accessibility contributed to the financial performance of SMEs in urban areas. Financial inclusion among SMEs in urban areas was also enhanced through mobile loans. This could go on to enhance living standards among the inhabitants of urban informal settlements as envisaged by World Bank. In this regard, several recommendations were made. Mobile loan providers should market their mobile loan products to make them visible since only 4, Safaricom-Fuliza, M-Shwari, Tala, and KCB-Mpesa were the most used. Civil society organizations in collaboration with mobile loan providers should also carry out capacity building campaigns among SMEs in informal settlements. This would lead to enhanced visibility and accessibility of these mobile loans among the inhabitants of urban informal settlements.

Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality for Sustainable Life: A Case Study of Rural and Urban Settlements in Poor Neighbourhoods in Kenya

This paper reports on the indoor and outdoor air quality in informal urban and rural settlements in Kenya. The study is motivated by the need to improve consciousness and to understand the harmful health effects of air quality to vulnerable people, especially in poor communities. Ng’ando urban informal settlement and Leshau Pondo rural village in Kenya are selected as representative poor neighborhoods where unclean energy sources are used indoor for cooking, lighting and heating. Filter based sampling for gravimetrical, elemental composition and black carbon (BC) analysis of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) is performed. findings from Ng’ando and Leshau Pondo showed levels exceeding the limit suggested by the world health organization (WHO), with rare exceptions. Significantly higher levels of PM2.5 and black carbon are observed in indoors than outdoor samples, with a differences in the orders of magnitudes and up to 1000 µg/m3 for PM2.5 in rural settlements. The elemental composition reveals the presence of potentially toxic elements, in addition to characterization, emission sources were also identified. Levels of Pb exceeding the WHO limit are found in the majority of samples collected in the urban locations near major roads with heavy traffic. Our results demonstrate that most of the households live in deplorable air quality conditions for more than 12 h a day and women and children are more affected. Air quality condition is much worse in rural settlements where wood and kerosene are the only available fuels for their energy needs.

PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS INFLUENCING DRUG ABUSE AMONG YOUTHS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS: A CASE STUDY OF MATHARE SLUMS, NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

Large population of youths in informal settlement in Kenya are involved in a number of social vices. These vices may include but not limited to robbery with violence, early marriages, dropping out of school and joining outlawed gangs. Youth involvement in social vices presents great concern to parents, government and non-governmental organizations. With increased prevalence of social vices in informal settlements in Kenya, this study was motivated to investigate the influence of psychosocial factors on drug abuse among the youths in Mathare informal settlements of Nairobi County, Kenya. This study sought to determine the effect of stress level as a psychosocial factor on drug abuse among the youths in Mathare informal settlement. The unit of analysis were persons of both genders falling between 18 years and 35 years of age. The target population was 17,894 youths of which a sample of 391 respondents was selected using proportionate stratified random sampling method. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using the linear regression analysis where hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was utilized for the purposes of validity. The validity of the instruments was checked by the researcher who also sought the opinion of experts from the School of Education in Laikipia University. The reliability coefficients for questionnaire were estimated through Cronbach’s alpha. The resultant alpha for youth questionnaire was r= .827. The questionnaires were considered reliable after yielding a reliability coefficient alpha of at least 0.70. Both the descriptive statistics and inferential statistics was used by the study. The descriptive statistics that were used included the mean, standard deviations and frequency distributions. From the data analysis it was evident that stress level contributes to 2.8% of drug abuse cases among youth in Mathare informal settlements. The study recommends that county Government of Nairobi to economically empower the community of people with emphasis on the youths. This will help them think beyond immediate daily survival and assert greater control over their resources and life choices, especially decisions in investment in health, housing and education.
 
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Design considerations for patient‐centered eHealth interventions in an underserved context: A case of health and wellbeing services within Nairobi's informal settlements in Kenya

AbstracteHealth offers the opportunity to transform the health sector. Unfortunately, eHealth interventions in underserved contexts continue to remain deficient due challenges such as the design‐reality gap, fragmentation, and high implementation costs, etc. This situation hampers the delivery of anticipated results from such projects. Furthermore, the voice of patients is hardly heard concerning the design of these interventions. The study sought to establish participants' views on how patient‐centered eHealth interventions may be designed in a resource‐constrained, Sub‐Saharan African context to deliver value. This was a qualitative study conducted across six government health facilities within Nairobi's informal settlements in Kenya. Data collection involved in‐depth interviews (n = 24), focus group discussions (n = 23) and observation. Participants comprised of Facility In‐Charge, clients, community health workers, medical staff, and ICT experts. Interviews and discussions explored participant's perceptions of the quality of health care, challenges faced, and the potential of eHealth in improving health care delivery. Thematic analysis was performed using manual coding whereby eight data themes emerged including: data access, contextualization, health IT utilization, implementation, integration, stakeholders, quality, and user‐centered design (UCD). The themes were then used to derive a theoretical framework to guide the designing and implementation of patient‐centered eHealth interventions in the Kenyan context.

Posttraumatic stress and depression among women in Kenya’s informal settlements: risk and protective factors

ABSTRACT Background: Approximately 56% of Kenya´s population resides in informal settlements (UN-Habitat, 2016). Female residents experience a range of psychosocial stressors including chronic poverty and high rates of interpersonal violence. Despite evidence that this population has some of the worst physical health outcomes in the country (APHRC, 2014), few studies have evaluated their mental health status and its correlates. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify risk and protective factors associated with mental health problems (posttraumatic stress & depression) among women living in informal settlements in Kenya. Hypothesized risk factors included economic stress, a history of experiencing childhood abuse and sexual violence, as well as partner-perpetrated psychological and physical abuse. Hypothesized protective factors were supportive relationships with family members and friends and having a sense community connection. Method: Local community health workers were trained to collect data via individual interviews using validated measures. Participants were recruited using systematic random sampling in two informal settlements in Nakuru County. We used path analysis to test the hypothesized model among a sample of 301 women. Results: The model had an excellent fit (χ2 = 13.391, df = 8, p =.099; GFI =.99; CFI =.99; RMSEA =.05) and explained 25% of the variance in PTSS and 28% of the variance in depression. All predictor variables except support from friends were statistically significant in the expected direction. Specifically, economic stress, childhood abuse, sexual violence, as well as physical and psychological abuse from one´s partner had significant positive associations with PTSS and depression. Having supportive family members and a sense of being part of the community had significant negative associations with symptoms. Conclusions: Results highlight the importance of addressing intimate partner and other forms of interpersonal violence in these settings and hold implications for tailoring interventions for this marginalized population.

Rhythms of the unemployed: making art and making do through spoken word in Kisumu, Kenya

AbstractYoung people from the low-income settlements in Kenya's third-largest city, Kisumu, struggling with unemployment refer to their efforts to generate a livelihood as ‘hustling’. At the same time, many of them put art (dance, music, poetry) at the centre of their lives. This article attempts to account for the significant popularity of the arts among Kisumu's youth. It understands the ‘way of the artist’ as an alternative interpretation of work and a framework in which people situate their experiences of unemployment, waiting and insecure work. To examine this framework in action, the article follows Janabii, a poet who has been at the centre of attempts to establish a spoken word scene in Kisumu. Janabii has spent several years in limbo, oscillating between glittering performances and a more discreet daily life, marked by functional homelessness and a refusal to surrender to the violence of Kenya's informal world of work. The article contributes to recent studies about hustling by combining an ethnography of a week in Janabii's life with a literary analysis of excerpts from one of his poems, in order to elucidate how his struggles to get by are narrated and stylized through a spoken word, artistic imaginary that interrelates with his everyday life.

Building capacity towards what? Proposing a framework for the analysis of energy transition governance in the context of urban informality in Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT There is an emerging scholarship that criticises the conceptualisation of urban informality from a deficit view and emphasises that informality constitutes a way of life, a practice in its own right. We argue that energy is part of the informal way of life and that energy transitions need to take into account the specificities of urban informality when used for policy. Acknowledging energy practices is necessary to improve the justice of energy transitions, including the urban poor in energy transitions without denying the legitimacy of slum dwellers’ ways of life. In this paper, we analyse energy governance in informal urban settlements as implemented by national governments, municipalities and non-governmental organisations, with case studies from Sub-Saharan Africa. We develop a policy analysis framework that assesses (1) the practices of problem definition; (2) the creation of policy options and strategy; (3) the mix of capacities mobilised; and (4) the type of instruments used. The framework is applied to three case studies of energy policies in informal settlements in Kenya, South Africa and Uganda. Results show a strong preference for regulation and technological fixes and do not create capacity to acknowledge and integrate the specific challenges of urban informality and informal ways of life in energy policy, hence falling short of addressing social justice in energy transitions.

COVID-19 Effect on Access to Maternal Health Services in Kenya.

Introduction: Maternal mortality continues to be one of the biggest challenges of the health system in Kenya. Informal settlements in Kenya have been known to have higher rates of maternal mortality and also receive maternity services of varied quality. Data assessing progress on key maternal health indicators within informal settlements are also often scarce. The COVID-19 pandemic hit Kenya in March this year and so far, the impact of the pandemic on access to maternal health has not been established. This study aims to add to the body of knowledge by investigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation strategies on access to health care services in informal settlements.Methods: Qualitative methods using in-depth interviews were used to assess women's experiences of maternity care during the COVID-19 era and the impact of proposed mitigation strategies such as the lockdown and the curfew. Other aspects of the maternity experience such as women's knowledge of COVID-19, their perceived risk of infection, access to health facilities, perceived quality of care were assessed. Challenges that women facing as a result of the lockdown and curfew with respect to maternal health access and quality were also assessed.Results: Our findings illustrate that there was a high awareness of the symptoms and preventative measures for COVID-19 amongst women in informal settlements. Our findings also show that women's perception of risk to themselves was high, whereas risk to family and friends, and in their neighborhood was perceived as low. Less than half of women reported reduced access due to fear of contracting Coronavirus, Deprioritization of health services, economic constraints, and psychosocial effects were reported due to the imposed lockdown and curfew. Most respondents perceived improvements in quality of care due to short-waiting times, hygiene measures, and responsive health personnel. However, this was only reported for the outpatient services and not in-patient services.Conclusion: The most important recommendation was for the Government to provide food followed by financial support and other basic amenities. This has implications for the Government's mitigation measures that are focused on public health measures and lack social safety-net approaches for the most vulnerable communities.

Barriers and opportunities for cleanliness of shared sanitation facilities in low-income settlements in Kenya

BackgroundThe sharing of sanitation facilities is a common practice in low-income areas in sub-Saharan Africa. However, shared sanitation is currently categorized as a limited sanitation service, and may therefore not count towards meeting the global goals. These shared facilities are often the only option available for most residents in low-income settlements, and improving their cleanliness and overall management is key to reducing open defecation and risk of disease. This study sought to investigate barriers and opportunities for improved cleanliness of shared sanitation facilities in low-income settlements of Kisumu city, Kenya.MethodsThirty-nine in-depth interviews and 11 focus group discussions were held with residents – mainly tenants and landlords – of a low-income settlement in Kisumu. Analysis followed a thematic approach to define the problem, specify the target behaviour and identify the changes needed.ResultsSanitation facilities were mainly pit latrines, typically shared among landlords and tenants. Participants singled out behavioural (poor use of the shared toilets) and social (lack of cooperation in cleaning) challenges that led to unclean shared toilets. Available opportunities for improvement included instituting clear cleaning plans, improving communication among users, and enhanced problem-solving mechanisms between landlords and tenants. These approaches could form the basis for designing intervention strategies for improving the cleanliness of shared sanitation facilities.ConclusionThe results highlight the need to focus on social aspects for improvement of cleanliness in shared sanitation facilities in low-income settlements. Through a social approach, shared sanitation facilities can be managed appropriately to provide the millions of low-income residents in Kenya an opportunity to access sanitation. This study provides further evidence on approaches for improved management of shared sanitation facilities in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Joint Monitoring Program’s (JMP) recommendation for high quality shared facilities.

Household Energy Choice for Cooking Fuel and Underlying Circumstances in Non-Formal Urban Settlements in Kenya

This study investigated the choice of cooking fuel and underlying circumstances in Kibra slums in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study focused on various factors that influence household choice of cooking fuel and those which could keep household away from using other cooking fuels in non-formal settlements areas in the urban set-up. The study was both quantitative and qualitative and used questionnaires and observation schedules to collect data among targeted households. The findings suggest that various factors play crucial roles in determining household choice of improved fuel for cooking but most dominant factors were; time spent to cook a meal, ease of lighting, affordability, availability of fuel and its storage. The study also realized that lack of sufficient income has little influence on people to adopt or reject improved fuels. The paper argues that more data and necessary information need to be provided on the merits and demerits of various types of improved cooking fuel to the household in the slums and the its environs to enable the residents make better choices. The findings of this study indicated that for fuel choice at various household levels, it is still a challenge as some of the households targeted did not have any good reason why they use their preferred fuel type and have no much knowledge on any dangers associated with their cooking fuel choices apart from when they witness an incidence or incidence which could be considered as dangerous.

Modeling a Pandemic (COVID-19) Management Strategy for Urban Slums Using Social Geometry Framework

The purpose of this paper is to utilize social geometry framework to model a pandemic (COVID-19) management strategy in densely populated informal settlements in Kenya. Our central claim is that the containment strategy that was instituted to control spread of COVID-19 failed to recognize the socio-cultural and livelihood complexities of the urban slum residents. This unmitigated strategy predisposed the residents to risks of heightened transmission of the pandemic. Drawing on social geometry approach in the analysis of human relations, we reveal some insights offered by our experiences in theorizing about public health intervention (PHI) and in doing so develop an alternative analytical framework (‘social pendulum’) to support the development of a PHI strategy that is compatible with the swing-like lifestyle of residents in the informal settlements. Our conclusion revisits the reliability and validity criteria for the new framework and offers some direction for further research.

Imperfect monitoring and informal insurance: The role of social ties

This paper examines whether social ties impact informal insurance in the presence of asymmetric information. Using games with residents of informal settlements in Kenya, I vary the observability of task completion and partners. While individuals are less likely to make transfers as a result of imperfect monitoring, socially close individuals are 30% more likely to make transfers. As a result, socially close individuals are 47% more likely to make transfers than socially distant individuals when task completion cannot be observed. I then explore the mechanisms by which social connections influence risk sharing. I find evidence that social connections increase participants’ motivation to work only when task completion cannot be observed, potentially due to social collateral and/or intrinsic motivation.

‘We just look at the well-being of the baby and not the money required’: a qualitative study exploring experiences of quality of maternity care among women in Nairobi’s informal settlements in Kenya

ObjectiveTo examine how women living in an informal settlement in Nairobi perceive the quality of maternity care and how it influences their choice of a delivery health facility.DesignQualitative study.SettingsDandora, an...