Building Inclusive and Sustainable Futures in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements
The African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC) is spearheading transformative action research projects across Nairobi, Kenya, aimed at improving living conditions and opportunities for residents of the city’s vast informal settlements. In partnership with local organizations and community groups, ACRC recently convened a high-level stakeholder meeting to gather insights, strengthen research strategies, and identify key collaborators for these impactful initiatives.
Convening Diverse Voices for Urban Reform
On October 16, 2024, ACRC’s Nairobi city team, in collaboration with Slum Dwellers International – Kenya (SDI-Kenya), hosted a workshop to bring together a wide range of stakeholders. This inclusive gathering featured representatives from reform coalitions, academic institutions, government agencies, community-based organizations, and other crucial urban actors beyond the ACRC network.
The primary objectives of the meeting were threefold:
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Gather Practical Insights on Policy Influence: The participants shared valuable perspectives on effective ways to shape urban policy and programming, ensuring the ACRC’s research has maximum influence on the ground.
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Strengthen Research Uptake Strategies: The discussions helped the city team refine their plans for translating research findings into tangible improvements for informal settlement communities.
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Identify Strategic Collaborators: The workshop enabled the identification of key urban stakeholders, reform coalitions, and policy influencers who will be essential partners in the upcoming action research projects.
Addressing Critical Urban Challenges
Building on comprehensive political economy studies of Nairobi’s development landscape, the ACRC city team is now poised to implement four co-designed action research initiatives in the Kenyan capital. These interventions, developed in close collaboration with local organizations, aim to tackle some of the city’s most pressing challenges:
1. Extending the County School Feeding Program
Led by LVCT Health, this project will work to mainstream sustainable and affordable healthy diets in informal primary schools, early childhood development centers, and daycare facilities across Nairobi’s informal settlements. The goal is to improve the health and nutrition of children living in these underserved areas.
2. Holistic Waste Management in Mathare
SDI-Kenya will spearhead this comprehensive initiative to address the fragmented and under-resourced waste management systems in the Mathare informal settlement. Key components include providing 24-hour access to solid waste disposal, improving household sewerage access, and creating productive public spaces.
3. Enhancing Water and Sanitation Services in Mukuru
Akiba Mashinani Trust will lead this intervention, which aims to improve access, affordability, and governance of water and sanitation services in the Mukuru Special Planning Area. The project will involve mobilizing a reform coalition of agencies, institutions, and community members to drive sustainable change.
4. Democratizing Land Data in Mathare
Strathmore Law School and Akiba Mashinani Trust will partner on this initiative to empower informal settlement residents in Mathare to address tenure security through expanded access to land data and the establishment of community-level structures.
Harnessing the Power of Action Research
These co-designed action research projects embody ACRC’s commitment to a collaborative, politically informed approach to urban transformation. By working closely with local organizations, community groups, and government stakeholders, the consortium aims to generate insights and evidence that can drive tangible improvements in the lives of Nairobi’s most marginalized residents.
“Action research is not just about producing knowledge – it’s about using that knowledge to catalyze change,” explains Diana Mitlin, Professor of Global Urbanism at the University of Manchester and ACRC’s Principal Investigator. “Through these projects, we’re empowering communities to be at the forefront of redefining urban development in Nairobi.”
As the ACRC Nairobi city team moves forward with implementation, the insights gathered at the recent stakeholder meeting will be crucial in shaping research strategies, fostering productive partnerships, and ensuring the findings have a lasting impact on policy and practice.
To stay up to date on the progress of these action research initiatives, be sure to visit the Joint Action for Water blog and the ACRC website. By harnessing the power of collaborative, community-driven research, the ACRC is poised to catalyze inclusive and sustainable urban transformation in Nairobi and beyond.
Unlocking Local Solutions for Systemic Change
The ACRC’s action research projects in Nairobi embody a fundamental shift in how urban development challenges are approached. Rather than top-down, technocratic solutions, these initiatives prioritize the knowledge, experiences, and aspirations of local communities.
“We’re not just parachuting in with pre-determined ideas,” says Rosebella Apollo, ACRC’s Nairobi City Manager. “Instead, we’re working side-by-side with informal settlement residents, community organizations, and other key stakeholders to co-create interventions that address their most pressing needs.”
This collaborative, politically informed approach is critical in a complex urban context like Nairobi, where development efforts have historically fallen short of achieving meaningful, equitable change.
Elevating Community Voices
Central to the ACRC’s action research model is the recognition that informal settlement residents possess invaluable expertise on the challenges they face and the solutions that are most likely to succeed. By actively engaging these community members throughout the research and implementation process, the projects aim to amplify marginalized voices and empower residents as agents of change.
“Too often, urban development policies and programs are designed without meaningful input from the people who will be most impacted,” explains Beth Chitekwe-Biti, Deputy Director of Slum Dwellers International. “The ACRC is breaking that mold by ensuring community perspectives are at the heart of the research and decision-making.”
Fostering Inclusive Reform Coalitions
To catalyze systemic change, the ACRC is also working to build diverse reform coalitions that bring together a range of stakeholders – from community groups and civil society organizations to government officials, academics, and private sector actors.
“Sustainable urban transformation requires aligning the interests and capacities of multiple stakeholders,” says Shuaib Lwasa, Professor of Geography at Makerere University and ACRC’s Uganda Country Lead. “By facilitating these cross-cutting partnerships, we can unlock synergies and collective action that drive inclusive, impactful reforms.”
Translating Research into Action
Ultimately, the ACRC’s action research initiatives are not just about generating knowledge – they’re about translating that knowledge into real-world improvements in the lives of informal settlement residents. Through close coordination with local partners and a focus on policy influence and programmatic change, the consortium aims to ensure the research findings have a tangible, lasting impact.
“We’re not interested in research for research’s sake,” emphasizes Diana Mitlin. “Our goal is to work hand-in-hand with communities to identify solutions, influence decision-makers, and create the conditions for more equitable, sustainable urban development in Nairobi and other African cities.”
As the ACRC’s action research projects unfold in the coming years, the lessons learned and the models of change they produce will offer valuable insights for urban practitioners, policymakers, and grassroots organizers across the continent. By empowering local voices and fostering collaborative reform, the consortium is poised to catalyze a new era of inclusive, community-driven urban transformation.
Conclusion: A Transformative Vision for Nairobi’s Informal Settlements
The African Cities Research Consortium’s action research initiatives in Nairobi represent a bold, collaborative approach to addressing the complex challenges facing the city’s informal settlements. By elevating community voices, fostering inclusive reform coalitions, and translating research into tangible action, the ACRC is working to catalyze a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient future for all of Nairobi’s residents.
These projects embody a transformative vision for urban development – one that shifts power dynamics, centers the knowledge and aspirations of marginalized communities, and harnesses the collective capacity of diverse stakeholders to drive systemic change. As the ACRC continues to implement and refine its model in Nairobi and other African cities, the insights and lessons learned will offer invaluable guidance for urban practitioners, policymakers, and grassroots organizers around the continent.
Ultimately, the true measure of success for the ACRC’s action research will be the tangible improvements in the lives of informal settlement residents – from enhanced access to essential services and greater tenure security to improved health, nutrition, and economic opportunities. By empowering communities as agents of change and fostering inclusive, politically informed reforms, the consortium is poised to make a lasting impact on urban development in Nairobi and beyond.
To stay informed on the progress of these transformative initiatives, be sure to visit the ACRC website and the Joint Action for Water blog. Together, we can work towards a future where all of Africa’s cities are inclusive, sustainable, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of their residents.
