Browsing by Author "Thiga, Margaret Wangui"

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    Implications of Community Participation in the National Youth Service Urban Informal Upgrading Initiative in Soweto East, Kibera–Nairobi County
    (Kenyatta University, 2025-11) Thiga, Margaret Wangui
    Urban settlements are particularly critical due to large rural-urban migration in search of better opportunities against limited affordable housing facilities. This has resulted in sprawling of informal settlements for low income urban populations. As an intervention measure governments and development partners such as the UN habitat have initiated the upgrading of informal settlements through improvements in service delivery, affordable housing and employment policies. Kibera, one of the largest informal settlements in Kenya, has been a target for the upgrading initiatives. However, the initiatives sometimes fundamentally disrupt everyday lives of the populations dwelling in the informal settlements. This study sought to investigate the contribution (or lack thereof) of community participation to upgrading of informal settlements initiatives for affordable housing, relevant infrastructural facilitates, social amenities and secure land tenure in Soweto East Village, Kibera. The focus is on upgrading by the National Youth Service (NYS) upgrading initiative, under the Ministry of Devolution, and Planning.The study was guided by three objectives namely, to analyse the implication of informal settlements on living conditions of residents in Soweto East Village Kibera, to explore how implementation strategies of the National Youth Service (NYS) Upgrading Initiative integrated community participation in Soweto East Village Kibera and To assess the perceptions of Soweto East village residents on participation in the National Youth Service (NYS) Upgrading Initiative.The underpinning theory was participatory approach to development initiatives. This study applied both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Quantitative approach was applied in gathering and analyzing numerical data by the use of statistical techniques and presented them in the measurable units. Quantitative information was complemented by non-numerical information gathered through key informant interviews, Focused Group Discussions and Observations to understand the complex issues relating the NYS upgrading project in Soweto East village. The study used both, probability and Purposive sampling. Data collected through observations and interviews from key informants were analyzed thematically and presented in narrative form analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for quantitative data and thematically for qualitative data. Findings were presented in themes, graphs, tables and pie charts indicating percentages and frequencies. Findings from objective one revealed squalid living conditions of residents in Soweto East Village Kibera, characterised by poor housing, water inaccessibility, poor sanitation system, inadequate access to electricity, poor roads and lack of health and educational facilities. From objective two, it emerged that the project brought some benefits to the people including infrastructure, improved sanitation, job opportunities, and security. The initiative also involved the community in the undertaking of these activities. However, according findings of objective three, the study revealed that the initiative did not include peoples’ perspectives from its inception. This had implications on prioritization, implementation strategies, environmental sustainability, the question of land tenure, and dislocations of residents and their businesses in Soweto East village in Kibera. The study recommends that government should strive to create job opportunities to raise income level as a lasting strategy in dealing with slums; strive towards affordable provision housing programmes and that slum upgrading initiatives should involve beneficiaries throughout its life cycle.