Mureithi, Purity Kagwiria2017-01-312017-01-312016-07http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/15310A research thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Master of science (leisure and recreation management) in the school of applied human sciences of Kenyatta university, July 2016Both leisure and recreation are crucial components of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. This study assessed the determinants of recreation participation for women in Kibera Informal Settlement. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design to obtain information that describes the existing phenomena about available recreation opportunities and the factors that determine the frequency and level of participation. The study was carried out in Kibera Informal Settlement, Lang‟ata Sub-County, Nairobi County where a sample size of 384 female respondents was selected using random sampling technique. Self-administered structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions were administered to sampled women residing in Kibera informal settlement. Data were processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 and the results were organized, tabulated and presented in frequencies and percentages. Chi-square (x2) test of independence at a significance level of 0.05 was used to test the null hypotheses. The study showed that most families had family sizes of 1 to 2 children, 223 (58.o7%) of the respondents had attained only primary education, 165(43.0%) of the respondents were not employed, 183(47.66%) reported as self-employed earning less than Ksh.10, 000 per month. The most popular indoor and outdoor activities were listening to music and walking respectively. Majority of the respondents reported availability of time and age as determinants of frequency of participation in both indoor and outdoor recreational activities while education level was reported as determinant of frequency of participation in indoor recreational activities. User charges, family size, income level, awareness, distance and transport to recreation opportunities do not determine frequency of participation in both indoor and outdoor recreational activities. Education level was not a determinant of frequency of participation in the outdoor recreational activities. The study recommends that the county government should set aside land for developing various recreational facilities within the informal settlement areas to be accessed by all residents to mitigate time constraints, for example, construction of swimming pools since swimming is reported as the least popular outdoor activity, the ministries of Health and Sports, Culture and the Arts to educate the members of the public within the informal settlement on the health benefits of recreation and good time management so as to encourage more people including those with higher levels of education to take part in various recreation activities since level of education emerged as one of the demographic factors influencing frequency of participation in indoor recreational activities, the city planning department to give greater emphasis on creation of streetscapes within and outside the informal settlement areas that enhances walking for recreation, Recreation service providers to avail affordable and pleasanter recreational facilities and programme catering for all ages since age arose as one of the demographic factors influencing frequency of participation in recreational activities among women in Kibera informal settlement.enThesis