Study on access to services in peoples settlements : Interdisciplinary perspectives on infrastructure issues in Kenya and Tanzania

Informal settlements (slum-areas) are often considered a transient phenomenon and an outcome from economic hardship which will ease once the national economy improves. This has however proven to be a myth rather than reality. Instead, different forms of informal settlements in and around cities are constantly growing worldwide. Access and affordability to infrastructure services such as water, sanitation, energy and communication is essential for sustainable development and poverty eradication. Even so, the living conditions for people in these areas are far below an acceptable level. This report presents the result from a study on infrastructural issues in informal settlements in East Africa. The aim of the study was to identify indicators within the infrastructural sector that are of special concern for vulnerable groups, such as female-headed households. An additional aim was to apply and test a method for participatory documentation – photo eliciting. The study targeted two informal settlements: Kibera in Nairobi, and Vingunguti in Dar es Salaam, where Vingunguti was selected for the implementation of a field study. In the study 18 female-headed households were interviewed, each of them equipped with a disposable camera with which they were asked to document the problems of their everyday life. The photos were developed and used as a base for individual discussions. In addition, one focus-group discussion was held with 6 (1/3) of the femaleheaded households. The implementation of the study was made using as reference, a previously implemented mapping survey of the settlement. From the study, it is clearly seen that the use of indicators is crucial to get an overview of infrastructural conditions in a settlement. However, indicators can fail to acknowledge problems for vulnerable groups. In the case of Vinguguti, major problems concerning infrastructure such as the sewage dams, an abattoir, and a city dump could not be properly described by traditional indicators. Instead there is a need of increased focus on functionality and accessibility, a dimension not covered by indicators commonly utilised today. Also, photo eliciting is proposed as a way of visualising the every-day life, and a tool for increased participation by the respondents in a study. In addition, photo eliciting of infrastructure shows how interrelated the different issues are. The result from the study clearly illustrates the awareness of the respondents of health implications due to inadequate infrastructure (e.g. no water-dust problems-bronchitis-expensive drugs; rain emptied latrines-bad water quality-stomach problems etc) although they lack the resources to do something about it. This is contrary to other studies, where it is stated that there is a low awareness among residents with regards to these issues. Photo eliciting may also be a way of bridging gaps between the researcher as interviewer and the poor dweller as the interviewee. Lastly, by implementing photo eliciting as a supplemental methodology, the task of definition and interpretation of questions/answers can be easier addressed. The hypothesis of the study was based on the presumption that the specific need of access to infrastructure faced by vulnerable groups in informal settlements is not entirely met by on-going development activities. While this is true, it is not likely that the design of planned infrastructural programmes for informal settlements of Dar es Salaam or Nairobi had been very much different if the perspective of the women included in the study had been fully included. Many poor people are living in informal settlements of Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, and the measures proposed in Action Plans etc., based on results from socio-economic surveys previously referred to, can therefore still be assessed to be suitable from a perspective of reaching the majority of people inhabiting these areas. The study was implemented during 2008-2009 by KTH, School of Environment and Heath, Centre for Health and Building, in corporation with the University of Dar es Salaam, Sociological Department. The project was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Department for Research Corporation (SAREC).