Rapid urbanisation is taking place in Africa. Africa’s slums are growing at twice the speed of the continent’s exploding cities. For example, 85 % of Kenya’s population growth between 1989 and 1999 was absorbed in the densely packed slums of Nairobi and Mombasa 1.
The majority of Africa’s slums are characterised by overcrowded small dwellings in poor sanitary conditions, where contagious diseases are widespread. Communities are often unsettled as they are not recognised by governments and conflict is rife, due to a fusion of different cultures.
AMREF works in Kibera informal settlement, Nairobi, Kenya, as well as Kechene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Kawempe in Kampala, Uganda. In all of these slums, AMREF works with both communities and governments to improve health and hygiene. The projects focus on encouraging governments to take responsibility for these communities and building the communities’ ability to demand and access health services.
In Kibera, for example, basic health care particularly maternal and child health, water and sanitation emerged as the top priorities in consultation with the local communities. AMREF built a health centre in 2000 and since then, we have managed to convince the government to provide trained health workers and drug supplies. We have also trained community members to educate people in how to prevent HIV and community health workers to care for people living with HIV/AIDS.
AMREF also negotiated with Nairobi City Council to provide a water supply, installed water tanks and helped to establish local water committees with responsibilities for managing and maintaining the water supply.
Related Projects and Stories
- Dagoretti Child In Need Project
- Kawempe Commercial Sex Workers Project
- Kibera Community Integrated Health Programme
- Kechene Water and Sanitation Project
- Amos' Story
- Hamidah's Story
1 UN Habitat working paper, Nairobi 2003
