NAIROBI KENYA Flashcards
(6 cards)
Background
British colonial authorities set up Nairobi in 1899 as a railway camp
By 1907 established as Kenya capital
Pop 1.3mil 1990, 2.1mil 2000
3.3mil 2011
Growth of Informal Settlements
Found in low lying areas with risk of flooding, poor soils, close to rubbish tips or on steep slopes with common landslides
Few people own shack they live in. Small 3x3m with floor of mud
Kibera Slum
Pop 170,000
Extremely poor
75% Nairobis pop live in slums
Few people w/ jobs
High level HIV
Regular cases assault and rape
Sparse education
Clean water/sanitation non-existent
Low life expectancy
No decent healthcarr
Service Provison
Lack of jobs and space for people to live = little money to invest in building decent infrastructure & providing access to services
Water supplies inconsistent - often collect drinking water from same places as sewage disposal
Waste disposal services entirely lacking - spread disease
Kenyan gov owns Kibera, refuses to acknowledge it
UN-Habitat involved getting electricity to 20% residents
Global charities set up clinics for free HIV test and ARV treatments
Economic Activity
Most lack any form of education and unskilled
Resort to informal service related jobs to survive - washing car windows, picking out recycling materials at dumps and prostitution - big risk little reward
Transnational companies set up factories in LEDC cities to benefit from cheap labour
