Exploring livelihoods of the urban poor in Kampala, Uganda

Ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development,
and utilizing Google Maps software. A slum area was
de ned using the criteria as speci ed by UN-HABITAT
(2003):
1. Lack of basic services
2. Substandard housing or illegal and
inadequate building structures
3. Overcrowding and high-density
4. Unhealthy living conditions and
hazardous locations
5. Insecure tenure; irregular or informal
settlements
6. Poverty and social exclusion
A seventh criterion was de ned by a minimum
settlement size, with an example from Kolkata of 700
square meters. However the KCCA does not offer this
information and as such, was omitted for the purposes
of this study. A previous study had found that in 2003,
slum areas had a population density of over 14,000
people per square kilometre, nearly 5000 more
residents than the Kampala average in 2011 (UMoH et
al. 2009; The World Bank 2011).
On the basis of this information, as well as the
aforementioned institutional interviews, three slum
areas were identi ed to be the ‘worst off’ by the actors
interviewed, despite empirical evidence not being
available as data for additional characterisation of the
slums. These circumstances having been considered,
the areas of Bwaise I, II, and III, Kisenyi III, and
Namuwongo were selected for inclusion in this study.
A previous nutrition monitoring survey in the slums and
the government’s district pro le for the development
of its national Slum Upgrading Strategy and Action
Plan identi ed two of the three same areas which were
chosen for this study (Kisenyi and Bwaise), validating
the selection (UMoFPED 2000; UMoH et al. 2009).
4.4
Phase 2 – Exploration of livelihoods
and the conditions in which they
exist
Once the groups were speci ed for inclusion in the
study, further investigation was needed to form an
appropriate pro le of each area, paying special
attention to the three main areas of interest for this
study: FSL, NUT, and WASH while also incorporating
the ve capitals of the SLF.
4.4.1 Community Level
The rst step was sensitization of the communities.
Members of the National Slum Dwellers Federation
(NSDF) network of savings groups were contacted
through their association with Shack/Slum Dwellers
International (SDI). These members aided the research
by playing the role of key-informants to each area.
These informants were typically a leader of a savings
group within the slum community itself and also held
higher leadership roles within the community. The
Bwaise representative was an elected local councillor
(LC), the Kisenyi representative was the head of Kiti
School and an LC, and the Namuwongo representative
had previously been working as a team leader with a
local NGO which had programmes in the area.
Interviews were held with each of the key informants
at the SDI of ces. These interviews were guided by
conversation topics as listed in Appendix II. These
interviews were meant to gain a general understanding
of the slums in terms of major issues as viewed by the
interviewees from a position of leadership, and also
from the resident’s point of view.
A transect walk was then performed and was guided
by the key informant to observe and clarify the ideas
originally presented during these interviews. During
the walk, informal discussions were held with residents,
shop owners, and workers who were encountered to
further clarify these ideas as well as ask about their
daily lives.
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