Towards More Sustainable NGO Slum Upgrading Interventions: Lessons from Secondary Cities of Nakuru and Kitale, Kenya

Abstract

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a significant role in complementing the state ito improve the living conditions in urban slums in developing countries through slum upgrading. However, since NGOs operate on fixed budgets and timelines, and in small geographical areas, the sustainability of their interventions remains a subject of research interest and speculation. This has raised questions about the challenges facing sustainability of slum upgrading interventions driven by NGOs in secondary cities in Kenya. It is in line with this argument that this paper examines challenges facing the sustaining of slum upgrading interventions by NGOs in the secondary cities of Nakuru and Kitale, Kenya. The paper was based on an empirical survey conducted in 2019 on the Integrated Urban Housing Project in Nakuru and Building in Partnership: Participatory Urban Planning project in Kitale implemented 15 years ago. Primary and secondary data were collected using a descriptive cross-sectional research design involving a sample of 392 respondents and analyzed quantitatively and thematically. The findings indicate that although NGOs play a significant role in slum upgrading, they encounter several challenges that impede the success, effectiveness and sustainability of their projects. These challenges include limited financial resources, elite capture, limited private-public partnerships, political interference, and negative influence of cultural and traditional elements. Addressing these challenges requires more innovative interventions and approaches that, among other things, incorporate strong local public-private partnerships that support more collaborative and inclusive engagements with project beneficiaries in the post-implementation periods.

Keywords: Slum, Slum Upgrading, Non-Governmental Organization, Sustainability, Project beneficiaries

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-18-14

Publication date:June 30^th 2023