Inauguration of UFI Nairobi sites: communities and institutions work together to build the city
Three transformed sites, 2,750 m² of facilities, 11 community enterprises and Kenya's first co-management agreement. The Nairobi UFI projects illustrate how collaboration between residents, local government and international partners can bring about lasting change in neighbourhoods.
Spaces for better living
In just a few months, new facilities have sprung up on the sites, changing everyday life: water kiosks, laundrettes, internet cafés, playgrounds, toilet blocks, shaded seating areas, ecological drainage and tree-lined spaces. These are all concrete improvements for the health, economy and living environment of the residents.
Covering a total area of 2,750 m², the Nairobi UFI has enabled the creation of essential infrastructure spread across three sites:
- 11 community enterprises (water kiosks, laundrettes, internet cafés, multipurpose halls) generating income;
- 3 play areas for children and young people;
- 90 metres of shaded seating, 49 newly planted trees;
- 3 toilet blocks and solar lighting to improve quality of life;
- a 360-metre drainage system incorporating 10 nature-based solutions;
- 41,000 litres of drinking water storage.
"With the UFI, residents have not only shaped the design of their neighbourhood spaces: they have defined what community-led regeneration means in practice, setting a new standard for the development of informal settlements in Kenya. But more than that, they have reaffirmed their right to belong and to build a future rooted in dignity and place." Regina Opondo, Senior Director at Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI).
A unique model for the co-management of public spaces
Beyond infrastructure, the Nairobi UFI is particularly innovative in terms of governance. For the first time in Kenya, a service level agreement (SLA) formalises the co-management of public facilities between local communities and Nairobi County. This mechanism decentralises decision-making, reduces the burden on local authorities and, above all, strengthens community ownership of public spaces.
Initial feedback is encouraging: the direct involvement of residents promotes respect for and maintenance of facilities, while networking between grassroots community organisations and institutions improves transparency and accountability.
Launched in partnership with Nairobi County, the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Programme (KISIP), AFD, SDI and Akiba Mashinani Trust, the Nairobi UFI, implemented by KDI, has stood out since its launch for its collaborative approach. Three grassroots community organisations (Kaeni Soba, Jacaranda Welfare, Kongo Soweto) play a central role alongside more than ten departments of Nairobi County.