Abstract:
Sub-Saharan Africa hosts the highest number of urban slum households in the world with an estimated
60 to 70% of urban residents living in slums. Kenya belongs to this region and has large informal settlements with
dire socio-economic conditions. This study on the quality of life, in a typical East African slum, is based on
fieldwork carried out in Mathare, Nairobi. The research revealed that Mathare residents prioritise sanitation,
waste management and access to water, electricity, education and healthcare as the most essential services for
adding quality to their lives. However, one of the main conclusions of this research is that although improved
service delivery is necessary, it may not be sufficient in satisfying the quality of life requirements of Mathare
residents. Other aspects of economics, such as regular employment as well as socio-cultural issues, like freedom
from fear and access to communal security, are equally important and policy objectives should pay holistic
attention to both the objective living conditions and the subjective life satisfaction indicators of slum dwellers.
