Restoring dignity: How KISIPs interventions have restored hope, dignity for Naivasha’s Kasarani residents

Restoring dignity: How KISIPs interventions have restored hope, dignity for Naivasha’s Kasarani residents By Gladys Juma A series of interventions initiated during KISIP1 have ignited hope for hundreds of residents living in the sleepy Kasarani informal settlement in Naivasha, Nakuru County.

The interventions have seen residents benefit from tarmacked roads, access to piped water per every plot, construction of a social hall which has befitted hundreds of youth, bio digester facility, street light and five water kiosks. Recently, a team from the World Bank, led by Ms. Ragni Dalal, the Bank’s Program Leader for Sustainable Development in Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda visited the settlement to appreciate interventions done by the lender during KISIP1.

“This is a game-changer and a life-changing initiative by KISIP. As a Bank we appreciate efforts to uplift the lives of youth and women who are now living dignified lives,” said Dalal during a visit also attended by other Bank officials, National Project Coordination Team (NPCT), County Project Coordination Team (CPCT), youth from local Community Based Organizations (NBOs) and the residents. Giving dignity to residents in informal settlements has been the rallying call by the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project.

KISIP’s interventions through financial support from the World Bank and Agence Francaise de Development (AFD), has seen improvement of access to basic services and tenure security of residents in participating urban informal settlements and strengthen institutional capacity for slum upgrading in Kenya.