Exploring livelihoods of the urban poor in Kampala, Uganda An institutional, community, and household contextual analysis Patrick Dimanin December 2012 Abstract he urban poor in Kampala, Uganda represent a large portion of the populationulationn ooff thtthehe caccapitalapipitatal ciccity,ityty, yyeyetet llilittleittttlele iiss Tdocumented about their livelihoods. The main objective of this study was to gain a generalgenerall understandingundndererststananddiingg of the livelihoods present amongst the population of the urban poor and the context in considered whichhicch theythheyy exist, so as to form a foundation for future programming. Three groups of urban poor in the city were identi ed through qualitative interviews: street children, squatters, and slum dwellers. Slum dwellers became the principal interest upon considering the context, aims and limits of the study. Qualitative interviews with key actors at community and household levels, questionnaires at a household level, and several other supplementary investigations formed the remainder of the study. Ultimately, six different livelihood strategies were identi ed and described: Non-poor Casual Labourers, Poor Casual Labourers, Non-quali ed Salary, Quali ed Salary, Vocation or Services, and Petty Traders and Street Vendors. Each of the livelihood strategies identi ed held vulnerabilities, though the severity of these varies between both the type of vulnerability and group. Vulnerabilities of the entire slum population of Kampala include land tenure issues, malnutrition monitoring, and enumeration information. Those at a community and area level include the risk of persistent ooding, unhygienic and unsanitary practices, and full realisation of bene ts of social networks. Finally, major household vulnerabilities included lack of urban agriculture, and lack of credit. i Table of Contents Introduction 1 4.5.5 Water Quality Tests 19 4.5.6 Markets 19 Context 2 4.5.7 Literature 19 4.5.8 Coping Mechanisms 19 2.1 The Study Area 2 4.6 Data Analysis 20 2.2 Progressing Economic and Social Development 3 4.7 Study limits and biases 20 2.3 Population Growth and the Rural-Urban Link 4 4.7.1 Scope of the study 20 2.4 Poverty in Kampala: How Prevalent and How 4.7.2 Dif culties encountered 20 Severe? 4 4.7.3 Logistic/organizational issues 20 2.5 Government Policies for the Urban Poor 5 4.7.4 Methodological Biases 21 3.1 Interest of Research 8 3.2 Research Question 9 Results 22 3.3 Objectives 9 5.1 Phase 1 – Identi cation and Speci cation of 3.3.1 Main Objective 9 Urban Poor Groups 22 3.3.2 Sub-Objectives 9 5.1.1 Street Children and their Mothers 22 Methodology 10 5.1.2 Squatters 23 5.1.3 Slum Dwellers 23 4.1 Frameworks 10 5.2 Area Pro les 23 4.1.1 Conceptual Frameworks 10 5.2.1 Namuwongo 23 4.1.2 Analytical Framework 11 5.2.2 Bwaise 24 4.2 Approaches and Tools 12 5.2.3 Kisenyi 24 4.2.1 Qualifying ‘Urban Poor’ for the Study 12 5.3 Phase 2 – Exploration of livelihoods and the 4.3 Phase 1 – Identi cation and Speci cation of conditions in which they exist 25 Groups and Areas for Further Investigation 13 5.3.1 Demographics and Pro le of 4.3.1 Study Tools 13 Respondent Households 25 4.4 Phase 2 – Exploration of livelihoods and the 5.3.2 Financial Capital 27 conditions in which they exist 15 5.3.3 Human Capital 32 4.4.1 Community Level 15 5.3.4 Social Capital 37 4.4.2 Household Level 16 5.3.5 Physical Capital 39 4.5 Other Study Tools 17 5.3.6 Natural Capital 44 4.5.1 Observation 17 5.3.7 Food Security 47 4.5.2 Food Security Indicators 18 5.4 Livelihood Pro les/Strategies 52 4.5.3 Livelihood Pro les 18 5.4.1 Wealth Groupings 52 4.5.4 Malnutrition Indicators 18 5.4.2 Livelihood Strategies 54 ii Discussion 66 6.1 Global Level 66 6.1.1 Census and Statistics of Slums and Their Residents 66 6.1.2 Land Tenure 67 6.1.3 Scaling-up Nutrition Monitoring and Health Capacities 67 6.2 Community and Area Levels 68 6.2.1 Flooding and Infrastructure 69 6.2.2 Rubbish 70 6.2.3 Toilets 70 6.2.4 Social Networks 70 6.3 Household and Individual Level 71 6.3.1 Universal Signi cance 71 6.3.2 By Livelihood Strategy 72 6.4 Livelihood Capitals and Food Security 75 6.4.1 Financial 75 6.4.2 Human 75 6.4.3 Social 76 6.4.4 Physical 76 6.4.5 Natural 76 6.4.6 Food Security 76 6.5 Further Research 77 Conclusion 79 Bibliography 80 List of Appendices 85 iiiiiiii List of Abbreviations Action Against Hunger/Action ACF MUAC Mid-upper Arm Circumference Contre la Faim CBN Cost of Basic Needs NGO Non-governmental Organisation CBO Community Based Organisation NHS National Household Survey CHO Carbohydrate National Slum Dwellers NSDF Federation of Uganda CPI Consumer Price Index NUT Nutrition DHS Demographic and Health Survey OTP Outpatient Treatment Programme Food and Nutrition Technical FANTA Orphans and Other Vulnerable Assistance OVC Children FEI Food-energy Intake PEAP Poverty Eradication Action Plan FSL Food Security and Livelihoods SDI Slum Dwellers International HEA Household Economic Approach Sustainable Livelihoods SLF Framework HfA Height for Age Household Food Insecurity TFP Therapeutic Feeding Programme HFIAS Access Scale UN United Nations Human Immunode ciency Virus/ United Nations Development HIV/AIDS Acquired Immunode ciency UNDP Syndrome Programme UN- United Nations Human IDDS Individual Dietary Diversity Score HABITAT Settlements Programme IDP Internally Displaced Person UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund IL Income Level Poverty WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene IP Income Position Poverty WfA Weight for Age KCCA Kampala Capital City Authority WfH Weight for Height LC Local Councilor WFP World Food Programme LRA Lord’s Resistance Army iv List of Figures Figure 1: Food And Nutrition Security Conceptual Framework 10 Figure 2: Analytical Framework 12 Figure 3: Number Of People Per Household As A Percentage Of The Total 26 Figure 4: Areas Of Origin Of Migrants 26 Figure 5: Number Of Respondents By Primary Income Activity 27 Figure 6: Daily Income Means And Variance By Income Activity 27 Figure 7: Variance Of Debt Amounts 28 Figure 8: Commodity Contribution To Price Index Over 18 Months Prior To Household Study 29 Figure 9: Price Index For 18 Months Prior To Household Study 29 Figure 10: Normalised Price Variation By Commodity Over 18 Months Prior To Household Study 30 Figure 11: Proportions Of Reasons For Not Attending School 32 Figure 13: Number Of Admissions To Therapeutic Feeding Programmes And Outpatient Treatment 36 Programmes Figure 12: Proportion Of OTP Admissions By Health Centre 36 Figure 14: Trends Possibly Associated With Malnutrition Treatment Programme Admissions 37 Figure 15: Prevalence Of Overcrowding By Crowding Index 39 Figure 16: Who Fetches Water? 40 Figure 17: Variance Of Water Use Per Individual Per Day 41 Figure 18: Food Groups Consumed Within The Past 24 Hours By % Of Respondents. 46 Figure 19: Distribution Of Child Dietary Diversity Scores And Thresholds 46 Figure 20: Child Dietary Diversity By Area 47 Figure 21: HFIAS Conditions For Total Sample Population 47 Figure 22: HFIAS Domain By Number Of HFIAS Respondents 48 Figure 23: HFIAS DOMAIN DISAGGREGATED BY AREA 49 Figure 24: HFIAS Severity And Prevalence 49 Figure 25: Adapted Food Consumption Score 50 Figure 26: Adapted Food Consumption Score By Area 50 Figure 27: Times Eaten In The Past 24 Hours, All Areas 50 Figure 28: Times Eaten In The Past 24 Hours, By Area 50 Figure 29: Proportion Of Livelihood Strategies Present In The Investigated Areas 53 Figure 30: Median Incomes Vs Median Total Expenditures By Livelihood Pro le 53 Figure 31: Poor Casual Labourer Asset Mix 54 Figure 32: Poor Casual Labourer Daily Expense Variation With CBN Line 55 Figure 33: Activity Pro le - Poor Casual Labourer 55 Figure 34: Non-Poor Casual Labourer Asset Mix 56 Figure 35: Non-Poor Casual Labourer Daily Expense Variation With CBN Line 57 Figure 36: Activity Pro le Of Non-Poor Casual Labourer 57 v Figure 37: Petty Trader/Street Vendor Asset Mix 58 Figure 39: Activity Pro le Of Street Vendor 59 Figure 38: Petty Trader/Street Vendor Daily Expense Variation With CBN Line 59 Figure 40: Market Vendor Activity Pro le 59 Figure 41: Vocation/Service Asset Mix 60 Figure 42: Vocation/Service Daily Expense Variation With CBN Line 60 Figure 43: Vocation/Service Activity Pro le 61 Figure 44: Quali ed Salary Asset Mix 62 Figure 45: Quali ed Salary Daily Expense Variation With CBN Line 62 Figure 46: Quali ed Salary Activity Pro le 63 Figure 47: Non-Quali ed Salary Asset Mix 64 Figure 48: Non-Quali ed Salary Daily Expense Variation With CBN Line 64 Figure 49: Non-Quali ed Salary Activity Pro le 65 List of Maps Map 1: Uganda With Locale Of Kampala 2 Map 2: Kampala City/District 2 Map 3: Identi ed Slum Areas Of Kampala District 24 Map 4: Regions Of Uganda As Designated For This Study 26 Map 5: Location Of Supported Health Centres 35 Map 6: Water Network Of Kampala 40 Map 7: Topographic Relief Indicating Floodplain Of Central And Makindye Divisions 45 List of Tables Table 1: Climate Of Kampala 3 Table 2: Poverty Line Calculations 13 Table 3: Ages Of Household Members 25 Table 4: Ranked Reason For Moving To Kampala 26 Table 5: Ranking Of Debts By Lender 28 Table 6: Price Comparisons Between Kisugu And Namuwongo Markets 31 Table 7: Insuf cient Access To Healthcare 33 Table 8: Illness Prevalence By Ranking 34 Table 9: Proportion Receiving Support 38 Table 10: Forms Of Support Received 38 Table 11: Are Water Containers Covered? 41 Table 12: Prevalence Of Zoonotic Disease Cases At Mulago Hospital, Mar ‘05-Feb ‘06 44 Table 13: HFIAS Score 48 Table 14: Ranked Sources Of Food 51 Table 15: Distribution Of Population Under Different Poverty Lines 52 Table 16: Livelihood Strategy Representation By Slum 54 vi Introduction ction Against Hunger-USA is part of the transport are more widely available, and the areas Action Contre la Faim (ACF) international within the city are more densely populated.