In Nairobi, Residents Redesign Public Spaces to Build Flood Resilience

The Kibera Public Space Project, led by the Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI), transforms dumpsites and wastelands into a network of multifunctional public spaces to build flood resilience in Nairobi's largest informal settlement. By integrating drainage, gabions, and early-warning systems, the project protects vulnerable households from increasing rainfall risks exacerbated by climate change. The initiative emphasizes community co-design and has successfully advocated for the integration of Kibera into formal city planning through a Special Planning Area approved in 2020.

• Kibera is highly vulnerable to flooding due to its location along the Ngong River, high building density, and clogged drainage channels caused by a lack of waste collection. In 2015, more than 50% of households in the settlement experienced flooding, a risk projected to increase as climate change may raise rainfall rates by up to one third.
• The Kibera Public Space Project has developed 11 community-designed public spaces by reclaiming dumpsites and marshy areas. These spaces provide flood protection, sanitation, and water access for over 125,000 residents and constitute 35% of the settlement's public space.
• The project utilizes a network of public spaces to implement climate adaptation measures, including a partnership with the Nairobi City County Department of Public Works to create natural vegetation buffer zones and drainage infrastructure, which reduced flood risk for 8,000 households. Additionally, the project uses local radio and visual signals, such as red and green flags, as a community-tailored early-warning system.
• In late 2020, the Nairobi Metropolitan Services approved a Special Planning Area (SPA) for Kibera following two years of advocacy by KDI. This designation allows for the integration of the informal settlement into formal city planning and provides an opportunity to incorporate community-led flood resilience into municipal development plans.

APA

World Resources Institute (2021). In Nairobi, Residents Redesign Public Spaces to Build Flood Resilience. https://www.wri.org/nairobi-public-spaces-build-flood-resilience

Chicago

World Resources Institute. In Nairobi, Residents Redesign Public Spaces to Build Flood Resilience. 2021. https://www.wri.org/nairobi-public-spaces-build-flood-resilience.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=In Nairobi, Residents Redesign Public Spaces to Build Flood Resilience |date=27 May 2021 |url=https://www.wri.org/nairobi-public-spaces-build-flood-resilience |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2021nairobi, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{In Nairobi, Residents Redesign Public Spaces to Build Flood Resilience}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://www.wri.org/nairobi-public-spaces-build-flood-resilience}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }