A mother of three and living on a monthly allowance earned from voluntary work in Nairobi, 28-year-old Winnie Akinyi’s monthly income was not enough to enable her to make an outright payment for treatment. This was not an uncommon problem for Akinyi or those living within her neighbourhood. That is why, in early 2007, she [...]

By the end of 2007, Daniel Makau, a water vendor and shopkeeper aged 44 years, had lived in Kibera for 26 years. He earned a modest income running a kiosk business. This, together with some irregular earnings from his shamba upcountry, and contribution from his wife’s earnings formed the total household income to support a [...]

When she told her story, Habiba Mohamed was aged 30 years, had two children, and resided in Kibera, Nairobi. As environmental activist, her work involved promoting a technique that used solar energy to disinfect water and prevent waterborne diseases. This workearned her a small allowance which she depended on as her main income. When Habiba [...]