Anchored in Place

As climate change increases in intensity and frequency, weather-related disasters such as floods are continually exacerbating the risk exposure of urban informal settlements across the Global South. In Kenya, these low-income communities are characterized by tenure insecurity, inadequate infrastructure and fragmented services. Mathare, one of the city’s oldest and second largest informal settlements, is highly concentrated with female-headed households (FHH) who face disproportionate inequalities due to combined socio-economic and gender-based vulnerabilities. This study delves into how FHHs in Mathare experience, perceive and prepare for flooding events through the theoretical lens of place attachment at the household-level. Through different qualitative methods conducted with FHHs and key informants of the community at large, four place attachment dimensions, namely physical, social, psychological, and temporal, are explored relative to flood preparedness measures adapted from the Protective Action Decision Model (PDAM) and in consideration of FHHs’ socio-economic responsibilities in a flood-prone informal settlement like Mathare. Empirical findings reveal that social and psychological attachments of FHHs, manifest through their strong connections with self-help micro-saving groups or ‘chamas’, CBOs, neighbours, religious groups and other FHHs in the community, serves as both a protective resource and barriers to mobility. While they can depend on others for financial stability, physical support and sharing social responsibilities during floods, it also poses more risks as they refuse to relocate for fear of losing connection to their own identity and familiar surroundings. Physical attachment is less evident within the physical structures of their homes as renters but is illustrated through the importance they uphold for specific places that provide them increased protection during floods and socio-economic stability as well as proximity to services and amenities such as hospitals, schools, and CBO halls. Temporal attachment is complicated by the familial and intergeneration ties of FHHs, wherein their decision to stay or leave is split between wanting to be part of the change in Mathare and seeking upward mobility beyond the informal settlement. Experiences from last year has changed what many FHHs prioritize, with most of them relocating to safer, yet more expensive, areas of Mathare where they could keep their families protected and deep-seated connections within reach. Informal stakeholders, such as NGOs, CBOs and other neighbours, were consistently perceived as more trustworthy and responsive when it comes to warnings and provision of aid by FHHs in comparison with formal authorities. Finally, these findings underscore that flood preparedness at the household level is complex, shaped by weak institutional frameworks, where FHHs must balance caregiving responsibilities, deep-rooted emotional bonds to their homes, and heavy dependency on their social networks.