Nairobi, Kenya
Township Communities: Kibera/Kibra; Kuwinda Village; Tempo Art

To initiate long-term collaboration and identify the potential for community-driven economic development. The goal was to assess the viability of local partnerships aligned with strengthening community economies in informal environments as foundations for broader regenerative transitions

Preparation: September–November 2024
Field Implementation: 21 November–7 December 2024

• Qualitative site visits and collaborative conversations.

• Implementation included a cross-community roundtable with leaders from four communities and subsequent in-person follow-up visits.

• Dialogue focused on economic models, environmental challenges, and development goals, reaching approximately 50 participants

• Field-based convenors and facilitators of dialogue

• relationship builders across communities; documentation and synthesis of insights to inform further design steps grounded in lived experience

• Learned from lived community experience and environmental realities as a basis for designing next steps

• initiated inter-community relationships and knowledge exchange

• built a foundation for a collaboration plan focused on co-developing economic models

• Confirmed social capital as the primary asset enabling economic coordination in informal settlements; surfaced the dual purpose of community enterprises (job creation and environmental improvement)

• demonstrated community economies as adaptive systems rooted in necessity-based entrepreneurship and capable of supporting regenerative, locally owned models when supported by appropriate partnerships and knowledge