Author: leiden

By Diana Mwau, Bosibori Barake

Seminar Week session at Nuvoni Photo credit: LEARN, 2024 

The Thesis Lab Seminar Week held on 27th -31st January in Nairobi provided an immersive and enriching experience for participants embarking on their research journeys.  The thematic focus of the cohort is on disaster risk management, energy planning and clean cooking. The thesis lab brought together a diversity of participants from the University of Nairobi, Dedan Kimathi University of Science and Technology, KCA University, Leiden University and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).   

Designed to equip students with essential skills, critical insights, and a strong research foundation, the seminar hosted by Nuvoni Centre for Innovation Research brought together experienced researchers and peers in a collaborative learning space. 

Visit to Youthprinua. Photo credit: LEARN, 2024 

The week-long seminar offered guidance to students through the key stages of thesis development, from refining research questions to data collection and presentation of findings. Discussions centered on research methodologies, ethical considerations and the practical challenges of conducting independent research.

The seminar featured a mix of expert talks, hands-on workshops, and peer discussions: Esteemed researchers shared insights on interdisciplinary research, fieldwork expectations, practicalities and cultural code, minimising research waste, quantitative methods, action research, diary keeping and research valorisation. These lectures were tailored to support the student activities and offered a one-of-a-kind experience and resources necessary to prepare their thesis development.

Interactive sessions involved students sharing their research projects, refining them and co-developing field work plans. Participants presented their thesis proposals, receiving constructive feedback from mentors and fellow researchers. The highlight of the week was a visit to the Youthprinua initiative based along Nairobi River at Babadogo settlement. The exchange between the initiative members and the students was an introduction to potential research areas and experiences.

A walk along the Mathare River Photo credit: LEARN, 2024 

Key takeaways included the importance of clarity and focus on formulating research questions, effective strategies for data collection and analysis, navigating research ethics and academic integrity, techniques for structuring and writing a compelling thesis.

While the seminar provided valuable learning opportunities, participants were also challenged to refine broad research topics into manageable study areas and balancing theoretical frameworks with practical applications. However, with continuous mentorship and peer support, these challenges became learning moments that strengthened their research approaches.

As the seminar week concluded, participants left with a clear research direction and actionable insights to enhance their thesis projects. The next steps include follow-up mentorship sessions, access to additional resources and opportunities for collaborative research.

The Thesis Lab Seminar Week not only reinforced academic rigor but also fostered a sense of community among young researchers. As participants move forward with their thesis work, the lessons learned during the week will undoubtedly shape their research journey and future contributions to their respective fields.

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By Alice Menya 

Photo credit: Alice Menya, 2024 

The Twelfth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12), held from 4th to 8th November 2024, took place in Cairo (Egypt), a city of striking contrasts; vibrant, alive, and steeped in history. Against the iconic backdrop of the Nile and the magnificent pyramids, Cairo blends its rich history with modern aspirations. The city exemplifies both the beauty and challenges of urban life, where diverse cultures and dynamic economies coexist alongside pressing realities of inequality, housing and infrastructural deficits, and environmental challenges.  

Photo credit: Alice Menya, 2024 

In this dynamic setting, where the past intersects with the future, WUF 12 provided a vibrant stage for global discussions on the future of cities. Centred around the theme It All Starts at Home: Local Actions for Sustainable Cities and Communities, the forum convened participants for a wide range of activities, including themed dialogues, networking sessions, training programmes, and the Urban Expo among others. At the Expo, LEARN, in collaboration with Erasmus University Rotterdam-Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies and the International Institute of Social Studies, showcased its initiatives. These events, coupled with the Cairo Call to Action, inspired reflections on how LEARN can strengthen its mission of co-producing actionable and impactful research to address Africa’s urban challenges.

IHS/ISS/LEARN Urban Expo booth Photo credit: Alice Menya, 2024 

Strengthening urban resilience through local insights

The Cairo Call to Action highlights the vital role of local, grassroots data and community-driven insights in building resilient cities. It serves as a reminder that urban resilience is deeply rooted in the stories and strategies of urban communities. By prioritising local data and community insights, LEARN can contribute towards shaping more responsive urban policies by enhancing cross-city policy dialogues with authentic, community-based perspectives. To reflect this commitment, LEARN must continue integrating community voices into its research and policy engagements and endeavour to promote locally tailored solutions that address the unique vulnerabilities and needs of each city it engages with in their resilience-building efforts.

Transformative approaches to urban informality

Informality remains a critical focus area for LEARN, and the Cairo Call to Action highlights the urgent need to transform informal settlements, which are highly vulnerable to crises such as climate change, economic instability, and inadequate infrastructure. This aligns with LEARN’s commitment to ensuring that the voices and needs of people living and working in informal spaces are included in the development agenda. Through its research, policy dialogues, and educational initiatives, LEARN can advocate for evidence-based policies that address the complexities of informal systems in East African cities. By adopting a fresh, interdisciplinary, and action-oriented approach, LEARN can challenge prevailing assumptions, uncover new insights into the socio-economic, cultural, and political dimensions of informality, and develop practical solutions for urban governance and development.

Climate Justice and Systemisation of climate solutions

Climate change poses increasing challenges in urban settings, disproportionately affecting vulnerable and low-income communities. The Cairo Call to Action underscores the urgency of prioritising these marginalised groups in climate resilience strategies. Through cross-city policy dialogues, research, and science communication, LEARN can advocate for equitable climate policies that address the intersection of poverty and climate risks. In addition, LEARN can explore systemised approaches that enable cities in East Africa to adopt shared methodologies for addressing climate change challenges, while tailoring solutions to their unique contexts, to enhance efficiency, scalability, and overall impact.

Harnessing digitalisation for inclusive urban transformation

Digitalisation is transforming urban environments worldwide, offering innovative solutions to address urban challenges. The Cairo Call to Action stresses the potential of digital technologies to improve urban service delivery and enhance inclusivity. LEARN, through its research, policy, and educational initiatives, has a unique opportunity to harness this transformative potential by delving into emerging technologies and frameworks such as urban data ecosystems, blockchain technology, and smart city concepts to address the unique socio-economic, cultural, and infrastructural contexts of East African cities.

The rich discussions and exchanges in Cairo reaffirmed the urgency of local and collaborative action to address pressing urban challenges. WUF 12 served as a catalyst for innovative ideas and partnerships that can shape the future of cities. As I left Cairo, the resonances of WUF12 stayed with me, a reminder of what is possible when cities embrace inclusivity, innovation and collaboration. For LEARN, the Call to Action serves as both a guiding framework and a source of inspiration, empowering the network to contribute towards building sustainable and equitable urban futures for Africa.

It all starts at Home! It all starts Together! 

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On September 4th and 5th, the Urban Action Lab at Makerere University, in collaboration with the LEARN network, hosted a Cross-City Dialogue in Kampala, Uganda. The event, titled “Resilient Urban Futures: Adapting Livelihoods to Climate Change,” brought together diverse stakeholders from across East Africa to address the pressing challenges of urban resilience in a region facing rapid urbanization and high climate vulnerability.

East Africa’s Urban and Climate Context

Just as the Great Rift Valley carves a distinctive path through the heart of East Africa, shaping its unique geography, so too do climate change and rapid urbanization sculpt the region’s urban landscape, creating both challenges and opportunities.

East Africa stands at the forefront of global climate vulnerability, with one-third of the world’s most vulnerable countries located in Eastern and Southern Africa (UNOCHA). The region has witnessed an increased incidence of extreme weather events, exemplified by the devastating floods that swept through Nairobi earlier this year, and other East African cities in recent years. Simultaneously, East Africa is experiencing one of the highest rates of urbanization globally, with Uganda and Burundi leading this trend with some of the fastest-growing urban populations in the world. This rapid growth, coupled with the region’s high vulnerability to climate change, presents unique challenges for urban resilience. The expansion of informal settlements at an unprecedented pace further complicates these challenges, as these areas are often the most exposed to climate-related risks such as flooding, drought, and heat waves.

The two-day dialogue, held at the historic Makerere University campus, built upon discussions initiated in the virtual Cross-City dialogue held in July. It served as a platform for in-person exchange of ideas on urban climate resilience strategies, attracting researchers, policymakers, and community leaders from various East African countries.

Event Structure and Key Discussions

“There is no single pathway towards resilience” – Dr. Michael Mbogga (Makerere University)

Dr. Michael Mbogga set the tone with a thought-provoking keynote presentation highlighting some of the unique attributes of East African cities and the related complexity of urban resilience. Dr. Mbogga emphasized the ambiguity in defining ‘urban’ in this context, noting, “The lack of a proper definition of what ‘urban’ is affects the allocation of and access to resources because cities in the making or cities of the future are easily overlooked.” His address underscored the intersectional nature of vulnerabilities in urban settings, involving interplay between social, economic, and physical factors.

The core of the workshop comprised group discussions focused on three key areas:

1. Physical Environment: Exploring how urban planning and infrastructure can adapt to climate challenges.
2. Economic Dynamics: Examining strategies for climate-resilient livelihoods and economic systems.
3. Social and Cultural Aspects: Discussing the role of community structures and cultural practices in building resilience.

These discussions were characterized by a collaborative spirit and a shared commitment to developing actionable solutions. Participants engaged in identifying specific vulnerabilities within each area and explored potential strategies for enhancing urban resilience in the face of climate change.

Community-Driven Approaches and Innovation

(Photo of him and Kisa)

A significant aspect of the dialogue was the inclusion of community voices. Centre for Community Initiative (CCI) Tanzania’s Dr. Tim Ndezi presented firsthand insights from community leaders, exemplifying the event’s aim to bridge academic research with on-the-ground experiences. Dr. Ndezi highlighted CCI’s work on Developing Risk Awareness through Joint Action (DARAJA) Project in enhancing the adaptive capacities of marginal urban communities through effective engagement with local authorities. He emphasized the importance of developing information and warning systems that enable residents to access crucial weather and climate information. This approach not only empowers communities to make informed decisions but also enhances their resilience to climate impacts. Importantly, this model has shown significant potential for scaling up, having been successfully applied in various cities across Tanzania.

Dr. Ndezi underscored that these community-driven initiatives are central to CCI’s broader mission of transforming cities. By prioritizing their own demands and articulating their aspirations, underserved urban communities become critical actors in urban development, driving meaningful change and ensuring that their needs are addressed in resilience planning. The participation of community researchers, including some affiliated with the LEARN network, further ensured that diverse knowledge and ways of knowing informed the discussions. This integration of community perspectives added valuable context to the dialogue, demonstrating the importance of inclusive approaches in addressing urban challenges, particularly in the context of informal settlements where traditional top-down approaches often fall short.

On the second day, Prof. Shuaib Lwasa from the Urban Action Lab and the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS-EUR) delivered remarks that challenged conventional thinking about urban resilience. Prof. Lwasa emphasized the need to move away from externally determined indicators and metrics of success in resilience and adaptation efforts. He argued for a paradigm shift that recognizes and values local and community knowledge in assessing and building urban resilience. This perspective set the stage for a broader discussion on the importance of community voices and local expertise in addressing urban challenges, particularly in the context of informal settlements where traditional top-down approaches often fall short.

Regional Collaboration and Future Directions

The Cross-City Dialogue exemplified the power of inter-regional exchange in addressing shared urban resilience challenges. Representatives from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi brought unique perspectives shaped by their local contexts, creating a rich tapestry of experiences and insights. This diversity of voices allowed for a nuanced exploration of urban resilience issues across East Africa, highlighting both common challenges and context-specific nuances.

The involvement of the LEARN network emphasized the dialogue’s goal of fostering regional knowledge exchange. This cross-city collaboration facilitated the identification of common challenges and the sharing of innovative approaches, fostering a sense of regional solidarity in addressing urban resilience.

The dialogue facilitated knowledge transfer not only between different cities and countries but also across various sectors. Academic researchers, community leaders, and policymakers found common ground, learning from each other’s approaches and methodologies. This cross-pollination of ideas led to innovative thinking about shared challenges and potential solutions.

By bringing together diverse stakeholders from across the region, the event fostered a rich exchange of ideas, experiences, and innovative approaches. The dialogue’s emphasis on community-driven solutions and the integration of local knowledge with academic and policy perspectives set a new standard for inclusive urban resilience planning. As East African cities continue to grapple with rapid urbanization and increasing climate vulnerabilities, the insights and collaborations forged during this dialogue will play a crucial role in shaping future strategies. The event highlighted the importance of regional solidarity and cross-sector partnerships in developing effective, context-specific solutions to shared challenges.

Moving forward, the connections and ideas generated at this Cross-City Dialogue are expected to catalyze further collaborations and initiatives across East Africa. The emphasis on valuing local knowledge, challenging conventional metrics, and fostering inclusive approaches to urban resilience provides a strong foundation for future work in this critical field. The dialogue not only addressed current challenges but also set the stage for a more resilient and sustainable urban future in East Africa. As cities across the region continue to evolve and adapt, the principles and approaches discussed in Kampala will undoubtedly influence the way urban resilience is conceptualized and implemented in the years to come.

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