"Using a strong community participation approach, the project increased access to basic services through infrastructure upgrading and improved tenure security through neighborhood planning and titling"

The global online series titled "Building Back Better: Green, Healthy and Inclusive Cities" is hosted by GPSC and co-organized by the Urban Poverty, Affordable Housing and Inclusive Cities Global Solutions Group (GSG) and Slum Upgrading Knowledge Silo Breaker (KSB). The session also marks the first BBL in the new series on ‘Innovations in Slum Upgrading’ by the GSG and the KSB, featuring innovations from World Bank Projects. 

Living conditions in slums—home to more than a billion people worldwide—are often substandard and overcrowded, lacking adequate access to public services. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges, demanding urgent and innovative solutions. Organized by Slums Upgrading Knowledge Silo Breaker (KSB) at the World Bank, this session focuses on innovative approaches in slum upgrading operations and features experiences from the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP). Using a strong community participation approach, the project increased access to basic services through infrastructure upgrading and improved tenure security through neighborhood planning and titling. Community institutions played a key role throughout the life of the project, both in representing the settlement residents and in resolving grievances. KISIP worked across 15 urban areas and provided infrastructure upgrading in 36 settlements and improved tenure security in 80 settlements. Approximately 1.4 million people benefitted from infrastructure improvements and 125,000 people benefited from improved tenure security.