KPSP07 is our largest-scale Productive Public Space project in Kibera, also located next to the flood-prone Ngong River. Combining sanitation and laundry facilities with flood protections and income generating initiatives, it has helped catalyze a closer, more formalized relationship between Kibera and Nairobi City agencies.
Context
Original conditions at the site
The KPSP07 site is located in Lindi Village, just downstream of KPSP05 on the Ngong River.
Again situated at a busy river crossing, the site had potential for activation but was subject to dangerous flooding. The area was also lacking in sanitation facilities and opportunities for youth.
Process
Community design workshop
KUFON responded to our RFP with a proposal for flood mitigation, income-generating ventures, sanitation services, and training programs for youth.
As part of the participatory design process and with input from previous KPSP partners, we set up management structures and financial systems to enable KUFON to operate the planned facilities.
Solution
KPSP07 Site Plan
The finished site includes a play area for children, a pavilion for public performances, a sanitation block, and a public laundry facility.
A small business kiosk generates income alongside a savings and loans program, while a stone-filled gabion wall and planted retaining wall protect the site from seasonal flooding.
Impact
The completed KPSP07 site with the bridge in construction
KPSP07 is a large-scale site serving hundreds of residents a week.
The success of the operation has attracted the formal approval of Nairobi City, which adopted the pedestrian bridge added in 2015 and also installed a public lighting system to make the site even safer and more accessible.
2024 Update: Building Back Stronger: Along the Ngong River in Kibera
Community space and bridge removed by instense flooding in April 2024.
As the second rains of 2024 recede, the story of KUFON and KPSP07 comes to the surface, revealing both the immense challenges and opportunities of building resilience in informal settlements. In Nairobi flood risk has surged due to rapid urbanization and climate change which compound already fragmented approaches to our city’s rivers and drainage systems. And under-resourced and river-adjacent neighbourhoods, like Kibera, have been hit hardest.
In April 2024 the decade-old public space at KPSP07, a vital hub for safety, services, and community life developed by Kibera United For Our Needs (KUFON) as part of the Kibera Public Space Project network since 2014, was badly damaged. Yet this crisis became an opportunity to build back better.The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), KDI, KUFON, and the wider community, partnered to pool efforts and resources together to deliver a comprehensive solution. KURA constructed a new, flood-safe bridge, while KDI focused on strengthening flood defenses with gabion mattresses - a seriously robust solution! With the community, we reinstated the public space, which, excitingly, has already turned green and vibrant in record time.
In informal settlements, true progress comes from centering local knowledge and prioritizing solutions that stand the test of time - and the rising waters. These November rains provided an early test of this intervention. While other infrastructure along the river suffered significant damage, this site withstood the floodwaters, sparing the community from what could have been another devastating blow.
This success underscores the importance of connecting smaller projects to a wider vision. This project sits within a long stretch of the Ngong river - reminding us that isolated efforts can only go so far. City-wide planning and coordinated investments are essential to creating resilient systems that protect all communities.
Building resilience means enabling communities as first responders and equipping them with the tools and agency to enhance their own spaces. At KPSP07, this approach has created a ripple effect: a safe, thriving public space that reflects the potential of community-led solutions, collaborative design, and shared action.
