Reimagining public space with communities in Nairobi’s informal settlements.
The Nairobi Urban Fabric Initiative (UFI) is a community-led public space program designed to strengthen local infrastructure, enhance resilience, and expand opportunity in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Led by KDI, it is the first project of its kind in Kenya, implemented under the second phase of the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Program (KISIP 2) with support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
In partnership with the Nairobi City County Government (NCCG), national authorities, and grassroots organisations, UFI works with residents to design, build, and manage small-scale infrastructure that respond to local priorities while complementing larger-scale improvements and upgrades. UFI project blends participatory design, placemaking, and community capacity building to deliver inclusive and resilient Productive Public Spaces.
context
Informal settlements are home to over 70% of Nairobi’s population and play a critical role in the city’s economy. Despite this, many face persistent challenges such as overcrowding, poor infrastructure, and insecure land tenure, which limit residents’ safety, mobility, and access to opportunity.
UFI pilots a new component to the KISIP infrastructure-led upgrading: instead of focusing solely on large infrastructure, it prioritises community-led investments that build on the existing vibrancy, spatial assets, and social networks already present in these neighbourhoods. By shifting power to “on the ground” and local actors, the initiative supports more equitable, responsive, and sustainable urban development.
process
UFI follows a collaborative, multi-phase process grounded in local leadership and cross-sector governance.
The initiative begins by mobilising local networks and forming neighbourhood advisory groups, which guide participatory research and mapping to identify community needs. A public Call for Initiatives invites residents to propose projects rooted in their priorities and lived experience. Selected projects then move into co-design, where residents, technical experts, and government partners work together to develop, refine, and implement context-specific public space improvements.
To ensure long-term success, UFI also establishes new models of shared responsibility between communities and government. A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding defines roles and commitments across the three-year project for the County Government (NCCG), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), and the Implementing Partner (KDI, SDI, and AMT). A key innovation is the development of a Service Level Agreement that formalises the operation and maintenance (O&M) relationship between the CBO and NCCG. This agreement provides a replicable, legally sound foundation for how community infrastructure is managed after construction—ensuring that public spaces remain safe, inclusive, and well-maintained over time.
solution
Led by communities, UFI delivers small-scale, high-impact interventions, such as playgrounds, green and shaded gathering spaces, paths and asses, freshwater and stormwater infrastructure, and public toilets, each co-designed with the community from concept to completion.
Projects are tailored to address real, everyday challenges while promoting climate resilience, gender inclusion, and disaster preparedness. Every space is designed not only as an amenity, but as a catalyst for long-term social, economic, and environmental benefit.
impact
UFI strengthens collective governance, builds community capacity, and helps embed local knowledge into policy and practice.
To date, the initiative has directly engaged over 2,500 residents through participatory design and construction, with an estimated 37,000 benefiting indirectly from improved public space, safety, and services. By bridging the gap between community initiatives and formal upgrading programs, UFI is helping to create a more inclusive, connected, and liveable Nairobi.