Carefully grab key

Make haste slowly

Evacuate

Staying low

Making sure always

To keep eye on door

If unable to leave room

Make every effort to notify

Someone

Making sure not to shout

Shouting will not help

One more thing:

If doorknob is hot

Do not open door.

Now you remember this is not you land

Now hear the sound of coming fire

I told you [...]]]> Maybe it’s time to start praying.

Carefully grab key

Make haste slowly

Evacuate

Staying low

Making sure always

To keep eye on door

If unable to leave room

Make every effort to notify

Someone

Making sure not to shout

Shouting will not help

One more thing:

If doorknob is hot

Do not open door.

Now you remember this is not you land

Now hear the sound of coming fire

I told you to start praying.

Taken from: In Case of Fire in a Foreign Land. By Ariel Dorfman

Photo Credits: Former residents of a group of illegal structures pick through the debris of what was once their homes after the Nairobi City Council tore down the structures on the night of December 16th, 2009.

somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff 
not my poems or a dance i gave up in the street
 but somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff

like a kleptomaniac workin hard & forgettin while stealin
 this is mine/this aint yr stuff/
now why don’t you put me [...]]]> somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff

somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff 
not my poems or a dance i gave up in the street
 but somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff

like a kleptomaniac workin hard & forgettin while stealin
 this is mine/this aint yr stuff/
now why don’t you put me back & let me hang out in my own self

somebody almost walked off wit alla my stuff 
& didn’t care enuf to send a note home sayin 
i was late for my solo conversation
 or two sizes to small for my own tacky skirts

what can anybody do wit somethin of no value on
a open market/ did you getta dime for my things/
hey man/ where are you goin wid alla my stuff/
to ohh & ahh abt/ daddy/ i gotta mainline number 
from my own shit/ now wontcha put me back/ & let
 me play this duet/ wit silver ring in my nose/
honest to god/

somebody almost run off wit alla my stuff/ 
& i didnt bring anythin but the kick & sway of it 
the perfect ass for my man & none of it is theirs 
this is mine/ ntozake ‘her own things’/ that’s my name
 now give me my stuff/ i see ya hidin my laugh/ & how i
s it wif my legs open sometimes/ to give me 
some sunlight/ & there goes my love my toes my chewed 
up finger nails/ niggah/ wif the curls in yr hair/
mr. louisiana hot link/

i want my stuff back/
my rhytums & my voice/ open my mouth/ & let me talk ya 
outta/ throwin my shit in the sewar/ this is some delicate 
leg & whimsical kiss/ i gotta have to give to my choice/
without you runnin off wit alla my shit/
now you cant have me less i give me away/ & i waz
doin all that/ til ya run off on a good thing/

who is this you left me wit/ some simple bitch 
widda bad attitude/ i wants my things/
i want my arm wit the hot iron scar/ & my leg wit the
 flea bite/ i want my calloused feet & quik language back
in my mouth/ fried plantains/ pineapple pear juice/ 
sun-ra & joseph & jules/ i want my own things/ how i lived them/
& give me my memories/ how i waz when i waz there/
you cant have them or do nothin wit them/

stealin my shit from me/ dont make it yrs/ makes it stolen/
somebody almost run off wit alla my stuff/ & i waz standin
 there/ lookin at myself/ the whole time 
& it waznt a spirit took my stuff/ waz a man whose 
ego walked round like Rodan’s shadow/ waz a man faster
n my innocence/

waz a lover/ i made too much 
room for/ almost run off wit alla my stuff/
& i didnt know i’d give it up so quik/ & the one runnin wit it/
don’t know he got it/ & i’m shoutin this is mine/ & he dont 
know he got it/ my stuff is the anonymous ripped off treasure
 of the year/

did you know somebody almost got away wit me/
me in a plastic bag under their arm/ me 
danglin on a string of personal carelessness/ i’m spattered wit
 mud & city rain/ & no i didnt get a chance to take a douche/
hey man/ this is not your perogative/ i gotta have me in my
 pocket/ to get round like a good woman shd/ & make the poem
in the pot or the chicken in the dance/

what i got to do/
i gotta get my stuff to do it to/
why dont ya find yr own things/ & leave this package 
of me for my destiny/ what ya got to get from me/
i’ll give it to ya/ yeh/ i’ll give it to ya/
round 5:00 in the winter/ when the sky is blue-red/
& Dew City is gettin pressed/ if it’s really my stuff/
ya gotta give it to me/ if ya really want it/ i’m 
the only one/ can handle it

-ntozake shange. “For coloured girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf”
Photo Credits: Former residents of a group of illegal structures pick through the debris of what was once their homes after the Nairobi City Council tore down the structures on the night of December 16th, 2009.

The dynamics of these conflicts are however different in the two situations and are influenced by both internal and external factors. For example, in the rural set-up, there are usually established mechanisms of minimizing conflicts. These are usually prescribed by [...]]]> Conflicts in both rural and urban settings are said to be as old as society itself.

The dynamics of these conflicts are however different in the two situations and are influenced by both internal and external factors. For example, in the rural set-up, there are usually established mechanisms of minimizing conflicts. These are usually prescribed by different cultures. It is only when conflict affects a wider scope than covered by cultural norms or when the parties in dispute disagree that the matter is taken to state or other designated bodies.

Traditionally, however, the preferred way of dealing with conflicts is through informal means as usually people do not have money to engage the state or other parties.

The situation is however, different in urban areas where communities are composed of people from different cultures. Urban areas have also got large concentration of people representing different interests and intense competition for resources.

The history of the growth of the cities also lends them to more conflict than rural areas. For example, colonialism led to the development of most cities which were modeled according to the needs of the colonial government. For most part, rural areas were left alone where they did not interfere with the interests of the colonial government.

The situation was, however, different in the case of land and provision of services because both rural and urban settlements were affected. The impact was, however, mostly greater in urban areas where in most cases existing structures were destroyed or where new structures were created.

Informal settlements house 60-80% of Kenya’s urban population. These settlements also represent some of the visible conflicts in urban settlements located on both public and private land.

Conflicts in Urban Settlements

Conflicts in the urban set-up are caused by many factors. Some of the causes include the following:

• The ethnic, cultural and religious heterogeneity of the urban settlers often make them compete aggressively for insufficient resources in the cities. Urban conflicts occur therefore, in competition for jobs, land, housing and other related opportunities;

• Poverty among city dwellers which often leads to high rate of urban crime and delinquency.

• Persons who belong to the less advantaged social status, are often prone to harassment and arrest by police.

The ethnic, cultural and religious heterogeneity of urban settlers also means that people can no longer depend on their cultures to resolve whatever conflicts they have because there is no common culture. Further, different groups have different points of reference and are not usually under any obligation to consider other groups. The role of the government in conflict resolution therefore becomes very important because this is the main mechanism of regulating people’s behaviour. In addition, some of the resources belong to government or require government regulation to deal with. This is particularly true for land and service provision. But on the whole the role of government assumes new importance in urban areas. Informal conflict resolution mechanisms are used occasionally in some cases in urban areas. The reasons for using informal mechanisms include the fact the poor cannot afford to have conflict resolved by state or other designated bodies. At times most people, and especially in informal settlements, do not understand how the system works and are often intimidated by it. In other cases, like access to land in informal settlements, there is no legal mechanism to deal with land issues because structure owners do not have legal rights to land. The arrangements are mainly informal and the residents have no choice but deal with conflicts on an informal basis.

When it comes to poverty in urban areas, there is no established mechanism to deal with whatever problems are brought about by poverty. Most people in urban areas want to survive even if it is at the benefit of other group members. Also social control in urban areas is limited and depends more on law enforcement. There is also no relationships that necessarily bind people together and so individualism takes the upper hand most times. This is aggravated by a government that may not necessarily be representative and at times will tend to favor some members in the community and not others. All these factors intensify poverty and conflict in urban areas.

The nature of low income urban settlements also mean that the poor need both state and police protection. In spite of this they are most times harassed more because of the nature of the settlements where they live. They are also usually subject to harassment because of the perceptions that most criminals and undesirable people live in informal settlements. The poor are also least able to demand their rights which they at times do not know or are too scared of being victimized if they demand their rights. This is the case in many informal settlements in Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret where cases of police harassment were reported. The fear of the police force is so paramount that most wrongs committed to people in the informal settlements are never reported. These factors intimidate the poor urban residents who have no choice but keep quiet. This, however, explodes at times as evidenced by cases where the policemen have been attacked by residents.

All the above factors intensify competition for limited resources which at times intensifies conflict. These conflict are, however, at different levels ranging from individual groups to the state. According to existing literature, conflicts which take place within a state, include activities of predatory states, natural emergencies and internal wars, development wars and poverty. These are seen as part and parcel of development, and thus objects of development planning, funding and implementation.

In the Kenyan situation most development efforts seem to have been trying to resolve conflicts surrounding distributions of resources among different groups. This is particularly true in the urban areas. These efforts have, however, to be assessed historically to understand the reasons behind unresolved conflict especially in relation to land and public services.

Taken from “CONFLICTS IN URBAN SETTLEMENTS IN KENYA: ACCESS TO LAND AND SERVICES IN UNPLANNED SETTLEMENTS”. By JOYCE MALOMBE. AUGUST 1997. http://payson.tulane.edu/conflict/Cs%20St/MALOMFIN2.html

Photo credit: A temporary illegal structure in Nairobi’s South C neighborhood.

Design is important to every aspect of our lives. It informs the places in which we live, work, learn, heal and gather.

Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. They are building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design.

Design is the [...]]]> Support Architecture for Humanity – Haiti Campaign.

Design is important to every aspect of our lives. It informs the places in which we live, work, learn, heal and gather.

Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. They are building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design.

Design is the ultimate renewable resource.

Join them in helping to rebuild Haiti by building safer, more sustainable and more innovative structures—structures that are assets to the Haitian community and an ongoing testament to the ability of people to come together to envision a better future.

http://www.architectureforhumanity.org

These guys do great work. By tapping a network of more than 40,000 professionals willing to lend time and expertise to help those who would not otherwise be able to afford their services, they bring design, construction and development services where they are most critically needed.

Each year 10,000 people directly benefit from structures designed by Architecture for Humanity. Their advocacy, training and outreach programs impact an additional 50,000 people annually. They channel the resources of the global funding community to meaningful projects that make a difference locally. From conception to completion, they manage all aspects of the design and construction process. Their clients include community groups, aid organizations, housing developers, government agencies, corporate divisions, and foundations.

Thoughtful, inclusive design creates lasting change in communities by:
• Alleviating poverty and providing access to water, sanitation, power and essential services
• Bringing safe shelter to communities prone to disaster and displaced populations
• Rebuilding community and creating neutral spaces for dialogue in post-conflict areas
• Mitigating the effects of rapid urbanization in unplanned settlements
• Creating spaces to meet the needs of those with disabilities and other at-risk populations
• Reducing the footprint of the built environment and addressing climate change

Architecture for Humanity is a catalyst for innovation. To foster knowledge sharing and promote best practices, they developed the Open Architecture Network (www.openarchitecturenetwork.org). This groundbreaking on-line network empowers architects, designers, builders and their clients to share architectural plans and drawings—including CAD files. All plans are shared through an open-source model and can be freely downloaded by all.

Photo Credits:  A view of Biashara Street in Nairobi as the sun sets over the city.