The Slow and Steady Approach

Summary

When KDI began their role as consultants with the Kibera community they made a conscious effort to avoid affecting top-down, massive change that foreign aid workers are known to bring. Instead a much more democratic approach was taken, starting first with the residents of the slum. Most importantly, the desire and direction of change came from these residents. KDI therefore provided merely the technical assistance to make these ideas turn to reality. Once these plans were set into place and were agreed to by all stakeholders, construction happened at a slow, methodical pace. Time was always taken for feedback and discussion between major steps.