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- Drummond, John Amin, et al.
(author)
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COVID-19 Interventions in an informal settlement : A spatial analysis of accessibility in Kibera, Kenya
- 2023
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In: Journal of Transport Geography. - : Elsevier BV. - 0966-6923 .- 1873-1236. ; 113
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper introduces a methodology to explore pedestrian accessibility in informal settlements. This methodology is applied to pandemic intervention sites in Nairobi's Kibera area for 3.5 months (14 April to 31 July 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Freely available transportation network data and open-source GIS software are utilised. Isochrones, areas of equal travel time, are calculated to assess pedestrian accessibility (walk times) from 30,231 Kibera structures to 138 COVID-19 stationary intervention sites. These sites aid in virus control, resource distribution, and COVID-related medical support. Travel times are determined considering different terrain slopes. Unequal access to intervention sites is observed due to indirect routes. Shortest walks (up to 21.5 min) are to handwashing and food distribution points, while longer walks (up to 61.5 min) are to interventions with fewer sites or localised clustering, such as baby product distribution. This simple accessibility analysis helps identify service gaps during crises, aiding planning authorities and communities. Our methodology offers insight into travel patterns in slums and has wider applicability to assess the relationships between transport infrastructure provision and resilience in informal settlements.
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- Manshur, Talib, et al.
(author)
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A citizen science approach for air quality monitoring in a Kenyan informal development
- 2023
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In: CITY AND ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS. - : Elsevier BV. - 2590-2520. ; 19, s. 100105-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper investigates the use of a citizen science approach for air quality monitoring to explore the likely pollution impacts of the new Missing Link #12 road passing through the informal settlement of Kibera, within Nairobi. Citizen science approaches are gaining relevance in air quality monitoring thanks to the advancement in environmental monitoring technology and the opportunities created for community-based organizations to collect data on air pollution through low-cost sensors. Fourteen households located in proximity to the Missing Link#12 were equipped with optical particle sensors. Data collected indicated that people living along the road are exposed to levels of PM2.5 and PM10 above WHO recommendations, mainly due to the particulate generated by the construction site and fuels used for indoor cooking. A community engagement workshop revealed that participatory approaches are useful for improving awareness of air pollution and associated health implications. It also allowed the community to enhance their capability to gain and use scientific tools to address local issues, and potentially lobby decision-makers to solve them. In the context of transport infrastructure development in African cities, such an approach can be a means of collecting data and monitoring the impacts of air pollution during and after road building.
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