Marist International University College, Nairobi – Kenya is challenged with problems like duplication of work due to lack of a central repository for knowledge, loss of knowledge through expertise leaving the institution without knowledge being captured and over reliance on a few known subject experts as others have not been identified. This research thus set out to address these problems. The aim of the study was to conduct a knowledge management assessment at the Marist International University College (MIUC) in order to identify and recommend a suitable strategy for the institution. The study employed a concurrent triangulation mixed methodology approach which encompassed a questionnaire and an interview schedule to collect data from 33 academic staff and 9 members of the MIUC management respectively. These two groups were purposively selected as the target population for the study as they play the key role in knowledge creation at MIUC. All 33 copies of the questionnaires that were distributed to the teaching staff were returned by respondents and all the 9 MIUC members of management were successfully interviewed. Data transformation analysis was applied during which qualitative data from open-ended questions and interviews were quantified using content analysis. Quantitative data in the questionnaires was descriptively analysed using SPSS. The study revealed a variety of informal knowledge management structures and resources at MIUC and the challenges of managing knowledge at Marist. The main challenge was that there was no uniformity and consistency in the management of knowledge. The study hence, formulated a KM strategy for MIUC that would help leverage its knowledge assets. / Information Science / MA (Information Science)

Firewood has been used as fuel since the beginning of mankind resulted in health problems and deforestation. The solar cooking technology has been first developed in 1767 by Horace-Bénédict de Saussure but did not find development due to lack of reliability. Studies showed the necessity of having a backup facility. The primary goal of this study is to design a fully functional kitchen for National Park in Nairobi, Kenya. The kitchen will be serving up to 100 people daily. The study is done with five steps, the first step is literature and exploring of solar cooking products as well as backup facility products around the world. The second step is interviewing a local entrepreneur to get familiar with the parameters of a restaurant in Kenya. The third step is evaluating the solar cooking and backup facility to make an educated decision. The fourth step is integrating the systems into a functional kitchen. The fifth and last step is to analyse and discuss the results to draw conclusions. As a result, choosing Scheffler reflector as a solar cooker and backed up with a biogas plant would be the chosen solution. / Ved har använts som bränsle sedan mänsklighetens början som resulterade i hälsoproblem och avskogning. Solar-matlagningstekniken utvecklades först 1767 av Horace-Bénédict de Saussure men hittade ingen utveckling på grund av bristande tillförlitlighet. Studier visade nödvändigheten av att ha en reservfacilitetenhet. Det primära målet med denna studie är att designa ett fungerande kök för National Park i Nairobi, Kenya. Köket serverar upp till 100 personer dagligen.  Studien gjordes av fem steg, första är litteraturstudie och utforskning av produkter för sollagning samt reservfacilitet alternativ från hela världen. Andra steget är att intervjua en lokal entreprenör för att bekanta sig med parametrarna för att gestalta en restaurang i Kenya. Tredje steget är att utvärdera olika solkokare-enheter och reservfacilitetsenhet för att fatta ett välgrundat beslut. Fjärde steget är att integrera systemen i ett funktionellt kök. Femte och sista steget är att analysera och diskutera resultaten för att dra slutsatser. Som ett resultat skulle det vara den bästa lösningen att välja Scheffler reflector som solkokare och biogasanläggning som reservfacilitetsenhet.

Intermittent water supply is a major challenge in informal settlements (slums) in Nairobi, Kenya. Smart water man- agement is an emerging technology that uses sensory net- works for continuous monitoring of water infrastructure to detect anomalies and inform effective distribution of wa- ter resources. This thesis investigates how visualization of data collected from the water network can support the lo- cal water utility in the Nairobi slums in improving water distribution, including maintenance and development. An explorative qualitative study, including interviews with util- ity staff members and field observations informed the devel- opment of three conceptual prototypes to propose how the collected data could be incorporated in the water utility’s practices. The design of the prototypes lead to a discussion on how smart water management can be adapted to the specific challenges of the context. The thesis concludes by suggesting that a successful implementation of smart water management, besides supporting efforts directly related to the slum areas, must also address the problems of inefficient and inequitable water allocation concerning the whole city of Nairobi. ­­ / Oregelbunden vattenförsörjning är en stor utmaning i informella bosättningar (slumområden), i Nairobi, Kenya. Smart water management är ett ny tekniskt område som använder sensornätverk för kontinuerlig övervakning av vatteninfrastrukturer för att upptäcka avvikelser, som t.ex. läckage, och informera effektiv distribution av vattenresurser. Denna studie undersöker hur visualisering av data som samlats från vattennätet kan stödja det lokala vattenbolaget i Nairobi i arbetet med att förbättra vattendistributionen, inklusive underhåll och utbyggnad. En explorativ kvalitativ förstudie baserad på intervjuer med anställda på vattenbolaget och fältobservationer användes som underlag för en designprocess av interaktiva datavisualiseringar. I designprocessen skapades tre konceptuella prototyper som exemplifierar hur den insamlade datan skulle kunna inkorporeras i vattenbolagets praxis. Utformningen av prototyperna ledde till en diskussion om hur smart water management kan anpassas till de särskilda förutsättningarna i Nairobis informella bosättningar.  En lyckad implementation av smart water management måste, förutom att stödja de insatser direkt relaterade till de informella bosättningarna, också adressera problematiken gällande ineffektiv och ojämlik fördelningen av vattenresurser i hela staden Nairobi.

“A culture center should be visually welcoming as well as attract a diverse range of visitors with different backgrounds.” This was the client’s request for a new cultural center in Nairobi. The location is in the heart of Nairobi’s industrial area, near several existing buildings that are already in use by the culture organization known as Go Down. I have chosen to keep most of the existing buildings and to use my new building as a complement for the desired program. I believe that it will pay off in the end to renovate the area in installments.  My purpose in this project has been to design a building with natural environments and flexibility. I have been trying to think from a sustainable perspective, using almost all recycled materials and taking advantage of the location’s natural benefits. Thanks to the climate I have been able to place a lot of the facilities “semi outside” as well as create a lot of areas in the shade. / "Ett kulturhus ska vara inbjudande rent visuelltsamt dra till sig en bred publik med olikabakgrund." Det är beställarens önskan för ettsäte för kultur i Nairobi. Tomten för det nyakulturhuset ligger i Nairobis industriområdeoch har redan befintliga lokaler där kulturaktiviteterbedrivs. Jag har valt att behållastörre delar av de befintliga byggnaderna dåjag anser att det i längden lönar sig attuppgradera tomtens byggnader i omgångar. I mitt projekt har jag försökt skapa en byggnadmed flexibilitet och naturliga miljöer. Jag harockså försökt tänka från ett hållbart perspektivdå jag använder mig av återvunna materialoch utnyttjar mig av platsens fördelar. Tackvare det behagliga klimatet har jag förlagt såmycket som möjligt av programmet ”utomhus” ochförsökt skapa platser med skugga.

For school libraries to sufficiently contribute to better information skills’ development and creation of a culture of lifelong learning among students, they require backing through well articulated policies both at national and individual school level. This study investigated the prevailing status of school libraries in public secondary schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. Using a survey research design, with a response rate of 68% for school principals and 66% for school librarians, this study established that although the majority of the schools had school libraries, these were individual schools’ efforts. There were no government policies on school libraries and most of the schools lacked explicit library policies. Additionally, they had not embraced contemporary trends in technology and the major impediment was lack of financial support. The study concluded that school libraries in Nairobi County were inadequately resourced and supported and recommended that the government of Kenya should come up with national policies that will entrench school libraries in the education system. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

This thesis examines the media discourse surrounding Kibera, an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Using a qualitative content analysis, this study identifies and critically analyses reoccurring themes in the descriptions of Kibera in the UK broadsheet paper The Guardian. The claimed relevance of such analysis rests upon the assumption that discourse matter; certain narratives can influence beliefs and policy concerning the management of urban informal settlements, with material effects for these places and their residents. The result of the analysis shows there are varying and conflicting themes in the portrayal of Kibera, describing the community in both negative and positive terms. However, the imageries move between two extremes, either describing Kibera as an urban dystopia of crime, suffering and filth, or emphasising stories of hope, success and the entrepreneurial spirit of Kibera’s residents. Missing in the articles are descriptions of Kibera in terms of being an ‘ordinary place’, where people live their everyday lives and make ends meet. Drawing on earlier research about connections between language and representation in the construction of marginalized places, this paper discusses the possible consequences of hyperbolic and sensationalistic discourse, arguing for a more nuanced portrayal of the Kibera community and its residents – depictions that won’t further marginalise Kibera and its people, nor romanticize life in this highly populated low-income community.

This dissertation examines the attempts by the government of Kenya to develop and implement policies directed toward the problem of urban unemployment. Specifically, this study focuses upon two policy areas directly related to the problem of urban unemployment: education and economic growth. Central to the urban unemployment problem is a potential conflict arising out of a rapidly growing number of school graduates on the one hand, and on the other, the limited opportunities for a sufficient level of employment for this segment of the labor force. An additional element of this study is an examination of the possible consequences of Kenya's external dependency upon the linkages between education, economic growth, and employment opportunities. A consistent theme contained in the development literature is that accelerated development in Third World nations such as Kenya depends upon enlarging the supply of educated and trained manpower. Without such manpower, it is argued, development leadership would be woefully lacking and economic growth would be retarded. On the basis of these assumptions, Kenya, like many other developing countries, has focused its attention on the rapid quantitative expansion of school enrollments from primary school to the university. In recent years, however, the idea that conventional educational expansion is an unmitigated social good and an engine for development has been challenged by the emergence of graduate unemployment. The dynamic rate of economic growth and a forceful campaign of Kenyanization have proven impossible to create sufficient employment to meet the now growing numbers of Kenyan students who feel themselves qualified. In an attempt to resolve this problem, government policies have been directed toward improving the different components of the school system: examinations, curriculum reform, and vocational and technical education. However, the impact of these educational strategies in solving the unemployment problem has been extremely limited by the restricted market for technical and vocational skills in the country. The result of this study suggests that the roots of the unemployment problem are in the structure of the society, and particularly in the failure of the Kenyan economy to industrialize and modernize at a rate that absorbs the labor force. These economic problems are traded to Kenya's continued dependency on external economic assistance, which reduces its ability to determine the course of national development independently. This economic problem is of such a magnitude, it can only be solved by structural adjustments, both internally and externally. The findings of this study confirm the dependency argument.

In 2017, Kenya's government banned plastic bags, to reduce plastic waste and protect the environment. Today Kenya has one of the strictest plastic bag bans in the world.  This study examines the perception of the plastic bag ban by different income classes in Nairobi, as well as what factors influence people's support for the plastic bag ban in Nairobi.  The result indicates that the majority of respondents expressed strong support for the plastic bag ban, citing environmental concerns and the need for sustainable practices. However, a small segment of the population remained skeptical about the effectiveness and feasibility of the ban. The opinions of respondents that the ban was not strict enough is an indicator that the government still needs to do more and work towards a better environment. Factors such as age and education level emerged as influential factors in shaping individuals' perceptions. However, the relationship was not enough to influence opinion on supporting the ban.  Consumer behaviors and awareness about environmental factors were mainly significant in influencing the opinions of residents in supporting the ban. This suggests that people that have reduced their plastic bag usage and are environmentally conscious, are more likely to support the plastic bag ban.  In conclusion, the findings from this study contribute to the public’s opinion on this strict plastic bag ban, in Kenya. The results emphasize the importance of promoting awareness and education to ensure the successful implementation and acceptance of the plastic bag ban. These findings can inform policymakers, environmental organizations, and other stakeholders in designing effective strategies to address plastic waste and promote sustainable practices.

​​A massive challenge presents for host countries to manage and integrate incoming displaced people. East Africa is one of the sub-Saharan African regions experiencing an enormous refugee influx. Somalis and South Sudan refugees are a majority and are estimated to represent 80% of the refugees in Kenya; the Somali refugee crisis in Kenya is a significant problem, housing more than 200 000 Somali refugees in camps and cities. This field study aims to comprehend the integrating experience of urban Somali refugees within the scope of durable solutions. The study seeks to understand how various individual, family, and clan ties and characteristics aid urban Somali refugee integration. The theories chosen to guide this research is Sen's capability approach along with the social capital theory. This thesis has been delimited to only focus on the Urban Somali refugees living in East Leigh, Nairobi neighborhood. According to recent research, urban Somali refugees often need help with obtaining the necessary documentation to live freely and fully in their host countries. This lack of official documentation can pose significant barriers to accessing necessities such as housing and employment, making it challenging for refugees to integrate fully into their new communities. Additionally, refugees face discrimination and xenophobia, which can further impede their integration efforts. Interestingly, the study found that clan affiliation was crucial in facilitating integration, even more so than factors such as gender or social class.

Nairobi, one of Africa's fastest developing urban centers, is home to many business organizations contributing to Kenya's economic and social development. A country is rapidly experiencing an economic shift; Kenya heavily relies on the informal economic sector, with small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) being the most significant sector contributing to economic development. Like in many African nations, it has been shown that women are the most significant players in the urban informal sector, where they trade in different goods and services either as owners, managers, or employees. As such, they are the largest workforce that contributes to the country's economic growth. Facilitating women’s entrepreneurship means improving the sector, enhancing growth, and reducing poverty. This research aimed to determine the roles informal urban market structures play in facilitating women's entrepreneurship in Nairobi. Using a case study of the city and a systematic review of literature, the research finds that informal market structures play multiple roles that encourage and facilitate women to be involved in the informal market and contribute to the fight against poverty in the country.