When I first began examining inequality in Kibera, the concepts of “equality of opportunity” and “equality of outcome” became central to understanding the struggles people face daily in one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements. Kibera embodies a unique juxtaposition of resilience and challenge—where daily life presents hurdles that make these two forms of equality particularly relevant. As I’ve looked closer, I’ve realized that the existing circumstances make one form of equality more feasible than the other, raising essential questions about what real change looks like for Kibera’s residents.
In my research, I’ve encountered equality of opportunity as the ideal that everyone should have an equal starting line. In a perfect world, this means access to education, healthcare, and economic resources without the barriers imposed by one’s socioeconomic background. But in Kibera, where resources are limited and survival often takes precedence over long-term planning, this ideal often feels out of reach. On the other hand, equality of outcome is about ensuring a level of social equity in terms of results, rather than just access. In this view, it’s not enough to have opportunities if most people cannot make use of them. Equality of outcome, then, might look like providing universal healthcare, guaranteed education, or direct financial support to those in need— an approach I’ve seen reflected in some of the community and NGO-led initiatives in Kibera. I see that the thing that people face from birth, that structural barrier, which clearly is one of the most challenging things to do with Kibera and work towards equality of opportunity. Education is technically available, but limited resources, overcrowded classrooms and deficient facilities make the likelihood of receiving the quality necessary for competition on a level playing field low. The challenge becomes cyclical: Future opportunities are limited, however, without quality education. It limits economic mobility. Life is more practical than dream based in meritocracy, but it’s still alive.
I’ve also come to see that Kibera’s informal status complicates things further. Secure housing or property ownership is basic rights that cannot easily be guaranteed without their formal recognition, damaging many people’s life chances. The lack of formal recognition has a concomitant impact which makes it harder for them to access financing and get employment, which is another hurdle to the equality of opportunity. If the idea of starting with the same resources as everyone else proves to be an aspiration, rather than reality, it is because we begin with the wrong foundations. In doing this, it becomes clear that initiatives aimed at equality of outcome—whether programmes providing free healthcare, educational support, or tackling food security—provide an almost immediate relief to Kibera’s residents. While these are far from complete in terms of their addressing inequity, they do construct a safety net that can keep lives afloat. Amongst my one initiative that has resonated with me is the community healthcare programs that have the capacity of bringing to residents comfortably or at reduced cost healthcare at place. This kind of program fills a critical gap in an environment where many people simply can’t afford private health care; in effect, it takes care of people regardless of their capacity to pay individually. Other programs also take steps to make the economic playing field more level with both vocational training and small business grants. I’ve been in the field to see how these initiatives enable residents to overcome some of these structural limitations such as the absence of formal employment from generating their own income. These aren’t perfect and we don’t totally get rid of disparity, but they represent a real attempt at having immediate needs and a foundation for future sustainability.
To date, my research has confirmed what I had already suspected, that Kibera’s situation is complex and that reaching what people consider obvious goals such as equality is neither straightforward nor particularly easy. The notion of equal opportunity is appealing, but here it requires a dismantling of decades of systemic barriers to equal opportunity. On the other hand, an emphasis on equality of outcome can offer real practical and instant help to people, getting them the basics they need to live and to flourish. I’ve seen how community driven solutions that strive to create a more level playing field of outcomes—whether that be access to healthcare, education or some other type of financial support—has provided those living in Kibera a fighting chance of becoming more stable. It’s not the best solution but it’s an appropriate solution and it has the realities of Kibera in mind.
