Sustainable slum upgrading
Practical Action
of this research methodology has enabled more sensitive data to be gathered which has
highlighted the common misconceptions around slums and slum upgrading intervention. For
sustainability, any slum upgrading activity must be sensitive to the situation of an individual
community and culture, and not assume that the residents are unhappy living in desperate
poverty, as it has been shown, many choose to reside in a slum. Slums may be dirty, poorly
serviced and overcrowded but are also places of great human energy, community spirit, kindness,
hard-working, creative and happy places that many consider home.
References & Further Information
Cronin, V. (2011). Slum Upgrading in India and Kenya: Investigating the Sustainability. PhD
Thesis. Centre for Sustainable Development, Cambridge University Engineering Department.
October 2011. http://www.dspace.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/242378
Cronin , V. and Guthrie, P.M., 2011. Alternative approaches to slum upgrading in Kibera,
Nairobi, ICE Journal of Urban Design and Planning 164 June, Issue DP2, Pages 129–139
Cronin, V. and P. Guthrie (2011). Community-led resettlement: From a flood-affected slum to a
new society in Pune, India. Environmental Hazards. Volume 10, Number 3, 2011, pp. 310-
326(17). Earthscan.
Hasan, A. (2010). High-density housing that works for all. Sustainable Development Opinion
Papers Urban Development, International Institute for Environment and Development. March
2010. http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/17079IIED.pdf
Videos:
The Voice of Kibera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRI7nh6KjDQ
Developer led slum upgrading - Nana Peth, Pune: http://vimeo.com/14138318
Community led slum upgrading - Hadapsar, Pune: http://vimeo.com/14136786
Sustainable Slum Upgrading was written by Victoria Cronin based on her PhD research
conducted at the Centre for Sustainable Development, Cambridge University Engineering
Department. July 2012.
Photos: Victoria Cronin
Practical Action
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Practical Action is a development charity with a difference. We know the simplest ideas can have the most
profound, life-changing effect on poor people across the world. For over 40 years, we have been working closely
with some of the world’s poorest people - using simple technology to fight poverty and transform their lives for
the better. We currently work in 15 countries in Africa, South Asia and Latin America.
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