Informal settlements

Minga: una tradición rural cobra nueva vida en Cali

Los fuertes movimientos migratorios del campo a la ciudad que han tenido lugar en toda Latinoamérica se han visto acentuados en Colombia por la emigración forzosa que han generado los conflictos armados. En Cali, la población pasó de unos 280.000 habitantes en 1950 a unos 2.300.000 en 2013, según datos del DANE. La mayor parte de los considerables flujos migratorios que reflejan estos datos tienen un origen rural. Los sentimientos y tradiciones comunitarias que unían a estos emigrantes en sus lugares de procedencia se difuminan considerablemente a su llegada a las grandes ciudades, pero no desaparecen del todo: se ven sustituidos por lazos de solidaridad por parte de personas, generalmente de su entorno familiar, que habiendo llegado con anterioridad tienen un mayor arraigo. Estas relaciones de solidaridad se extienden especialmente en el ámbito de la búsqueda de vivienda y de trabajo. Leer más o discutir.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 09/16/2013 - 00:00

Nairobians bank on the countryside to provide for them in later life

Without the ongoing support of their rural families, migrants in Nairobi slums would have little chance of making it. Family networks provide a crucial backbone on which migrants can rely on in order to be able to survive in the city and save money for their future. Grandparents and extended family contribute in the upbringing of children while parents seek urban work. The older generations act as custodians of wealth, overseeing how remittances are invested and providing informal insurance/retirement schemes to safeguard their descendants' future. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Katy Fentress — Mon, 09/16/2013 - 00:00

Urban agriculture and environmental conservation awareness in São Paulo

São Paulo, the biggest city in Brazil, has 11 million residents and is the epicenter of the third largest metropolitan area in the globe. It is fully urbanized and presents few connections with close by rural areas, with the exception of two fundamental aspects: (i) food supply; and (ii) shared natural resources. The following two initiatives contribute to São Paulo's sustainable development through the expansion of urban agriculture and the conservation of natural resources, bringing greater balance between the megacity and nearby rural areas. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 09/16/2013 - 00:00

Agricultura urbana e conservação ambiental em São Paulo

São Paulo, é a maior cidade do Brasil com 11 milhões de moradores e o epicentro da terceira maior área metropolitana do mundo; ela está totalmente urbanizada e tem poucas conexões com as áreas rurais, exceto por dois temas fundamentais: (i) a provisão de alimentos e (ii) os recursos naturais compartilhados. Esta semana nosso debate está focado nas conexões rural-urbano e no contexto de São Paulo, apresentamos duas experiências que estão contribuindo ao desenvolvimento sustentável da cidade por meio da agricultura urbana e da conservação ambiental, trazendo também uma relação mais balanceada entre a mega-cidade e as áreas rurais do entorno. Leia mais o discutir.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 09/16/2013 - 00:00

Minga: An ancient tradition finds a new life in Cali

The huge migration from rural to urban areas that took place in Latin America during the last few decades was made even more significant in Colombia by the forced migrations caused by successive armed conflicts. In Cali, the population went from 280,000 in 1950 to 2,300,000 in 2013. As in the rest of the region, most of this massive increase in population was due to migration from rural areas. While the traditional links that glue together rural communities tend to weaken when immigrants reach the urban setting, they do not completely disappear. They are, in part, replaced by new solidarity networks, formed primarily by members of extended families who had arrived earlier and are able to provide support to the newcomers. Primarily, these networks provide assistance with housing and employment, the two most urgent needs they face. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 09/16/2013 - 00:00

Ikatan persaudaraan orang Tegal di rantau

Migrasi masyarakat pedesaan ke daerah perkotaan merupakan fenomena umum. Dengan alasan keterdesakan ekonomi mereka hijrah ke kota demi perbaikan kesejahteraan keluarga. Umumnya mereka datang karena telah memiliki saudara atau teman yang sudah lebih dahulu tinggal di kota. Kerap para pendatang mengalami kebingungan karena harus menyesuaikan diri di wilayah baru perkotaan. Keruwetan kota dan sistem nilai yang berbeda membuat mereka tidak nyaman dengan kehidupan kota. Di tempat yang baru mereka juga dibenturkan dengan kendala ekonomi dan kesulitan mencari pekerjaan seperti yang mereka harapkan. Bantuan kelompok pendatang yang sudah mandiri di kota yang berasal dari daerah yang sama kerap menjadi solusi atas permasalahan bagi mereka yang baru sampai di kota. Ikatan persaudaraan dan bantuan ekonomi yang ditawarkan oleh kelompok ini membantu para pendatang untuk menyesuaikan diri secara budaya dan ekonomi dengan kehidupan dan tantangan di kota. Baca lebih lanjut atau bergabung dalam diskusi.

Submitted by widya anggraini — Mon, 09/16/2013 - 00:00

How rural traditions influence the development of urban interventions: A case of women's reproductive health

Many rural traditions and customs carry over into urban life for India's migrant communities. Local festivals, artisanal expertise, and languages turn Mumbai's slums into vibrantly diverse amalgamations of India's villages. The city also offers greater freedom from the strict caste structures of rural areas, and the role and freedoms of women in Mumbai's slums often change as well. In fact, the autonomy that women gain as they move from rural to urban India provides insights into their healthcare choices, especially when it comes to reproductive care. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 09/16/2013 - 00:00

Rapper 'Vocal Slender' thinks the Lagos government can make a difference in Olusosun rubbish dump

"Welcome to Lagos" was a 2010 BBC documentary that introduced Vocal Slender to the world. Vocal – real name Eric Obuh – was a rapper by night, and a scavenger, at the Olusosun rubbish dump, by day. Read more.

Submitted by Tolu Ogunlesi — Mon, 07/22/2013 - 22:23

Makoko's floating school project — an uncertain future

Makoko is a slum settlement on the Lagos Lagoon. There are no reliable population figures, but estimates for the number of inhabitants range from 100,000 to 300,000. According to the NGO Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC), Makoko supplies forty percent of the dried fish sold in Lagos. The settlement is not a face of Lagos that the state government is proud of, and there have been attempts to pull it down and evict the inhabitants, as has been done elsewhere. The first time I visited Makoko, in November 2011, residents showed me (I was visiting with two foreign journalists) evidence of what the demolitioners had accomplished on a previous mission. Read more.

Submitted by Tolu Ogunlesi — Fri, 05/10/2013 - 09:37

Bekerja bersama membenahi kampung kumuh Jakarta

Rendy A. Diningrat

Menjamurnya permukiman kumuh merupakan salah satu permasalahan serius yang masih melanda ibu kota Jakarta. Tahun 2011 lalu, setidaknya tercatat 416 RW kumuh yang menjadi tempat tinggal lebih dari 3 juta penduduk ibu kota. Mereka yang hidup di kawasan kumuh menghadapi masalah-masalah pembangunan fisik seperti ketidaklayakan sanitasi, infrastruktur jalan, rumah, dan sarana sosial. Kondisi yang serba minim membuat mereka kesulitan untuk meningkatkan kualitas hidupnya kecuali menunggu bantuan pemerintah.

Submitted by Rendy A. Diningrat — Wed, 04/24/2013 - 09:20

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