The Nairobi field trip reports were compiled by Laura Burocco and Masters’ students taking courses on informal settlement upgrading and management of existing housing stock, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The compilation include amongst others reports on the National Cooperative Housing Union, a report on Mathare Valley e Kambi Moto in Huruma, and Conference report on slum upgrading & prevention policy, promoted by the University of Nairobi and Pamoja Trust , United Kenya Club.

The National Cooperative Housing Union (NACHU) is an organization made of registered primary housing cooperatives. Formed in 1979, NACHU works to provide affordable and decent housing to Kenyans within the low and modest income communities.

Mathare Valley is a part of Mathare slum located few kilometers from the centre of Nairobi. The Valley is one of the oldest and worst slum areas in Nairobi with high degrees of poverty. The construction of storey buildings using wood and iron sheet has become an indicator that the population in Mathare Valley is increasing at very high rate. This is apart from increase in house rent. The houses vary in size and the number of people per household.

The `conference on slum upgrading and prevention policy was the beginning of collaboration between the Department of Housing and the University in order to achieve a new and more efficient slum upgrading policy. For this reason seven thematic groups (Legal and Institutional Framework and Governance; Infrastructure and Services; Housing and Shelter; Planning, Development Control and Environment; Land Tenure and Administration; Safety and Security; Socioeconomic Factors) have been organized and exchange of best practices is reinforced and strongly supported.