Living on the edge: Harsh realities of poverty in slums

"When I visit residents where I used to get work, everyone is adamant about giving out money as they decry the state of the economy. This means that sometimes we sleep on an empty stomach because we have no money to buy food. I was tempted to join prostitution but thank God I didn't," she narrates.

In Korogocho, the condition of 35-year-old Josephine Apondi and his 30-year-old husband Richard Apondi is no different. They have tested abject poverty to the fullest.

Their five children have not reported back to school due to lack of levies and rent is still a bane. The husband says that efforts to look for alternative means of generating income such as working in construction sites and roasting maize are yet to solve the challenges of his demanding family.

In the year 2020, two shocks affected household consumption: the COVID-19 pandemic led to a lockdown of some counties affecting transport hence interfering with the food supply. In addition, an infestation of locusts in some parts of the country saw the destruction of crops in the farms.

The data from ICEA LION Asset Management, a research institution released in January 2024, also shows a greater increase in poverty level indicating that the individual's spending sub-index fell by 3 per cent between July and September 2023 while the retail business sales sub-index remained broadly flat in the same period, resulting in a decline of 1.5 per cent in the overall consumer spending index.

The report further states that there is a relatively resilient level of consumer spending in the third quarter considering the perception that disposable incomes had reduced. However, we note that many consumers attributed the additional spending to an increase in the cost of items purchased rather than higher income per se. At the same time, we also note that the spending came despite continued slowed private sector credit.

"As Kenya stands at the crossroads of progress and persistent challenges, addressing poverty requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach. International partnerships, innovative solutions, and sustained efforts at all levels are crucial to unraveling the intricate web that poverty weaves across the nation. Only by acknowledging the depth of the issue and fostering collective action can Kenya aspire to build a future where every citizen has the opportunity to break free from the shackles of poverty," said one of the ICEA research managers.