Role of Community Dialogues in Enrollment and Retention of Children in Primary School in Mathare Informal Settlements, Nairobi County- Kenya

Abstract

This project presents the findings of a study on the role of community dialogues in enrollment and retention of children in primary school within Mathare informal settlements. The study was carried out in Mathare slums. The overall objective of the study was to explore the role played by community dialogues in enrollment and retention of children in primary school. Empowerment framework was used in this study. The framework argues that empowerment is both a value orientation for working in the community and a theoretical model for understanding the process and consequences of efforts to exert control and influence over decisions that affect one’s life, organizational functioning, and the quality of community life. The findings related to the objectives established that community dialogues had to a greater extent minimized cases of non-enrollment in primary schools. Further the findings found out that through community dialogue initiatives children were able to be retained in primary schools with Mathare informal settlements. These initiatives through community knowledge and organization included; holding elected area leaders to account with regards to utilization of public funds, mobilizing resources for most vulnerable children and amicably dealing with barriers to children enrollment in primary schools. Based on these outcomes, the study recommends that community dialogues should be utilized while seeking rooted information on community knowledge as pertains to causes and possible solutions to community concerns. There should be proper training of community dialogue facilitators so that community knowledge on causes of community concerns is understood before implementation of any community development work to ascertain long lasting solutions thus development agencies, Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as government bodies should incorporate community dialogues in their strategies to attaining their project goals