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African Population and Health Research Center

November 27, 2007

OrphanhoodOrphanhood and Schooling and Schooling Outcomes Among the Urban Outcomes Among the Urban

Poor in Nairobi, KenyaPoor in Nairobi, Kenya

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Presentation Outline

• Background• Study objectives• Data and methods• Findings• Implications

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Orphans in Africa

• Children orphaned from all causes in sub-Saharan Africa was roughly 15 million at the end of 2006, and is expected to rise to 22 million by 2010 (UNICEF 2006).

• 31-77% of orphans in E&S Africa and 4-39% in the rest of Africa are AIDS orphans

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Percentage Distribution of children aged 6-14 by survival of parents,

Nairobi slums

50

27

6

20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Non-Orphans

PaternalOrphans

MaternalOrphans

DoubleOrphans

5

32%

72% 70% 71%

91%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

World Sub-SaharanAfrica

Ghana Kenya Malawi

The majority of urban residents in sub-Saharan Africa live in slums

UNHABITAT, 2003

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Progression and transitionslum and non-slum (%)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

020

4060

8010

0

Standard 1

Year

Per

cent

age

still

in S

choo

l

Std1: Non-SlumStd1:Slum

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

020

4060

8010

0

Standard 4

Year

Per

cent

age

still

in S

choo

l

Std4: Non-SlumStd4:Slum

Standard 6

Form 1

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5 major reasons 6-13 year olds in slum communities are out-of-school, 2005

39

20

97

4

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Lack of moneyto pay school

related expenses

Not interested inattending school

Sickness,disability

Parents notinterested

Failed to get aplace

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Inequities in Schooling Outcomes: Slum Versus Non-slum Children

83

45 41

9587

76

0102030405060708090

100

NER Progression toSecondary

% in Public Schools

Slums Non-Slum Areas

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Rationale

• Orphanhood has been found to negatively affects schooling outcomes and, which affects later employment opportunities, etc

• Limited research done to examine slum children in general and orphans and other vulnerable children living in slums in particular

• Most research combines different types of orphans

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Study Objectives

• Understand the context and living arrangements of orphans in informal settlements in Nairobi

• Determine whether schooling outcomes differ between non-orphans and different types of orphanhood (paternal, maternal, and double orphans).

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Data and methods• Longitudinal Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic

Surveillance System– Implemented in Korogocho and Viwandani slum settlements

since 2002– Monitors about 60,000 people located in 22,000 households– Visits made to all households once every four months to record

fertility, mortality, migration, vaccination, schooling outcomes, livelihoods, etc

• Education research Project– Three year study to understand school enrolment, dropout, and

progression – Links between schooling outcomes and risky behaviours

• OVC Project – To determine strategies for identifying and targeting OVCs and

their psychosocial behaviors in poor urban settlements

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Key variables

• Schooling Outcomes– Enrolment– Repetition– Progression

• Control variables– Household wealth, child’s sex and age, age,

sex and level of education of household head

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Poorest Middle Least poor

Non orphan Paternal Maternal Double

Distribution of children by orphanhoodstatus and household poverty

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Distribution of children by orphanhood status and Age of

Household Head

0102030405060708090

Non orphan Paternal Maternal Double

Child HHH Adult HHH Aged HHH

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Distribution of children by orphanhood status and Sex of Household Head

75

14

61

41

25

86

39

59

0102030405060708090

100

Non orphan Paternal Maternal Double

Male Female

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Enrolment rates by orphanhood status and Sex of child

97%96%

97%96%

93%94%

95%

100%

88%

90%

92%

94%

96%

98%

100%

102%

Non orphan Paternal Maternal Double

Male Female

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Class repetition rates by orphanhoodstatus and Sex of child

5%

9%

4%6%

5%7%

9%

17%

0%2%4%6%8%

10%12%14%16%18%

Non orphan Paternal Maternal Double

Male Female

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Class Progression rates by orphanhoodstatus and Sex of child

92%89%

96%94%93%

88%91%

83%

75%

80%

85%

90%

95%

100%

Non orphan Paternal Maternal Double

Male Female

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Differences between orphans and non-orphans after controls

NSNSNSNon-Orphan vs M-Orphan

NSSignif. (+ve)NSNon-Orphan vs P-Orphan

Signif. (-ve)Signif (+ve)Signif. (+ve)Non-Orphan vs D-orphan

Orphan Type

NSSignif. (+ve)NSOrphan Vs Non-orphan

ProgressionRepetitionEnrolment

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Implications

• Programs are doing well for enrollmentfor the girl child, but focus on performance.

• Given growth of urban poverty and the poor school outcomes in slums, there is need to pay particular attention to slums-based children– E.g. More schooling facilities, quality of

schooling, address lack of interest in schooling

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Thank you