Sustaining Households Livelihood in ‘Slum’ Relocation: Dilemmas Explored Through the ‘White House’ Project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

The inner city of Addis Ababa is filled with scenes of hope as well as despair. The majority of households live on a subsistence income and struggle to cope with the increasing cost of living. A common strategy they employ is to rent out a part of their ‘Kebele’ (government-provided) housing unit, which in some cases is, households’ only source of income. Others conduct a variety of home-based economic activities. However, these areas are on the state’s close radar with plans for demolition to pave the way for, what the government described as, a ‘modern’ way of living. This has put households in a state of limbo, uncertain how they’ll sustain their life after removal. This paper reports on a case study of the ‘White House’- an urban upgrading project in the heart of Addis Ketema sub-city. The project’s name stems from local residents who noticed the relative quality of the upgraded houses and their bold white façade. However, the lure of living in a decent house and the possibility of losing livelihoods put the households in a quandary. This paper shows how this urban upgrading project went beyond ‘business as usual’ to enhance the built environment while seeking to maintain livelihood and social ties, thereby promoting urban justice. It reports on various home-based economic activities that were practiced before the demolition, the extent to which the upgrading project strives to facilitate the continuity of these economic activities, and the challenge and aspiration of households in what seems to be the need to start afresh. This paper draws on an analysis of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. With its findings, the paper seeks to contribute to the search for ways of sustaining livelihoods and enhancing overall urban and economic growth through upgrading projects.