Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Final Paper
Final Paper
Final Paper
PREPARED BY:
SSR/0824/10
ADVISOR: DR ASHANEDI
DECEMBER, 2020
Contents
Chapter one
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………....1
1.3 Researchquestions……………………………………………………………….…………5
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 LITERATURE
REVIEW………………………………………………………………………..…………….8
Chapter three
Research
methods…………………………………………………………………………………....15
3.2 Demographics…………………………………………..……………………………..15
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
5 FINDING………………………………………………………………………………..35
CHAPTER SIX
6.1. CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………42
References
Appendix I
Appendix II
Appendix III
Acknowledgement
First and foremost I wish to thank almighty Allah for the healthy, finance, intellect and
everything he gave me every time and specially while writing this study. Thanks to Allah.
Most importantly, none of this would have been possible without the love and patience of my
family. My immediate family, to whom this study is dedicated to, has been a constant source of
love, concern, support and strength to years of my educational career. I would like to express my
heartfelt gratitude to my brother ABDIWELI IBRAHIM who aided and encouraged me
throughout this endeavor.
Abstract
Urban poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon. The urban poor live many deprivations, and
But urban poverty is not just a collection of characteristics; it’s also a dynamic condition of
vulnerability or susceptibility to risks. The main objective of this study was to assess the
livelihood strategy of the urban poor in impoverished neighborhood of Jig-jiga town in case of
04& 08 kebele. To make this study successful, triangulation method was applied and data
collection techniques like household survey, observation, focus group discussion, and in-depth
interview was used. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 50 samples. The study is
organized in to six chapters. Chapter one is all about introducing the study, chapter two deals
with review of related literatures. The third chapter explains the methodology employed during
the study. Chapter four focuses on data presenting and analyzing. Finding part of the study
revealed at chapter five of the study. The last chapter concludes the whole essence of the study.
This study has revealed that majority of the respondents diversify their income by engaging in
different activities like; street vending and construction work and daily laborer can be
mentioned.
ACRONYMS
Introduction
In today’s increasingly global and interconnected world, over half of the world’s population (54
per cent) lives in urban areas although there is still substantial variability in the levels of
urbanization across countries. The coming decades will bring further profound changes to the
size and spatial distribution of the global population (.World urbanization prospects:2 the 2014
edition) The continuing urbanization and overall growth of the world’s population is projected to
add 2.5 billion people to the urban population by 2050, with nearly 90 per cent of the increase
concentrated in Asia and Africa. At the same time, the proportion of the world’s population
living in urban areas is expected to increase, reaching 66 per cent by 2050 (World urbanization
prospects: 2 the 2014 edition.)
Over the last 10 years, Ethiopia has achieved an overall reduction in poverty levels as well as
food insecurity. Nonetheless, poverty and food insecurity remain a big challenge. Over 30% of
the population is below the food poverty line, unable to afford the minimum caloric intake for a
healthy and active life in both urban and rural areas (Ethiopia C FSVA: 7)
According to HCE data more than one in four Ethiopians (28%) fell below the food poverty line
(29% in rural and 21% in urban), meaning more than one in three Ethiopians spent less on food
than is required to consume the minimum level of calories for a healthy, active life. At regional
level, Afar and Somali had the highest prevalence of households below the poverty line with
28% and 25% respectively. Somali region had experienced shocks and majority reported worse
food access (2011 DHS: 7)
Previously done findings explain that overall 50% of households in Jigjiga and 25% of
households in Gode were asset poor.
Therefore the purpose of this study will be the assessment of livelihood strategies of urban poor
in Jigjiga town.
Ethiopia has indicated rapid increase in urban population and simultaneously measures have
been taken to reduce urban poverty, but still there are a lot of people suffering the impact of
poverty in both rural and urban areas (CIA world fact book 2014:39).
With GDP of about 31.15 USD Ethiopia achieved one of the most rapidly growing economies in
the world, the available evidence paints a admiral picture with regard to living conditions of
urban in Ethiopia, although two third 2/3 of urban population suffer from some form of non-
monetary deprivations related to their living conditions ( i.e either they lack access to improved
water supply, improved sanitation or live in overcrowding dwellings (world bank :2013:9)
As far as my knowledge is concerned there are few researches conducted in urban poor in Somali
region. The researches I came through focus on the role of urban municipality decentralization
in reducing urban poverty in the towns of Jigjiga and Gode but these researches failed to mention
anything related the livelihood strategies of urban poor although it focus on urban poverty.
Therefore, this study will fill the gaps that those previous researches fail to address. Hence, this
study focuses on the determinants of urban poverty in 04 and 08 kebeles of Jijiga city of
Ethiopian Somali regional state.
The study will include both men and women headed households and families to cover the aspects
of livelihood strategies
1. What are the relationship between poverty and social variables like age, sex, gender etc.?
2. Who are considered as poor in the study area and on what are the defining characteristics
of the poor
3. What kind of livelihood strategy prevails dominantly in the study area?
The main objective of the study is the assessment of the livelihood strategy of urban poor in
impoverished neighborhood of jigjiga town in specific to 04 and 08 kebeles.
In order to answer the research questions the following specific objectives were addressed
This study, shade a light on the livelihood of urban poor households, helps fill the gap in the
study of urban poverty literature. Especially for those who need to conduct further investigation
on the same topic.Hence, the community and the intuitions may benefit from this study. It may
also call the attention of regional and local planner’s decision makers regarding the study area in
particular and related area in general. Furthermore, the result of the study can serve as a base for
The study was conducted in Somali regional state of Ethiopia specifically in Jigjiga city.
Accordingly, the issue of urban poverty is complex and it exist almost anywhere in the world and
it is difficult to explore all of its causes and consequences in jigjiga town. Hence, the scope of
this study is contained in 04 and 08 kebeles in order to assess the livelihood strategies of urban
poverty in impoverished neighborhood of jigjiga town
This study is limited in scope since it is done only at one neighborhood. On the other hand it was
hard and impossible to conclude the study to whole urban poor because the researcher has used
methods which give less attention to representativeness.These are the two weakness of the study
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
These are planned activities that men and women undertake to build their livelihoods. They
usually include a range of activities designed to build asset bases and access to goods and
services for consumption. Livelihood strategies include a coping strategies designed to respond
to shocks in the short term, and adaptive strategies designed to improve circumstances in the
long term. Livelihood strategies are determined by assets and opportunities available for women
and men. (Which are in turn affected by PIPs, and changes in the vulnerability context) as well
as by the choices and preferences of women and men (J. Farrington et al.2002).
According to Scoones (1998), Farrington et al, (1999) and De satge (2002), livelihoodstrategies
of the poor are determined by the range of assets available to them to pursue different activities
that would enable them to secure a sustainable livelihood. However, the poor are highly
influenced by their vulnerability, shocks, overall trends and seasonal variations. In addition,
structures such as the role of government and the private sector and processes such as
institutional, policy and cultural factors, which people face, also determine options for choice of
livelihood strategies.
Khan (2003) explains the role of formal and informal institutions in livelihood strategies of the
poor. He argues that formal institutions, both governmental and non-governmental, neglect the
poor. The poor are usually unaware of their rights to benefit from institutions and as such largely
depend on informal institutions could also affect the poor negatively neglecting them or
According to Salah (1985), Beal Kanji (1999), Khan (2003) and Hossain (2005), the urban poor
are mostly engaged in self-managed low paid jobs in the urban informal sector to cope with
urban life. A very small proportion of them are also engaged in low paying employment in
government and non-governmental organizations. In the informal sector, the urban poor are
mostly engaged in activities like street vending and selling, construction work, driving and
transport work, factory work and personal work facing physical, mental and sexual harassment at
their work places. Widespread and persistent lack of employment opportunities and physical
illness are common among the urban poor (Salah 1985, Katapa 1993).
The urban poor diversify their income sources, put more family members in to the work force,
increase their family size, reside in low cost housing, lease land and rent houses, depend on
utility services from informal sources and use kinship as social capital in order to sustain
themselves with the low income that they earn from informal activities. Those who migrate from
rural areas keep their rural ties as they rely on supports from their relatives and friends in times
of need. Mutual supports through participation in community based organizations are also
essential for the urban poor to mitigate their economic and social crises (Beal and Kanji 1999,
In assessing policy approaches to reducing urban poverty and promoting urban livelihoods, a
useful place to start is with the debates on the impact of structural adjustment. Significant
research was undertaken in this area, which examined the impact at the household level and gave
particular emphasis to the negative social effects on urban populations (Chant, 1996; Elson,
Urban population were seen to more affected by structural adjustment because in general, they
were more integrated in to cash and wage economies and more dependent on food and other
social sector subsides which were lifted. Retrenchment packages, specially, where largely
directed to urban workers who had lost jobs, sometimes defined as ‘’new poor’’- rural
populations were meant to benefit from the lifting of producer price controls in agriculture and
by trade liberalization. However, a research in countries with structural adjustment programs has
integrated this general assumption that urban populations have been worse affected, certainly the
situation is variable. For example, in countries in Africa small rural farmers have been adversely
affected by the rise and the withdrawal of the state in marketing (Evans and McKay, 1997).
The conceptual framework for this study is taken from the sustainable livelihood framework
(sustainable livelihoods framework (DFID)).This framework looks at the different factors that
contribute to people’s livelihood strategies, it draws on a holistic understandings of livelihood,
and as such, goes far beyond defining poverty only in terms of the absence of income and
consumption and includes the absences of other capabilities such as the social and natural
capitals required to meet these needs (DFID, 1999; Farrington et al 1999; Neefjes 2000, Destge
2002).
The fact that the framework can be applied at different levels from the individual to community
to the nation at large is identified as one of its advantage (De satge 2002), the framework is also
advantageous for its wider perspective in the analysis of poverty and livelihoods where both
economic and non-economic factors are included. Its holistic approach and the proper and
participatory techniques applied have been identified as highly beneficial for policy formulations
and planning and management of development programs (Scoones 1998; De Satge 2002).
However, the framework has been criticized for not addressing important issues (Scoones 1998)
for instance; it has been criticized for not considering structural constraints that perpetuate
poverty by giving more emphasis to the assets and capabilities of the poor, and for overlooking
efforts for equitable distribution of resources (De Satge 2002). The framework has been
criticized for not providing clear explanation of how conflict over access to resources affects
choice of livelihoods and the means to address it (Farrington et al, 1999).
. ASSETS: - These refer to the resources on which people draw to carry out their livelihood
strategies. These resources include different forms of capitals, financial, human, social, physical,
natural and political capital. People may not always possess the assets they use. They have
different extent of access to and control over these assets. In the sustainable livelihood approach,
the issue of access and how access can be improved is significant.
. POLICIES, INSTITUTIONS, AND PROCESSES (PIPs):- These are the broad range social,
political, economic and environmental factors determining people choice and shaping
livelihoods, they determine access to various types of assets.
The following chart will clearly explain the relationships of aspects of livelihood framework
These elements of framework utilizes a pentagon to describe livelihood assets, with each point
assigned to a particular type of asset so that the shape of the pentagon changes as stores of
certain type increase. When addressing this component of the framework humanitarian and
development agencies should pay attention to two considerations in particular.
3) Policies institutions processes: refer to the organizations that create and enforce
legislation, provide the necessary requirements for acquiring and capitalizing upon
assets (e.g. private suppliers of materials for building shelters), manage natural
resources and provide other services crucial for gaining access to assets, exchanging
them, and benefiting from their use.
4) Livelihood strategies: concern the individual’s available and implemented options
for pursuing livelihood goals. The greater the diversity of livelihood strategies, the
higher the household’s resilience to the socks, trends, and seasonality conditions
within the vulnerability context.
5) Livelihood outcomes: refer to the outputs of livelihood strategies. Achievements
may include higher income, greater wellbeing (e.g. self-esteem, physical security,
political empowerment), reduced vulnerability, greater food security and/or improved
environmental sustainability.
This study does not attempt to explore and interpret in great depth all aspects of the sustainable
livelihoods framework as applied for few neighborhoods in the study area. It is restricted to four
aspects of the framework that determine the choice of livelihood strategies, shocks, assets, and
outcomes of the neighborhoods. Nevertheless, it is useful to provide a brief overview of the key
This theory was dominant in the united states in the early 1900s, analyzed cities through a human
lens and saw poor urban neighborhoods as transitional and functional zones of larger urban
metropolises; places where new immigrant groups would pass through for a temporary period of
time (Park and Burgess, 1925), other ecological theorists examined the disorganized nature of
cities and the negative effects of social disorganization in certain poor neighborhoods (Wirth,
1938; Saw and McKay, 1942). The traditional urban ecological perspective has been denounced
for not recognizing the permanent nature of many poor black neighborhoods and for ignoring
Factors other than market factors that can shape the movement of groups and land use (Sampson
and More noff, 1997).
Suggest that the norms and behaviors of the poor can be distinguished as a sub-culture of the
larger society and characterized by distinct way of life, including an atypical world view and low
aspirations (Lewis, 1968, Moynihan, 1965). This culture was said to be perpetuate itself from
generation to generation. The culture of poverty thesis has been criticized for being too
deterministic, blaming the victims, and diverting attention away from the structural causes of
poverty (Murray, 1984). So I will apply for this study a multi-causal sociological theory to
explain poverty.
Chapter three
Research methods
Jijiga is one of the woredas in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. Part of the fafen Zone, Jijiga is
bordered on the south by KebriBeyah, on the southwest by Gursum, on the southeast by
Ajersagora, on the north by the Shinile Zone, and on the northeast by Awbere. The average
elevation in this woreda is 1803 meters above sea level. The only perennial rivers in this woreda
are the Fafen and the Jerer. As of 2008, Jijiga has 80 kilometers of asphalt road and 60
kilometers of all-weather gravel road; about 34.1% of the total population has access to drinking
water. The Karamara hills to the west of the city of Jijiga were thoroughly mined during the
Ogaden War, and there are still dangerous areas which have been marked off limits. Prior to the
2004 October referendum, which established the disputed boundary between the Oromia and
Somali Regions, a large section in the north of this woreda became the Chinaksenworeda, which
was transferred to the Oromia Region.
3.2 Demographics
Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia
(CSA), this woreda /district has a total population of 277,560, of whom 149,292 are men
and 128,268 women. While 125,876 or 45.35% are urban inhabitants, a further 6,956 or
2.51% are pastoralists. 91.41% of the population said they were Muslim, and 6.97% were
Orthodox Christian. This woreda is primarily inhabited by the geri and small number of
Bartire, [yabaree]. Most population in jigjiga are geri and new camers (ogaden people)
and other Ethiopian ethnic groups as Amara, oromo and gurage Tigre are the major
comers this district.
The 1997 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 269,096, of whom
138,483 were men and 130,613 were women; 73,548 or 27.33% of its population were
urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Jijiga was the Somali 138,483
(99.9%).
3.3 Research design
The study was employed a cross sectional study design with regard to the study
population and time investigation. For this study both qualitative and quantitative
approaches were used. The quantitative approach was used to produce quantitative
information of the issue under study (quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive
statistical techniques like percentage, average and frequency by using table). On the other
hand qualitative approach was intended to produce and explain for qualitative
information.
Permission was secured from Jigjiga University, College of Social Science and Humanity,
Department of Sociology before the field work. The study was done by respecting the
respondent’s dignity and maintaining their privacy. Informants were also assured that the
confidentiality of the information they provide will be kept and they were told that it will not be
used for any other purpose excerpt as an input for this study. In addition, the purpose of the
This chapter deals with data analyses and presentation. The data which were obtained from
different sources will be analyzed and interpreted under this chapter. Quantitative data were
analyzed using scientific calculator by counting the frequency of the responses. On the other
hand, qualitative data were analyzed descriptively by reflecting the essence of the responses
provided by the informants. The following section of the study will clearly present and analysis
the data
The study was sex inclusive. Accordingly both males and females were sampled to participate in
the study. As it is indicated in table 4.1, out of 50 respondents 31(62%) were male, whereas the
Based on the relationship between sex and income generating I came through that men have
higher percentage for income generating of the household because they are engaged different
activities that need human power/labor like buildings, carrying, and those go inline which
Table 4.2 shows the age distribution of the respondents. as illustrated above on the table,4(8%)
of the respondents age were in between 15-20. whereas the respondents whom their age was
between 21-25 were 5(10%).14(28%) of the respondents age fall to 26-30 age interval. the
respondents whom their age was 31-35 have accounted only 6%. around 18% of the respondents
were in between 36-40 years age interval. the age interval between 41-45, 46-50, 51-55, 56-60,
According to this data ages between 51-60 and above are less income generators compared to
those productive ages of 21-50 who are the most income generators of the households and 15-20
ages are engaged small activities like shoeshine, car washing, selling of small materials like gum,
As it is clearly stated on table 4.3, the study area is a home for diverse ethnic groups. Among
others, Somali have the lion share with percentage of 62%. 16% of the respondents were
Amhara. And Oromo has accounted 8%. The remaining 14 % of the respondents were from other
Based on the ethnicity and income initiating the Oromo, Debub, and Amhara ethnic groups are
preferred for buildings compared to Somali laborers because as the respondents pointed out those
ethnic groups apart from Somali laborers work a lower wage per day and even contract that’s
why they are mostly preferred on one hand and slaughtering of livestock is preferred for a
Somali sub clan called gabooye because they are known for their skill of slaughtering.
4%
Orthododx
protestant
Muslim
others
81%
As illustrated above on the pie-chart, the respondents were from different religious backgrounds.
81% of the respondents were Muslims, where as 17% wereorthodox Christian and protestant by
accounting 13% and 4%. The remaining 2% of the respondents have identified themselves as the
According the religion and the respondents i have not overcome any difference in income
As indicated on the table, they respondents have variations in their educational status. The
response rate have revealed that out of 50 respondents 25(50%) have at least attended primary
school and they are capable to read and write. On the other hand 13(26%) of respondents can't
read and write. Only 7(14%) of respondents have attended and completed their high school
education.6% of the respondents have passed high school education and have attended schools at
college level, so they have identified themselves as diploma certificate holder. The remaining
4% of the respondents have attended other educations like religious and vocational educations.
Mastery/literacy is not enough to generate the income of the household because as they clarified
there is no opportunities for them mostly although those who are diploma holders have some
As it can be clearly seen from the above table, 24% of the respondents do not have their own
work which means that they are unemployed. On the other hand 52% of the respondents are self-
employed that indicate as they have their own job. Only 16% of the respondents are hired at
different governmental organizations at lower levels, like; guard, janitor, secretory, and others.
The remaining 8% have identified themselves at the category of other employment status; they
table 4.6 indicate that out of 50 respondents 18(36%) of them are still not married. whereas 38%
out of the entire respondents have joined the world of marriage. on the other hand even though
they have married before, 14% of the respondents have dropout of their marriage life and they
are now single. lastly 12% of the respondents have lost their husband due to death and are not
still remarried.
Yes
No
(Source: own survey, 2016)As it is illustrated above on the pie chart, 60% of the respondents have
at least one child, whereas the remaining 40% of the respondents do not have children yet. The
following table will clearly show the no of children owned by those respondents who answered
respondents do have 4-6 children at their homes. The remaining 8 percent of the respondents
The table shows that 28% of families are ruled and administered by women. Whereas the
majority of the families that account 52% are under male leadership. The remaining 28% of the
family have other options family headship. This category which belongs to other headship
As it can be observed from the table 24% of the respondents earn below 500 ETB .20(40%) of
the respondents have an average income of 501-1000ETB. 16% of respondents earn 1001-
1500ETB monthly. it is only 20% of the respondents who are comparatively better at money they
The table above show the place of origin and time lived at the neighborhood by the respondents.
As illustrated above on the table 52% of the respondents have migrated from nearby rural areas
as well as from different regions of the country to the neighborhood. It is only 48% which were
born in Jig-jiga town. 30% of the respondents are recent immigrants and only lived in the
neighborhood for 5 years and below. Those who have lived for 6-10 years in the neighborhood
accounted 24%. On the other hand 30% of the respondents have made their live in the
neighborhood for more than 20 years.12% and 4% respondents have lived for 11-15 and 16-20
As shown on the table, the respondents have at least friends at their neighborhood.98% of the
respondents have friends at the neighborhood, where as the remaining 2% preferred to have their
friend from other neighborhoods. On the other side, 70% respondents have their relatives nearby
their house and neighborhood. The remaining 30% are immigrants who have migrated to the
ship the respondents have with other neighbors and the level of social cohesion that the
respondents have with rest of the community members. As per to this study, 32% of the urban
poor have given priority to their close friends and they do have strong relationship with them.
Following relating with the close friends, 30% also have strong bond with their family members.
Whereas 26% have created strong relation with more than one category, 10% and 2% of the
respondents have strong relationship with their neighbors and with kebele officials respectively.
The kind of relationship which the urban poor have is considered as horizontal kind of relation.
This kind of relationship is the kind of relation which can be formed between the people who
live under the same strata and the same class. The other thing shown on the above table is that
the level of the cohesion that the urban poor do have with their society. 38% respondents have
very strong social cohesion and bond with their society. Strong cohesion is also prevalent among
26% of the respondents. 32% respondents have moderate social cohesion. Only 2% respondents
have broken and weak social cohesion. Generally, the bond which exist among urban poor is
similar with that have existed among traditional (pre-industrial) society and can be termed as
mechanical solidarity.
10
0
ce on n d rs
for ic ati utio lan the
t o
or so sti
lab as in
d cial
hoo en
bo
r fin
h
eg
ni
Bar-graph 4.1, explains the type of asset which the urban poor own. Urban poor are asset less,
but the urban poor have their labor force as asset. According to this survey 54% of the urban
poor are the owner of labor force. 16% 0f the respondents have considered neighborhood
associations as opportunity and asset. The other 12% have access to financial institutions and
they have taken this institution as asset. Only 10% of the respondents have land where as the
60
50
40
pencet
30
level of participation
20
10
0
high medium low
level of participation
The above bar graph indicates the level of participation of the urban poor at public affairs. 64%
of them are aware of public events and their participation is medium. On the other hand 18% of
the urban poor know what public affairs and they highly participate. Only 18% have low
The above table clearly explains types of livelihood strategy which urban poor prefer
frequently.24% of the poor are street venders. Daily labor work is second dominant job for the
urban poor; it is a bred wining activity for 14% of them. Tea and coffee serve as livelihood
strategy for 10% of the poor. Selling of local drinks is the fourth leading activity which make
live for 8% of the urban poor. Wood work and animal raring contribute 6% each to the livelihood
of the urban poor. The remaining 26% of the urban poor engage in other activities like; petty
trade, government employ at lower class (guard), barber shop, shoe shine and lottery work.
Bar-graph 4.3 kinds of support given from the government to the poor
types of support
80
70
60
50
40
30 types of support
20
10
0
ial ca
l rt ca
l
enc hni p po hni
fin c su c
te te
no d
an
ic al
en
fin
Bar graph 4.3 indicates the types of support that the government gives the urban poor. Most the
respondents have recognized that as there is no support from the government.it is 74%
respondents who responded as there is no any kind of supports provided for the urban poor.14%
received financial support from the government. On the other hand 6% received technical
support from the government. 4% get both financial and financial support from the government.
The remaining 2% have received other types of supports from the government authorities.
CHAPTER FIVE
5. FINDING
This chapter mainly focuses on discussing the findings of the study. The collected data were
analyzed and interpreted in the previous chapter. The following part of this study discusses the
socio economic background of the poor. Leading livelihood strategies pursued by poor families,
demographic and socio economic factors that determine their choice of livelihood strategies and
Poor people are among groups which can consider as the disadvantaged in the community. These
people hold the lower class status in their society because they lack different things in their life.
Poor people have many characteristics in common even though their personal qualities and
perceptions differ from each other’s. Even though 50% of the urban poor can read and write,
52% of them are self-employed as well as 24% do not have any job. This shows that being able
to read and write is not only sufficient to engage in high skill requiring works. The study has
shown that 64% of the urban poor earn below 1000 ETB. Yet, there are high income self-
employed jobs available for everybody; this research has shown that the urban poor engage in
The study has revealed that, Jig-jiga poor neighborhood is a home for more than 5 ethnic groups.
52% of its residents have migrated from different parts of Ethiopia to the neighborhood.
According to sample survey conducted in the neighborhood 70% of the dwellers have at least
lived for more than 6 years at the neighborhood. The urban poor have strong networking with
their relatives and friends. This study has indicated that 98% and 70% have friends as well as
relatives at the neighborhood respectively. Most of the urban poor keep their relationship strong.
32% arrange the relationship with their close friend, where as 35% give high attention to their
family members and their neighbors. This shows that the poor have horizontal types of
relationship. They rely for support in times of crises and difficulties on these people whom they
are related with. Even though the urban poor do give priority to their friends and family members
88% trust each other with other neighborhood dwellers. Only 2% have weaker social cohesion
with the society among urban poor. Generally, among other capitals, the urban poor are endowed
This study has revealed that most of the urban poor do have works identified as best for them.
Most of the poor engage in labor demanding self-employed jobs. This is substantiated by this
study as 54% of the urban poor are asset less and they are only endowed with labor force. 24% of
the urban poor make their life by vending and selling different fruits, grain and other edible
goods on the street, 20%of them engage in labor demanding activities like construction work and
daily labors. Most of females engage in selling of local drinks, which also contribute 8% to the
livelihood strategies for the urban poor. The work which are considered as better for the urban
poor are; tea and coffee, and wood work. These activities are the livelihood for 13% of the urban
poor. The remaining 26% are engaged in other activities like; lottery work, guard in
governmental offices, traditional transport service provision and government employee, selling
of chat, petty trade, shoeshine and barbershop. For most, they engage in the work only to earn
their daily bread and they don’t get anything to save. According to this study many of the urban
poor do not have an option to penetrate in to other works. But, they belief as they can earn more
profit to feed their family from their work. Some of the activities like sale of local drinks, and
petty trade, have customers from the urban class and the poor can afford it easily. For those
people who are engage in this activity, it is by their choice and even they do it with great
Knowledge. Even though much of the work are not satisfying, activities like wood work can be
taken as easy and comfortable as they are done at home quarters, and Jig-jiga is comfortable for
wood work.
Even though most of the urban poor do not yet identified future shocks which can directly or
indirectly affect their livelihood some have raised fears like: competitions with other suppliers,
increase in age and deteriorating of health condition, increment in house rent expense, shortage
governmental policies. Urban poor also have their own strategies to cope up with difficulties.
All most all of the urban poor use their social capital during this time. As explained above on this
study the urban poor have strong relationship with their family members, friends, and neighbors
as well as with other members of the community. They do this mainly to get support from those
peoples in the time of crises. Most of them take loan from others especially from their neighbors
and they pay it back, and others change their job in order to diversify their income.
According to Jig-jia 04 kebele chairman, “The poor are people with low living conditions and
people who cannot afford different services. This people especially live a hand to mouth life.
They don’t have enough income to feed and support their family and children.”
5.1.6. Criteria to call a household as poor
The following criteria are among those the kebele set to call a household as poor
HOUSING CONDITION-poor household are people living in poor house and old as
well as decayed houses. These households even sometimes do not have houses and they
live near the street. People who live on the street mostly built their shanty houses from
LEVEL OF AFFORDING SERVICES- the kebele label households as poor when they
are un-able to afford some services. The most important service set as criteria is health.
People who cannot afford health service when they are sick
The third criteria is that people who cannot work and change their life.
• The urban poor are mainly engage in the following activities according to kebele
chairmen.
Street vending and selling; this is among the major activities pursued by the
urban poor living at Jig-jiga neighborhood. The second dominant activity is that,
they take goods from other peoples and they try to make profit from goods they
have taken. After they sell it, they return back what they have taken. Others
engage in making and cocking injira, tea or coffe at someone house in which they
are paid salary or they may do it at their home, where they sell for their customer
and other consumers. Some of them engage in begging. This people engaging in
PEOPLE
These peoples face many problems. Among others, when they receive some goods from
people to make profit, there are moments when they fail to do so, at this time they may
get in conflict with the people they have received goods from. Even those who are street
venders sell goods which can be expired easily so, they may lose the money they have
invested. Street venders also face health problem since their working environment is not
There are many supports provided for the poor as well as by non-governmental organizations
As per to Jig-jiga town, there is free medical services for poor people. The kebele write letter of
recognition to Karama hospital that the person is poor, then the hospital to be the beneficiary of
Jig-jiga town micro-finance office also organizes poor people in association to start their own
business. Whereas Jigjigatown women affairs arrange loan free of interest rate for the poor. The
poor are not trusted by financial institutions, so, the kebele take the guarantee of the poor people
those the kebele recognize at their kebele to be trusted by credit institutions. Most of the poor do
not like to take loan from credit institution, because they believe that they cannot pay it back.
This is mainly due to; lack of awareness and self-confidence as they are capable of doing
something effectively. There are some urban poor who have taken loan and become successful,
so, they have returned the loan that they have taken, but for most it is hard to return the money
At kebele level, by cooperating with religious institutions they fix decayed houses for poor and
incapable households. The kebele also cooperatively work with Jig-jiga city administration to
As mentioned by the interviewee poor people do not have capacity to educate their children. So,
the kebele collaboratively work with NGOs. The organizations mainly support students whose
parents are poor by providing them with educational logistics like- school uniform, bag, exercise
POOR.
There are enormous of challenges associated with the livelihood of the poor. According to the
finding of this study, many of the urban poor do not have save, comfortable, and enough working
environment. This is one of the most pressing problems for the urban poor those who are
engaged in some specific works. From those works, street vending is one of the most challenging
activities. When vending on the street, there are many things which street venders encounter. The
activity is among those which can be done day and night as well as at summer or spring times.
These features of the activity make it difficult for those who are engaged in street vending. At
spring time there is dust and hard sun light with warm weather condition, on the other hand, at
summer time there is rain with coldest weather condition. These seasonal fluctuations with its
occasions have effect on the health of the urban poor. Due to this and other reasons the urban
poor are vulnerable to diseases like tuberculosis, trachoma, common cold and other related
infectious diseases.
The other challenges faced by the urban poor is that, they do have small and narrow working
environment. This prevents them to expand their business. For those who engage in activities
requiring house, they are affected by high house rent expenses since they do not have their own
house. Expanding business is not only a matter of house rent expense; rather it is of shortage of
financial support (capital) too. Others face problems related to lose of profit. This happen due to
the characteristics of the goods they are trading. They mostly supply goods which can easily be
expired.
CHAPTER SIX
6.1. CONCLUSION
According to this study the majority of urban poor earn their living by engaging in different
livelihood activities in the informal sector. The most commonly used strategies, however, are
street vending for female and construction work and daily labor for male. Age, marital status,
and numbers of children are the major demographic factors that determine the livelihood of the
urban poor. In addition, socio-economic factors such as access to different resources that include
financial, social, human, physical, and natural capital play major roles in the livelihood of the
urban poor. Even though the urban poor are lack other types of capitals, they are full of social
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Journal of sociology and social welfare, June, 2005, volume xxxII, November 2.
JIGJIGA UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
First of all I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet with you and
introduce you myself. I am student here in Jijiga University I study sociology department
and it is the final year of my study and graduate in coming months, with the help and
support of my wonderful advisor and dean of my college. So dear respondents I request
the willingness and confidentiality of your responses please
Dear respondents: - the purpose of this questionnaire is to collect necessary data from
concerned bodies on livelihood strategy of urban poor in impoverished neighborhood in JIgjiga
neighborhood, for the partial fulfillment of the requirement for BA degree in sociology. Your
information will be kept confidential and will not be used for other purpose. So, you are kindly
asked for assistance and respond to the following questions freely. Thank you…
Instruction: - please make “X” mark for close ended questions and write down
your answer shortly on provided space for open ended questions.
A. Male B. Female
2. Age:____________
3. ethnicity:
A) Somali
B) Oromo
C) Amara
D) Tigre
E) Gurage
F) other(specify) _________
2) Religious affiliation:
A. Muslim
B. Orthodox
C. Protestant
3) Educational status:
D. college diploma
4) Employment status:
A. unemployed
B. self-employed
C. civil servant
5) marital status:
A. single
B. married
C. divorced
D. widowed
E. Separated
F. others_____________________
A. Yes
B. No
A. 1-3
B. 4-6
C. above 6
A. female headed
B. male headed
C. child headed
D. other(specify) ____________________
A. child
B. parent
C. Household
B. 1001-1500 ETB
C. 501-1000 ETB
B. Out of jijiga
12) If your answer is “out of jigjiga” for question 11, from where you originated?
(specify) ___________________
A. 1-5
B. 6-10
C. 11-15
D. 16-20
E. above 20 years
A. Yes
B. No
A. Yes
B. No
A. Family member/s
B. close friends
C. neighbor/s
E. kebele officials
F. other (specify) ____________________________________
A. Yes
B. No
18) What do social cohesion you have with other neighbors looks like?
A. Very strong
B. strong
C. moderate
D. weak
E. Very weak
A. Labor force
B. financial
C. Neighborhood associations
D. land
A. High
B. medium
C. low
D. Construction work
F. urban farming
22) What are challenges associated with activity you are now engaged in?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
____
24) What do you think will affect your livelihood in the future?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
____
A. Financial support
B. no support
C. Technical support
26) If you have further comments or recommendations regarding the overall parts of the
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______
JIGJIGA UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
Dear informants: - the purpose of this interview is to collect necessary data from concerned
neighborhood, for the partial fulfillment of BA degree in sociology. Your information will be
kept confidential and will not be used for other purpose. So, you are kindly asked for assistance
1. Sex:
A. Male B. female
B. Age : ________________
Interview questions
F. What kinds of supports are provided for poor people by government or other bodies?
G. What government policies do say concerning poor people; especially urban poor?
JIGJIGA UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
OBSERVATION CHECKLIST
o 1 2 3 4
1 Housing conditions
Cooking kitchen
Toilet
2 Working environment
space
Hazardous
Safe
Water
Health center
School
Transport