Paper short abstract:

To place children at the heart of issues that impact them, this research explores child-centred methodologies to enhance knowledge generation from children’s perceptions on risk narratives and to communicate their vision of a risk-free world.

Paper long abstract:

Children have the right to be heard and listened to, as stated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC 1989), yet their voices rarely contribute to policy or practice despite being a marginalised group. Through children’s perceptions we can understand their everyday lived experiences in the context of chronic and interconnected crises and positively transform lives through intergenerational practices and relationships.

This research explores everyday disaster risks children are exposed to in their primary school and neighbourhoods in an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, such as open sewage and insecurity. Knowledge generation was through a child-centred approach, capturing children’s memories and experiences of risk to build a future that is healthy, safe and free. The approach aims to produce a rich narrative, not only of children’s risk perceptions but also of ‘critical hope’ to improve health and wellbeing. Community-based social learning is demonstrated through a participatory arts-based methodology where children are active participants and co-constructors of knowledge.

Data collection during October 2022 completed eight different activities with 36 primary school children which included drawing, deep mapping, walking interviews, and modelling, resulting in high engagement, dimished power imbalances and freedom of expression. The follow-up visit intends to explore innovative solutions to address shared risks and communication strategies to enable children’s voices to be heard, supported and empowered. Initial findings reveal the magnitude of chronic risks children are exposed to in this environment and the importance of applying appropriate child-led methods for a grounded narrative.