their counterparts in Kiambu could be explained by the larger market access in Nairobi, which translates into higher income. The Shona community in Kiambu has a larger household size, lower access
to improved sanitation, and is more likely to share toilets with other households. The Shona houses in
Kiambu are also more likely to be constructed with unimproved housing materials compared to houses
in Nairobi (52 percent vs. 12 percent). Even though both counties have similar primary school attendance rates, secondary school attendance rates are lower for those in Kiambu County (26 percent
vs. 31 percent in Nairobi). While the same proportion of boys of secondary school age attend school
in both counties (29 percent), Shona girls living in Nairobi are more likely to attend school than their
peers in Kiambu (32 percent vs. 24 percent). The lower educational attainment for the Shona is worse
in Kiambu County, as only 13 percent have some secondary or higher education compared to 19 percent for those in Nairobi County.
36. The Shona community households in both counties are mostly headed by men and show similar
employment rates, dependency ratios, access to drinking water, and sources of lighting. In both
counties, there are an equal number of men as women; however, men are more likely to make the daily
decisions in the household. Employment rates are high and similar, as 7 out of 10 in the working-age
population in both counties report working in the last seven days; however, this does not translate into
a lower poverty headcount, which is partly explained by the higher economic burden on the working
population and their involvement in informal working activities. Nearly half of the population in both
counties are below 18 years of age (49 percent in Kiambu and 47 percent in Nairobi), leading to a high
dependency ratio. As for access to drinking water and energy for lighting, almost all Shona households
in Kiambu and Nairobi have access to improved drinking water and electricity grids.
Findings
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