Video based Field Work in Major Slums in Nairobi

Video-based and narrative-driven research methods are increasingly gaining relevance in contemporary research because they respond to the complexity of today’s social realities. As communities become more diverse and challenges more interconnected, traditional data collection tools alone are often insufficient to capture nuance, emotion, and context. Visual and participatory approaches allow researchers to document not only what is said, but how it is experienced, enabling richer interpretation and deeper engagement.

Moreover, this method supports ethical, inclusive research by amplifying voices that are often underrepresented in formal research spaces. By allowing participants to speak for themselves and shape the narrative, video-based research fosters transparency, trust, and accountability, while making evidence more accessible to policymakers, practitioners, and the wider public.

As part of our broader research and documentation efforts, The Grassroots Walkers Limited is recently employing a video-based fieldwork approach that prioritizes lived experience, context, and dialogue. Rather than presenting conclusions at the outset, the narrative emerges organically through observation, evidence, reflection, and shared experience.

Through video interviews and field engagement, we worked to conduct interviews with young people across several of Nairobi’s major informal settlements — including Mathare, Kiamaiko, Huruma, Majengo, and Eastleigh. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of the social realities shaping youths’ lives, while creating space for authentic voices to inform learning, analysis, and action.

By combining visual storytelling with participatory research, the project aims to generate insights that are grounded in community realities and capable of informing policy, practice, and future programming.

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