Portfolio

Portfolio

Governance of Waterfronts:

  • Conducted a study on the Nairobi and Msimbazi River Waterfronts as part of the DREAMS project at the University of Bonn. This research focused on sustainable development goals in urban settings, including health, gender equality, and climate action​.
  • Youth and Land Governance Program
    Represented Kenyan youth in IGAD’s Youth and Land Governance program, contributing to strategic planning and advocacy efforts for youth land tenure security​.

Publications:

  • Opanga, Valentine. Cartel Economies and Urban Governance: The Interplay of Performative Politics, Social Embeddedness, and Land Control in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements (Under Review)
  • Opanga, Valentine. Immersive Learning: Engaging with the Realities of Nairobi’s Informal Settlement Korogocho (Blog, 2024)
  • Maina, A., Opanga, V., et al. Local Climate Action Toolkit for Kwale County, Kenya (Adelphi GmbH, 2018)

Conferences & Seminars:

  • 2024 – Workshop on Urban Geographies in the Global South, University of Bonn, Germany.
  • 2021 – Tropentag Conference on Sustainable Agriculture, University of Hohenheim, Germany.
  • 2018 – Sustainable Blue Economy Conference, Nairobi, Kenya.

Speaking Engagements Recent Presentations:

  • “Doing research in Informal Settlement: Experiences and Methodological Reflections” (2024)
  • “Cartel Economies and Urban Governance” (2024)
  • “Political Ecology of Greenspace Governance” (2021)
  • Various international conferences and workshops