Redefining prosperity with and for communities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

This publication is from the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity

Authors:  Saffron Woodcraft, Nikolaos Tzivanakis, Festo Makoba and Tim Ndezi

About

This research explores what prosperity means when it is defined by the people who experience it every day. The Maisha Bora Index is Africa’s first citizen-led prosperity measure, co-designed over five years with citizen scientists, community members, community leaders, and government officials in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

It moves beyond traditional economic measures to understand the realities of urban life in informal settlements.

The findings highlight the importance of infrastructure, services, livelihoods, and social connection in shaping what people describe as a “good life”. They also show how community-led research can generate practical insights that support more inclusive and locally grounded approaches to urban policy and planning.

This paper sets out the approach, key findings, and implications for how cities can rethink prosperity in ways that reflect everyday experiences and priorities.

Read more about the Maisha Bora Index on our research project page.

Read more about the Maisha Bora 

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