Meanings and Timing of Leaving Home for Young People in the Slums of Nairobi

Thaddaeus Egondi, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Donatien Beguy, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Caroline Kabiru, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Kanyiva Muindi, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Chi-Chi Undie, Population Council

The act of leaving parental home is an important marker of the transition to adulthood. Studies on the dynamics of residential independence among young people have focused mostly on northern societies. Little is known about this phenomenon in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper explores residential independence among adolescents in two informal settlements in Nairobi to assess the predictors of timing of first move to independent residence, meaning and reasons of home leaving. We use baseline data collected in 2007/2008 from a prospective cohort of young people aged 12-22 years. Cox proportional hazards models are used to assess determinants of timing of independent residence and data from qualitative study was used to explore meaning as well as reasons of home leaving. Leaving home is an important event because of its consequences and inter-dependencies with other markers of the transition to adulthood. We find an association between independent living and risk behavior.