Informal settlements made up of corrugated iron shacks and other materials are a ubiquitous
feature in the megacities of Africa Asia and Latin America. In response to the enormous influx
of migrants from the countryside the informal city experienced a phenomenal growth. While
rightly criticized for their lack of hygiene and for their low-level living conditions these
shelters nevertheless provide planning strategies and possibly even a roadmap to a resilient
city in an emerging territory. The unregistered economic activities associated with them
proliferate in a similar way and basic urban services are increasingly provided informally.
Examples of these economic phenomena are microloans bottom-up insurance or professions such as
the Kuré-Yalew (refuse collector) who acts as an urban miner and thus contributes a valuable
service to the community by recycling materials.
