Abstract:
This study focused on the contribution of Social Capital in Improving the Livelihoods of Vulnerable Urban Households in Addis Ababa City: The Case of one Selected Woreda in Addis Ketema Sub city. The study analyzed the ways in which social capital contributes to improving the livelihoods of vulnerable urban households, such as in social trust, activity, and relation and in norms of reciprocity. The economic challenges are unemployment, insecurity of food and livelihoods, financial problems, housing problems, and occasionally a lack of pure water. A basic random sample method was used to choose roughly 142 heads of households from two randomly selected villages. The qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis were employed to analyze the data to be collected. The types and nature of social capital in improving the livelihoods of vulnerable urban households were identified as social bonding, social bridges, and social linkages in the study area. While the lack of acceptance and political will, issues with good governance and security, and social challenges like social isolation and marriage, as well as issues with social life and push, reciprocity, honesty, and information sharing as issues facing vulnerable urban households, constitute the political challenges. The creation of jobs, raising household income, resolving housing issues, addressing sanitation issues, and having access to loans from microfinance organizations are further economic opportunities to enhance the standard of living for vulnerable urban households. While the presence of democracy and human rights policies at the local level, as well as household participation in political leadership and electoral processes, provide political chances to improve the lives of vulnerable urban families and human right policy at lower level that equally accommodates the vulnerable households. Lastly, based on the study's findings, the researcher has suggested that the government or non-governmental organizations raise community awareness of the role that social capital plays in enhancing the quality of life for vulnerable urban households; that these households must engage in social and political activities to do so; and that the government address the social, political, and economic obstacles that these households face in enhancing their quality of life the livelihoods of vulnerable urban households
