The last few years have seen a significant change in the way humanitarian organisations approach response design. Partly spurred on by the growth in cash transfer programming and market-based programming, the practice of working through and supporting local markets is now widely considered best practice in the humanitarian field. Undertaking market analysis as part of preparedness and contingency planning could significantly improve the readiness to respond to crises. This market assessment was focused on the informal settlement of Mukuru, an urban area in Kenya that has current Oxfam programming.