ABSTRACT
Resilience, originally viewed as a psychological capacity to ‘bounce back’ from challenges, is now understood to be shaped by broader social inequalities, including gender, socio-economic status, politics and ethnicity. This study explores how stories and narratives can help nurture resilience and improve well-being among those residing in an urban slum community. We conducted a qualitative study involving focus group and individual interviews with a purposive sample of children (N = 28, aged 10–18) and parents (N = 20) of children in the same age range. The data were subjected to an inductive thematic analysis. The data analysis resulted in three main themes: (1) narrative preferences and character identification, (2) stories linked to salutary factors and (3) gendered storytelling. Participants linked factors such as hope, empathy, bravery, support and perseverance to resilience through shared stories, helping them make meaning of the challenges they experienced. The findings indicate that stories were valued by both children and parents across all ages, with resilience understood as a health-promoting process that supports well-being amid adversity. Exploring storytelling and resilience in marginalized urban slum contexts highlights how narratives help build resilience and coping strategies in these communities.