Voices For Just Climate Action; Naivasha Updates.

Story by; Jacob Omondi, KYCTV.

Is there hope for the future?
To efficiently address climate change, Muungano Wa Wanavijiji through Slum Dwellers International has been at the forefront in setting the agenda and creating momentum on climate action, through community dialogues and a series of research that uses youth-led approaches. This approach has involved mobilizing and identifying youth groups supporting various innovative projects that aim to address climate change.
Increasing youth participation in addressing climate change has emerged to be vital. This can be done through expansion of youth networks and allowing the youth to create awareness of risks involved when it comes to climate change in Kenya and globally.

The 2019 population census by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics estimates that Nakuru county has a population of 2,162,202. Naivasha is one of the largest towns in Nakuru county and is well known for having a freshwater lake. The lake has emerged as a valuable water resource in the area, providing water for agricultural use and domestic use at the community level. However, over time there have been large variations in the water levels of the lake and this has been partly attributed to climate change as well as the vast human activities taking place within the area.

In its pursuit to increase local awareness and inspire climate action at the community level, Muungano Wa Wanavijiji leverages on its Voices for Just Climate Action program. The program seeks to encourage community awareness of climate-related challenges facing communities and empower them to take both individual and collaborative action in addressing climate change in their localities. As part of a continuous community engagement process, the federation engages community residents from various informal settlements in various areas such as Naivasha, while implementing the program. To further boost its effort in amplifying community voices through the program, the federation has proactively engaged community groups including organized groups in Naivasha that are currently pursuing innovative approaches to address climate change to promote these practical efforts.

Some of the groups that are doing exemplary work in addressing climate change include Naivasha Water Resource Users Association, Flying Eagle, Mazingira Safi Picha Tamu, Beautification Initiative Kenya among others.
Lake Naivasha Water Resource User’s Association is engaged in protecting lake Naivasha. They do this by sensitizing lake users against polluting the lake with both chemicals and solid waste which affects aquatic animal species. They also encourage their members to plant more tress to aid mitigate the effects of climate change by emission of carbon dioxide in the air and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.

Additionally, the Flying Eagle group deals with waste management an activity that not only creates employment to the group members but also, it further contributes to addressing climate change by ensuring proper disposal of waste products and reduce global warming through the greenhouse gases produced.

Mazingira Safi Picha Tamu group manages garbage collection by sorting out plastic waste that takes a long period to decompose. Plastic waste makes it difficult to grow trees that can aid reduce adverse climatic change. The group also supports tree planting initiatives in partnership with other organizations to sensitize communities on the importance of conserving the environment. Tree planting helps increase the water levels acting as a water catchment and reduces the excessive carbon in the atmosphere.

Community youth groups in Naivasha participate in a community clean-up and tree planting. Pictures; KYCTV.

Beautification initiative Kenya is a local youth group in Naivasha, dealing with city beautification. The youth group participates in planting trees along the roads in Naivasha. The group is also involved in, garbage collection by ensuring proper disposal of waste through sensitizing community residents on the effects of littering and providing waste bins for use. This aids in addressing global warming through the emission of greenhouse gas produced by the waste.

In an interview with Gavin, a member of Beautification Initiative Kenya, some of the challenges they face in regards to addressing climate change include a lack of cooperation from the community particularly in matters concerning proper waste management. “At times we end up seeking intervention from the County Government of Nakuru to help in sensitizing community members on the importance of having a clean environment that will not only keep the community safe but also help in reducing the spread of diseases”

According to Byron an environmental activist, “To save the future generation from adverse climatic change, the government needs to focus on reviewing policies on proper waste disposal since most of the residents in Naivasha are either not aware or just choose to ignore the policies in place”. The aquatic life in Lake Naivasha is reducing in numbers due to pollution from the harmful chemicals released into the Lake that kill the aquatic species.
Some common challenges the local groups within Naivasha face include; lack of cooperation from community members in matters related to environmental conservation through proper waste disposal, evasion of garbage collection fees by landlords and tenants making it difficult to sustain the group’s initiatives, and the costs incurred to hire the County Government’s truck which costs about three thousand shillings. This truck is used to ferry garbage from household pick-up points to the dumping site.

FROM THE STREETS TO TAKING THE LEAD IN CLIMATE ADVOCACY.

Byron Owino, climate champion.

Story by Nicera Wanjiru, KYCTV

“We are mistreating Mother Nature, and we are having greedy aspirations, as a result, Mother Nature is angry and she is hitting back, and things aren’t the same as they used to be. The ecosystem is not balancing naturally the way it is meant to. We have put our interest first as humans and we forgot about humanity. Our lives are gradually changing due to the worse. Climate change is here and it’s getting worse. We want nature to treat us good while we are busy treating it wrongly”.

These are the words of Byron Owino a young man who was once a street boy. His passion and determination couldn’t hold him back from speaking about matters close to his heart (Mother Nature and Climate Change). It takes courage for a man to share his story. Nicera Wanjiru speaks to Byron who hails in Naivasha about his journey. Despite his hardship in the streets and in the hands of a mean cruel aunt, he has emerged to become a Climate Champion.

About Byron.

“My name is Byron, am a climate champion, a speaker and a poet. I am also a Youth Leader. Am a passionate individual on matters pertaining to the environment and conversation, human rights as well as social-economic justice. I am the Organizing Secretary of NACCAN, an environmentally inclined network comprising of grassroots environmental groups working within Naivasha Sub-County. We focus on Environmental Conservation, garbage management and environmental advocacy. NACCAN Membership cuts across all age groups” Says Byron.

“I was born in Naivasha. During the early years of my life, I was a street boy. It was at this time I, gained a passion for speaking about issues close to my heart. I needed my voice to be heard as the voice of the voiceless.

Speaking on behalf of others helped me a lot. It built my self-confidence, I was able to speak up for myself. When you learn to speak about others and yourself the passion becomes real. I want to see human suffering alleviated and the suffering of Mother Nature Alleviated. I am more action-based no matter how little the actions are, it should be more progressive”

Domestic Violence Landed Me in the Streets.

“Domestic violence led me to the streets, I was young, I was only 8 years old, and my family had challenges just like many other families. My mother at some point could not tolerate the domestic violence, she had to leave. I was the only boy in the family and the only person who would speak out in a family of five. We were left with our aunt, whom we thought would play a role of a mother but that wasn’t the case.

She became the tormentor but I hold nothing against her at this point. I used to speak out anytime I saw something wrong done to my siblings. This landed me in trouble I remember one day I was assaulted by my aunt and it was at that point I decided to be a fighter. I decided to gather myself together to fight, not physically but by speaking out. I had no option, the streets became the option.”

Life After The Streets.

“It was challenging. I am grateful my mum got me out of the streets. A woman I love and respect so much. It was hard to adapt because I had gotten myself into drugs and substance abuse but she saw me through and indeed it has been a motivation. My mother fought for me throughout this situation and  this reignited my passion towards the environment. Naturally I loved nature, I loved the environment. I had to bounce back and here I am.”

My Voice Was My Weapon.

Speaking out was Byron’s way of expressing himself in order to be heard. Equipped with a pen and a paper, he began communicating. He remembers vividly during his schooling days, he would write poems and essays about climate change that earned him recognition during the many competitions he won.  Later he began speaking about climate justice.

“When growing up I believed this is our heaven, it’s where we live, and if we mess our heaven waiting for the other heaven it’s a joke. I had to advocate and speak out with my community. They say knowledge is power and I took it upon myself to gather information on climate change.  I have been an advocate for Mother Nature. I have spoken to the authorities, to the young people in the social gatherings and the community. I have informed them it’s not only about talking but it’s all about the little action and consistency and also speaking out to the people who are involved and people who are concerned and that is what climate advocacy is all about” Says Byron.

My Motivation Towards Climate Change.

“Where I come from, there is a Lake (Lake Naivasha). It’s one of the greatest natural resources that we have. Unfortunately, the lake has been polluted by settlers living near the lake and by chemicals from factories.

Activities such as excessive cutting of trees, burning of charcoal, lack of proper solid waste management systems, have affected the ozone layer which is one of the reasons that prompted me to scale up and speak about matters regarding climate change and global warming. I don’t regret my decision. I am happy and proud of what I do, something I started since I was young.

To my fellow young people, let’s not take anything for granted because the future generation is in for a troubled living and a messed up ecosystem they will not be proud of their homes. We should not make hell for our children and future generation. Let’s make this a little heaven for our children. The little actions we do are going to transform. Let’s do the little positive actions by being the hummingbird and create that change because the time is now”.

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Rallying Community Voices for Just Climate Action.

Story by: Dennis Macharia; KYCTV.

In the recent years, the country has experienced considerable changes in weather patterns due to the change in climate. This is due to the activities man has implicated on the natural environment which have influenced the eco-system.

The emission of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon has altered the ozone layer in a negative way by preventing the excess heat to leave the earth thus, causing global warming evident through the existing environmental changes such as increase in sea levels due to the melting glacier as well as the harsh climatic seasons.

Various approaches have been initiated to address the effects created by climate change, and ultimately, steps to reduce carbon emissions will emerge to have a positive impact on the environment.  As part of the efforts to address some of these emerging effects of climate change particularly within the urban context, Muungano Wa Wanavijiiji is implementing its Voices for Just Climate Action Program in various informal settlements. The Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA) program is a lobby and advocacy program implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Netherlands, SouthSouthNorth (SSN), Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), Slum Dwellers International (SDI) and Hivos. SDI-Kenya’s main focus area throughout the program’s implementation period will be the urban vulnerable communities with an aim of creating momentum on climate action at the grassroot level through rallying community voices to advocate for ‘Just Climate Action’.

In order to create a basis for community engagement within the program, Muungano leverages on its techniques of information gathering to obtain a baseline against which progress can be assessed. As part of consolidating this information, Muungano organized and rolled out data collection which included profiling of groups in the informal settlements. The exercise focused on gathering information on groups to understand their activities within the community especially those that are geared towards addressing climate change, as well as their partnerships and the support they receive within their groups.

Profiling is pegged on primarily capturing a rich set of community data. This approach serves as a starting point helping to create visibility through provision of information that would aid in steering engagements within a program.  Through profiling of the existing groups within the community, information obtained would aid in identifying, understanding and analyzing the measures and initiatives individuals within a group set up are undertaking, specifically those that targeted towards addressing climate change and promoting mitigation. The exercise would also aid in identifying the existing existing gaps which can be further supported through the program.

The data collection was conducted by community co-researchers from Mathare who had a full understanding of their community. Before the survey, all the participants were taken through a comprehensive training, to create an opportunity for all to understand the data collection tool. The coresearchers were additionally taken through mapping, where they would use the provided community maps to identify a groups’ specific locality within the community.  

A coresearcher collects data within the community.

On the map, the group’s meeting point was coded with letter [M] and their coverage which is also the area where their activities extend to was coded with letter [G]. This study mandatorily aimed at identifying groups whose activities are fashioned towards overseeing the restoration of the ecosystem through their activities which mostly were;

• Garbage collection,
•  Recycling activities,
• Waste management control,
• Farming and reforestation.

Coresearchers map out the groups within the community.

During the study, the coresearchers identified individuals who had come up with a method of making briquettes to replace charcoal as a way to curb deforestation. The locals have opted to use briquettes as they are cheaper compared to charcoal and they tend to burn for a longer time.

Pig farming is also a skill that is widely celebrated as it is cheap to maintain and requires less labor. The main sources of food for these animals are the leftovers from food kiosks and restaurants. The food is selected precisely for the pigs and the remaining wastes are either dumped into the river or dumpsite awaiting collection. This has reduced waste dumping in the fields. However, the method of dumping waste to the river has affected the ecosystem greatly as water that habited the marines is no longer suitable for the marine life. The KAZI KWA VIJANA project that foresaw the cleaning of the river and its banks was long halted by the government and so the river lies with filth that has stagnated.

The water kiosks have foreseen residents receive clean water for drinking in Mathare. Tanks have been donated to various groups to curb the water shortage. Many public toilets and bathrooms are manned by these groups and locals can access these amenities at an affordable price which is either paid daily or weekly. Unfortunately, few of these toilets have a proper sewer system. Others have systems that collapsed long ago and the only option was to direct the sewer system to the river. Other locals that cannot access the amenities have opted to use plastic bags which are later dumped into the same river. Cleaning the river is a challenge that only the government can undertake through proper planning. Many house structures have been built in close proximity to the river, and lack proper drainage.

The GREEN BELT MOVEMENT is an initiative that was started by the late honorable Wangari Maathai who also won the noble peace price as a champion for the reforestation and protection of the natural forest. Her works have not only been witnessed in Mathare, but by the country as a whole. Many groups have followed the same footprints in enabling the cultivation of trees in areas where many had been cut down. In Mathare, the Greenbelt youth have participated widely though challenges have cropped up in regards to the accessing more land to cultivate more trees within the community. Most of the land has been occupied by individuals. Among some of the areas where trees have notably been planted include Mathare Ward hospital where there is a vast land with a suitable environment where trees have grown.

In Dandora, lies the heart of all the waste that is generated within Nairobi. The area is diverse and full of opportunities in the recycling sector. Many companies and private sector that deal with recycling get a huge percent of their products from Dandora dumping site. Many families depend on this vast waste and transform it into an income generating strategy. From this particular duping site, lots of youth have curved out their living as they believe ‘no waste is wasted’. This brought about the invention of a mobile application called the (TAKA BANK)-an app that awards individuals with redeemable points any time they collect branded waste like soda bottles and takes them to the concerned recycling companies. For instance, when an individual collects the coca cola bottles in large amounts and takes them to the loading zone of Coke company, they are awarded points in their app which can be redeemed for cash. This has helped in combating pollution by encouraging recycling thereby reducing large amounts of waste through a controled method.

A Story of Resilience and Hope During Covid-19.

Story by Maryanne Wanjiru; KYCTV Huruma.

The pandemic has greatly affected each and every one of us. The world has had to adjust to new ways of living. Social distancing, religiously wearing masks, washing hands or the use of sanitizers. As simple as these things may seem to do, it has been hard for most people to get used to them. The practices had to become part of our daily routine.

The pandemic has affected both the social and economic aspects of our lives. The youth in marginalized communities and informal settlements have been most affected. Amazingly, the resilience and triumphs that have come along during this trying times are impeccable. The youth in particular have proved that all is possible during this trying times.

I caught up with a young man from Mathare and he shared his experience on how he is coping with the pandemic. His is an inspiring story. His resilience and being able to stay positive in these times is amazing despite the many setbacks in his life that came as a result of the pandemic.

Patrick Mwangi Muchina is twenty-nine years old. He is a family man, an entrepreneur and a community volunteer. Before the pandemic, Patrick was a young man making ends meet for his young family by selling fruits at a small fruit stand in the area he lives. He was the sole provider. His fruit business was booming but as soon as the pandemic hit, his business crumbled down almost instantly. Mainly due to the 7pm curfew, he worked for lesser hours than he was used to. Ultimately the cessation of movement between counties disrupted the access to commodities and prices were rapidly hiked. His profits started decreasing daily and after one month he had to shut down and start looking for other sources of income.

Now back at home with nothing to do, Patrick resulted to hunting for menial jobs which were scarce at the time as many people had been laid off work or had shut down their businesses. With two children below the age of two, his partner was a stay at home mother and could not assist with the bills. But Patrick was determined to ensure his family was taken care of. His first result was to move to a smaller house that he could comfortably pay with the meager earnings he was now getting. He then cut down on his daily expenditures. Sometimes he and his family would survive on one meal a day and occasionally go to bed hungry on days when he couldn’t get casual labor.

Some of his peers had turned to crime as a means of living after losing employment. As for, Patrick he knew this was not the option. It was at this time that he started advocating for a crime free society by counselling his peers who were involved in criminal activities. They joined hands to form a table banking youth group where they support each other. This has ensured most of them do not involve themselves in criminal activities and instead are able to place food on their table. They are also able to save money and handout business loans amongst the group members. Through this initiative Patrick has eventually managed to revive his business. It has also won him the respect of his peers. Though not where he had hoped to be at this time of the year, Patrick is proud of what he has been able to achieve. He found a way to cope with the pandemic whilst making a great impact in the lives of those around him and the community at large.

The Corona virus affected many and none was prepared for the aftermath. Patrick believes the pandemic revealed exquisite traits he never thought he possessed. Its Patrick and others like him who have shown resilience and the will to start over that have given hope to our communities. In Patrick’s wise words, “The only way is forward”.

Coronavirus; Lived experiences of the urban poor.

Youth-led innovation to address spread of Covid-19 in informal settlements.

23 year old Ndereva Mutua from Mathare Bondeni village is a mural artist specializing in spray painted graffiti visuals. With over half a decade of experience in graffiti creation, Mutua has ventured into creating various pieces in settlements such as Mabatini, Mlango Kubwa, Huruma and Mathare 4a.

In densely populated informal settlements such as Mathare, where social distancing and working from home are a pipe dream for most, the Covid-19 awareness pieces are designed to teach people tangible ways to protect themselves and those around them from contracting the virus. Through his campaigns, Mutua has managed to reach out to residents in Mathare and surrounding settlements.

Community Developments and Covid-19; Reflections from Mukuru.

Situated in Nairobi’s Mukuru Kwa Reuben slum, Ronald Wafula’s stall approximately 10 by 10 feet in size stands rooted along the busy ‘Chapatti’ road now under development by the Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS). Since commencement of the construction of road networks in Mukuru Kwa Reuben Ward through the SPA process, removal of structures and businesses located on roads have been underway in a bid to pave way for establishment of road networks. Ronald’s business has reflected low returns following a move to demolish a section of his stall to pave way for developments also coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic slowing normal business operations. He states, before the Covid-19 pandemic, his retail business would earn him an average of 5,000Ksh to 6,000 Ksh which later halved owing to the emerging disruptions. As the developments continue amidst efforts to stem the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ronald hopes to navigate his business through the new normal with expectations of strengthening his source of livelihood progressively.

Story 1; Federation savers speak. Disruption of normal practice.

Moses Odera is a saver within Muungano wa Bondeni in Mathare. Formed in 2007, Muungano Wa Bondeni brings together savers from Mathare who ordinarily save and apply for livelihood loans through their savings groups. The loans are issued out from members’ savings and are used by members to ordinarily boost their businesses or improve their livelihoods. Before Covid-19 outbreak, Moses would attend savings meetings every Friday where he would regularly save 200ksh and in turn, would receive loans ranging from 10,000ksh to 30,000ksh which he would invest into his business or use for his other needs. It has now been four months since early March when Moses last attended the regular weekly meetings and saved within the group. The current Covid-19 global pandemic has posed significant challenges to federation savers such as Moses who are unable to convene their weekly meetings following restrictions on physical gatherings as well as challenges in ensuring continuity of the practice as a result of members losing their sources income due to economic disruptions. 

Story 2; Federation savers speak. Maintaining the practice amidst the crisis.

John Thuo is a boda boda rider and a resident of Barut in Nakuru. He is a member of a saving group within Muuungano Nakuru West network and a beneficiary of the Nakuru Greenfield housing development Project. Established in 2002, the Nakuru West Network has worked with Muungano to construct houses for its members who are organized into eight large savings group (A-H) . To construct, the savers are required to raise 20 percent as cash collateral, while the remainder is financed through low-interest loans from Akiba Mashinani Trust (AMT). As a member of the network for over ten years, John was able to secure a piece of land and construct his home. Before the outbreak of Covid-19, John was making his weekly 1,000 ksh savings towards his 250,000 ksh housing loan repayment but currently, makes around 300ksh-500ksh weekly savings within the network; half of what he normally saves. Having currently saved 180,000ksh towards his loan repayment, he admits the pandemic has affected his daily income which he derives from his business causing a strain in his savings and loan repayment plan.  Nonetheless, he hopes to continuously proceed with the practice (saving), though slowly but surely.

Cutting down on daily spending; the coping strategy.

Paul Musili is a ‘jua kali’ artisan in Mathare 3A. He has more than a decade of experience in ‘jua kali’, an industry that transformed into a safe haven for many young people grappling with unemployment crisis. The swahili word ‘jua kali’ which translates as the ‘hot sun’ is a term that describes businesses in the informal sector which accommodates over 80% of the Kenyan working population. Paul admits, his business which is largely reliant on customer orders, has been majorly affected as he depends on customers, who are mostly in the formal sector,and are equally affected by the economic impacts of the virus. As a means of adapting to the current times, Paul has had to adjust his spending to be able to meet his needs and those of his family.

Counting losses in the food vending business.

Mary Njeri Wachira is a food vendor in Mathere Slums. Food vendors in Nairobi’s informal settlements provide cheap meals to the dwellers while equally deriving their livelihood while at it. Through her business, she has invested in her grand child’s education from 2012 to date. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, Mary’s food business generates her an average of 1,000 ksh daily, from an average of 2,700 ksh that she would normally derive. Mary largely capitalizes on evening hours when there is a sizeable amount of commuter traffic an opportunity that allows her to make more sales from the food she sells at a discounted price. Following the imposed curfew, Mary has made adjustments in her business, thereby liaises with fridge owners to preserve her food for sale the next day, losing out on profits in the booming business hours.

 

Social media versus the lived realities.

 

No one thinks about them, they say they are just kids. The children who live in a 10 by 10 house with their parents and guardians now face a greater risk of gender based violence.
Salome Njeri is an actress and a community health volunteer (CHV) in Kibera Lindi A. She takes time to engage some of the children in games every three days in week as a means of indulging them and educating them about the virus.
Njeri admits it gets harder by the day . Parents have nothing to offer to their children. For some, getting soap for regular hand washing is difficult. Sometimes, she uses her money to feed the kids after exercises. She adds, this is the lived reality in communities as opposed to what is portrayed on social media, and urges on the need to keep watch of our children.

 

Dealing with displacement, 5 years latter.

Beatrice Wangeci, is a member of Muungano Wa Wanavijiji Nakuru West Network and a resident of Barut. She is among other residents in the area that were displaced as a result of the rising water levels from the nearby Lake Nakuru following heavy rains in the region. She states how life has changed as she had to relocate from her homestead after 5 long years having secured a piece of land and establishing her home in the area. As a business lady, Beatrice has equally had to grapple with additional losses from her business following outbreak of Covid-19. She is hopeful the National government will soon issue out required support to the residents displaced to allow them resume their normal day-to-day activities.

 Adjusting to curfews and lock down, the new normal.

Jeniffer, a domestic worker in Eastleigh is a mother of 3 and a resident of Mathare 3A. Eastleigh is a neighborhood in Nairobi Kenya, and is located east of Nairobi’s CBD. The neighborhood is known for its business prowess attracting hundreds of individuals such as Jenifer, from the neighboring Mathare slums who work within the area.Following the outbreak of Covid-19,Eastleigh, an area that had previously been flagged as a hotspot was locked down due to the high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19. 2 weeks since the imposed lock down in Eastleigh,Jeniffer looks back at how the lock down has affected her as she is now unable to access the area where she works to derive her income. 

 

Maureen Nyagoha, is a resident from Mathare 3A. The mother of one, sells sweets and is also a saloonist in Mathare.
Before Covid-19 outbreak, Maureen used to make daily sales worth 2,000ksh from selling sweets however since the pandemic,her sales now range from 300ksh to 500ksh which she uses for her daily upkeep.
Since 27th March 2020, 1 month 20 days since the imposed 7pm-5am curfew, Maureen had to adjust her working hours thereby closes her business 30 minutes before 7pm, loosing out on the high sales that she normally would make in the late evening hours.

 

Low business returns affecting one of Kenya’s biggest economy drivers

 

 Yussuf is a boda boda rider in Kibera, Lindi Ward. The Boda boda industry has emerged as one of the biggest drivers of the economy in Kenya, with operators generating lots of revenue from the business. Through his boda boda business, Yussuf is able to cater to his needs at home and equally send money to his family back at the village. Following the outbreak of Corona virus, his business has since registered low returns as it now takes longer than three to four hours before getting a customer, taking home the little he makes through out the day.
Before outbreak of the virus, Yussuf would run his business till late in the evening however following the 7pm-5am curfew, that was imposed, he is no longer able to make an income during these hours. With the pandemic, he has had to adjust his working hours from 6am in the morning till 6pm in the evening before heading home. He hopes the curfew will be reviewed as he previously used to make extra income especially during late evening hours as business owners are known to capitalize on such times when businesses are at their peak.