Waste to Wealth

Background Information

Kisumu’s solid waste management strategy promotes the separation of waste at its source through public private partnerships thereby creating an enabling environment for urban poor youth and women to participate in solid waste management in the city, creating employment in the process and improving their livelihood. The Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act of 1999 and Solid Waste Management Regulations of 2006 promote integrated solid waste management. The Devolution Act of 2013 gives county governments the mandate to manage solid waste within the county, while the Urban Areas and Cities Act mandates city involvement in managing solid waste sustainably. 

Goals of the Initiative

•Development of Kisumu integrated sustainable solid waste management strategy

•Build capacity of youth and women groups in the solid waste sector

•Create awareness on the rights and roles of the members of public in solid waste management

•Set up an environmental learning center where an integrated waste management system is demonstrated and consistently taught

•Create employment for over 200 youths and wealth for the urban poor

•Education of the populace for behavior and lifestyle change.

•KIWAMA Sacco and Association established for solid waste practitioners.

•Strengthen the city council’s capacity in waste services planning, delivery and management at the community level.  

Innovation for the Initiative

The idea of creating waste enterprises evolved over time when urbanization brought us tons of waste that needed to be dealt with and a high unemployment rate of youths and women. These challenges prompted the creation of waste enterprises to deal with recycling, collection, transportation and disposal of waste as a business, ensuring a clean environment.