Cleaning Up Kawangware, a Journey of Social Responsibility
Cleaning Up Kawangware, a Journey of Social Responsibility
December 12th 2024
PHOTO JOURNAL by NYASAINA KWAMBOKA
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On 30 November, the African Environmental Youth Advisory attended a clean-up hosted by Victor Mutuma, Founder of BroWhoCleans alongside volunteers from the Nairobi City Council and Vapor Ministries. The clean-up was located in Gatina Ward, Kawangware. This collaboration was more than an event—it was a testament to the power of volunteer work.
Why Kawangware, Gatina ward ? Kawangware is one of Nairobi's most densely populated neighborhoods, home to a vibrant, hardworking community. Yet, it faces significant challenges with waste management. Limited infrastructure for proper garbage disposal means trash often piles up in public spaces, clogs drainage systems, and creates hazardous living conditions for residents. The situation is compounded by a lack of awareness and accessible solutions for managing waste. This leaves the community vulnerable to health risks and environmental degradation.
1. We cleared the overgrown vegetation and carefully gathered the waste into trash bags. The trash bags would then be ready for collection and proper disposal at an official waste management facility.
2. Volunteers cleared up the waterway. In the clogged channels, we found textile waste, plastic waste, and organic waste, which contributed to flooding and unsanitary conditions in the area.
3. Staff from Nairobi City Council and Vapor Ministries came along with volunteers to clean up this space. The tools used were gloves, rakes, spades, and trash bags.
4. Some of the neighborhood children have surrounded the area with interest as volunteers tried to unblock a water channel. Their innocent fascination contrasted with the difficult task of restoring a clean environment. This photo shows the intergenerational role of inspiring responsibility among younger generations through action.
5. Many well-meaning volunteers from different locations participated to be a part of a small but meaningful change. It was important to see that the cleanup was along a busy route where residents passed by regularly and witnessed this vital work. Some people even sat by to watch us clean!
6. This picture shows the juxtaposition of a corrugated house precariously close to a polluted waterway; it is an unfair reality that marginalized communities face. Although the volunteers are diligently working to address the sanitation issue, but the conditions show deeper systemic issues. This is an example of environmental injustice based on socio-economic power; it shows how marginalized communities bear the weight of poor waste management, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to basic services. We urgently need a call to action and equitable solutions prioritizing community health and environmental safety.
AEYA REFLECTIONS
For Ceci ( Vice President of AEYA), this cleanup strengthened her understanding of environmental perspectives and issues faced by the frontline communities and the tireless and intentional effort of all volunteers working in the field.
One of the silver linings was realizing that not all the waste in the waterways was hazardous. The presence of at least 10 earthworms per centimeter of ground covered reassured her that the soil remained uncontaminated. However, she was unexpectedly puzzled by the cleanup: How did the worms survive on textile waste, and how did it get there?
To Ceci, this cleanup reflected an end in itself. She hoped to see behavioral changes in the local community, but this cleanup was far from achieving these results. This reality may have resulted from the lack of local community involvement in the cleanup. Which was one of the things she was looking forward to. But the locals have a mindset that it is the responsibility of the 'Kanjo' (government) to handle clean ups leading them to feel no need to join in.
This situation shows the negative role that politics can play when trying to achieve a goal because the historical disengagement and heightened distrust in government efforts made it harder for the environmental officers to do their job in this and other cleanups effectively.
This was eye-opening for Ceci because it reiterated the importance of environmental organizations like African Environmental Youth Advisory that focus on environmental education while debunking the dangerous myths that deter individuals from caring for their own environment.
Nyasaina (Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AEYA) explained that it was humbling to endure the hard labor for the community. "The economist in me also questions: Are cleanups a feasible and efficient solution if they fail to address the root causes? and could preventive measures, such as policies or incentives, yield more sustainable outcomes?"
Although well-intended, she noted that cleanups are repeated efforts. When done occasionally, they are cyclical and unsustainable, leading to diminishing returns. For example, the same area will need to get polluted over the next few weeks, and thereafter, making cleanups a temporary band-aid solution.
After interviewing Victor Mutuma, Founder of BroWhoCleans, he explained that during one of his cleanups, he investigated that roadside vendors and business owners would aimlessly litter their waste right outside of their business and claim that the city council would come and clean it up, it is not their obligation. After hearing of this qualitative data, Nyasaina comfirmed that this was behavioral economics at play.
"Behavioral economics emphasizes how people respond to incentives and disincentives in decision-making." She said, "When cleanup efforts repeatedly address pollution without tackling its root cause, individuals and businesses contributing to the problem through littering feel, stakeholders feel no pressure to change their behaviors because they know that someone else will come to clean it up. This creates a moral hazard because businesses will think that a clean-up crew will remove their mess if they irresponsibly litter. Instead, we should implement policies like penalizing polluters or rewarding responsible disposal practices. There also needs to be an adequate waste management system. This way, the community stakeholders are more likely to actively participate in maintaining a clean, safe, and healthy environment." She added, "It is not just about pollution and waste mismanagement. It is about the floods during seasonal rains in Nairobi between March to May due to improper urban infrastructure and poorly maintained drainage clogged with garbage."
We will have a better Return On Investment through community education, improved waste management systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, and improved urban planning than we do with occasional clean-ups.
Reflections on Challenges and Opportunities in Volunteer Cleanups
Nyasaina recognizes the benefits and challenges of leaders collaborating with other organizations and communities. The African Environmental Youth Advisory has a code of ethics and clear expectations when participating in efforts like cleanups in marginalized areas.
For example, during the cleanup on November 30th hosted by the Bro Who Cleans, volunteers worked hard to collect waste in the area. However, two weeks later, we were informed that the collected waste was still lying in bags near the cleanup site. This is an evident issue of waste management, disposal, and coordination. There needs to be accountability on further actions, such as waste transportation and facilitation.
Through this photo journal, we celebrate the efforts of well-meaning individuals and remain transparent about the hurdles faced in sustaining such cleanup initiatives. If you know of a waste management organization that could assist with transporting collected materials to appropriate facilities, please reach out—we’d be grateful to connect them with cleanup communities.
The second problem we noticed was the quality of materials used during the cleanup process. Volunteers relied on latex gloves for protection, but they would rip on contact with sharp objects, putting participants at risk of injury and infection. Similarly, we used black polythene bags to collect waste, but they are non-biodegradable and contribute to the larger waste crisis. These challenges call for better solutions like heavy-duty reusable gloves and more sustainable waste collection options like reusable buckets.
If you or your organization can donate durable cleaning gloves or other reusable materials, we would love to connect you with these volunteer communities. Together, we can work toward safer and more sustainable cleanups.
Volunteer cleaning up waste with a spade right outside a corrugated house in Gatina Ward.
Textile and plastic pollution carried down a stream in Gatina Ward.
2 weeks later, the collected waste still lies uncollected and uncoordinated by the organizer of the cleanup.
About the Author:
My name is Nyasaina Kwamboka (NEE-YAH-SAYEE-NA KWAM-BOH-KAH) I am the Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Researcher of the African Environmental Youth Advisory.
I hope this photojournal tells a story that words alone may not fully convey. While I celebrate the dedication of the volunteers and acknowledge the lived experiences of frontline communities, I am also aware of the lack of accountability by the stakeholders and organizer of this cleanup.
If you'd like to join us and publish your work as a volunteer writer please fill out this form.
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