The KEYS project is implemented in context of massive youth unemployment that exists through out Kenya and especially for slum dwellers. The project builds on efforts by disadvantaged youth in Nairobi’s Korogocho slum to create micro-enterprises based on waste salvaged from garbage in the nearby Nairobi City Council dumpsite, as well as to confront the environmental sanitation challenges in the Korogocho community.KEYS also endevours to replicate similar projects that are based on environmental regenaration and conservation in other parts of Kenya.
KEYS Vision
Core values and beliefs
· Waste is not waste until wasted
· Expanding creative horizons of youth in utilizing garbage
· Amplification of best practices and scaling up of recycling initiatives
· Linkages between preserving nature and securing livelihoods
· Promoting and celebrating people's diversity and ability to coexist
· Networking and partnership building
· Elevate the power in the powerless
Mission
To build upon youth’s creative energies and innovations with a view to amplify innovative entrepreneurial initiatives on the basis of environmental conservation and regeneration.
Vision
To promote sustainability through innovation, environmental communication and awareness, and entrepreneurship.
Strategy
KEYS seeks to develop a network of environmental leaders working collaboratively to empower youth groups to amplify innovative ennvironmental entrepreneurial initiatives. This is achieved through; local mobilization for participation, environmental education and awareness, sustainabilty promotion enterprises (sustainoentrepreneurship) as well as other aspects of youth social economic growth.
Activities
1. Leadership capacity development
·To build a small team of leaders equipped with skills to motivate youth, to create and manage small-scale business enterprises within the Korogocho community.
2. Youth employment
· To mobilize and train youth group member for participation in recycling and other sustainability promotion enterprises.
·To inculcate productiveness by inspiring idle and despondent youth to engage in opportunities for income generation and conservation.
3.Technologies
·To promote the development of simple technologies e.g. preparation of painting/drawing/printing canvasses from disposable airline cushion covers.
·Research new techniques and innovations for making products from waste materials e.g. the ubiquitous plastic waste
4. Collaboration
·Access like-minded community organizations to promote replication of relevant KEYS-type initiatives
·Collaborate with relevant authorities and organizations, to ensure enforceable standards for recycling, sanitation and basic hygiene in Korogocho and other slums.
6. Interactive learning and exchange
·Between KEYS members and youth from other communities and in institutions of learning e.g. the art on recycled airline’s cushion covers canvass project which is facilitating exchange between slum artists and fine art students from Creative Art Centre and Buru Buru institute of fine art in Nairobi
7. Environmental Communication & Media .
·Environmental awareness and advocacy on waste management and 'corporate environmental responsibility' by waste generators.
·Produce a film and other publicity materials documenting the KEYS Project and the environmental condition of the slum communities.
·Market and distribute the film locally, nationally and internationally to educate, share experiences and raise awareness, worldwide, so as to attract financial investment and political action to transform lives from marginal survival into socially environmentally stable productive communities.
8. Evaluation
·Undertake periodic participatory evaluation with the community, in which would be invited representatives of local level Administration, civic & environmental authorities and UN agencies (UNEP & UN Habitat headquartered in Nairobi).
KEYS Plastic and Metal waste processing plant
Plastic and metal wastes are the most abundant recyclable substances in garbage in Kenya. KEYS has embarked on their processing with the objective of advancing from simple waste value addition to processing. This was made possible by a small grant from the Tyler Rigg Foundation (www.tylerrigg.org) a small family foundation based in the United States.
KEYS has designed and assembled some a prototype (locally made or commonly known as Jua Kali) machine and equipment for these task. The product development is carried out at a tiny processing plant located at a light industrial zone adjacent to Korogocho slum. The pilot phase of this initiative has managed to develop a number of products including art/picture frames and brooms/brush handles.
A variety of other products are also on the pipeline. Our challenge lies in improving the production capacity by having all the machines and equipments we require in our newly invented production processes and obtaining a strategic site with enough space for our plant.
THE LONG TERM GOALS:
1.Motivate youth toward engagement in creative green economic ventures that reduce environmental hazards and attendant health risks in slum communities and beyond.
2.Advocacy for enforcement of legislation related to conservation and waste management
3. Research and develop new technologies in garbage recycling to promote environmental sustainability, habitable human settlements and sustainable urbanization.
