Eking a living from garbage
Many people living in slums, particularly comprising the youth salvage and sell garbage to processors and/or utilize it locally as a way of eking out a living in the midst of harsh economic realities.
In Korogocho slum Nairobi, garbage recycling takes a new approach altogether. It centers on value addition of garbage salvaged from recyclable waste from the huge volumes deposited at the Nairobi City Council (Dandora) dumpsite in the vicinity. These unique garbage value addition initiatives include conversion of industrial and domestic waste into a variety of products as well as other forms of garbage value addition.
KEYS comprises of over 50 members, 75% of whom earn their living from the project. They have gained a strong case and mission for environmental conservation and management through enterprise development. Our cooperative imagination on a range of some more innovative products from garbage and their marketing has no limit.
George Njoroge (slum environmentalist & KEYS initiator)
George has been engaged in conservation and environmental management projects for both rural and urban communities, as well as in wildlife settings. A pioneer in promoting community participation in programmes designed to develop their entrepreneurial skills on the basis of environmental regeneration and conservation.
Holder a BSc. Degree in Environmental Conservation from Egerton University and also skilled in Environmental Journalism and communication, he has unswervingly pursued the ideals of Environmental conservation and gained a strong case and mission
George currently coordinates the Korogocho Environmental Enterprising Youth (KEYS) Project in Nairobi's Korogocho – an informal settlement of over 300,000 souls nestling around the biggest garbage dump in Kenya. Predictably, the community is characterized by socio-economic and political
marginalization under atrocious environmental and sanitation conditions. Through the KEYS initiative, George sensitizes local youth in garbage recycling for income generation and in confronting the hazardous sanitation situation.
He is passionate in his efforts to mentor and channel the energies of slum youth towards the crafting of sustainable human communities and stewardship of nature. He is thus engaged in community and resource mobilization, as well as in training and linking with like-minded initiatives and resources at national and international levels.
George is persuaded that environmental communication and awareness are crucial in fostering participatory processes in environmental conservation and management.
An active political commentator, he is involved in community politics and is zealous in working to generate political change, involvement and participation at a local level based on some socio-economic and socio- political community interests.
He seeks to develop the community’s capacity to achieve social harmony, dignity, incomes, and environmental stability.
George envisions a 'Canaan' where the human dream comprising of the social, economic and political stability whilst environmental sustainability realized.
