LIVE GREEN Innovation is key in addressing food insecurity in Kenya
ISSUE 01 JULY- SEPTEMBER 2017
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Creating an army of climate change agents
Pitching over the hills to let customers know you have a superior product
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Kenyan women turn cooking technologies into business The climate change agenda in economic development Why sustainability is crucial
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Word from the CEO Over the years, the effects of climate change have continued to be felt across the continent.
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The Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) has been in the forefront in supporting innovations that seek to mitigate and adapt to climate change effects. Working in three main sectors: renewable energy, water and agriculture, KCIC has overseen the growth of businesses from the prototype stage to fully fledged businesses. Some of the services that the organization offers include business advisory which ranges from mentorship, distribution models to market access among others. Other services include access to finance, access to information, providing an enabling environment for business through policy advocacy and access to facilities such as office space and technical testing
services. The overriding goal is to provide enterprises with an opportunity to scale up their business and contribute significantly to the mitigation and adaptation of the effects of climate change. KCIC has incubated more than 150 enterprises and 80 of them have commercialized. The organization continues to design programs that are specific to business growth. The KCIC Green-Tech Accelerator Program which was launched in March this year seeks to promote rapid business growth of enterprises
and make them investment ready through a raft of services including gap analysis, mentorship, investor pitch training and forums. The program is currently targeting 21 businesses in growth stage. It provides holistic business advisory services tailored to the fit the client’s needs. The program also comes in to address the organizational, operational and strategic gaps thus making the enterprise investment ready. KCIC has also been working towards mainstreaming sustainable development in the
public and private sector. This is being carried out under the Sustainability Initiative whose mandate is to equip decision makers, policy makers and managers with the relevant skills to deliver institutional value through sustainable strategies, while operating in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. The Initiative is also designed to support companies and organisations to realize specific targets outlined by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted globally in 2015. The organization has continued to be in the forefront in its efforts to support significant contributors to the green economy through innovation. Creating awareness and supporting innovation can guarantee sustainable economic development, as envisioned in the SDGs. In Kenya, specifically, it is fundamental that public and private sectors work together in adapting to climate change through technology transfer and support. Collaboration and deliberate strategies can move a city or a country to unprecedented economic development levels. Start-ups can transform Africa to a developed continent in the next 30 years! The only thing required are the parties- Government, Private sector and Academia to work together to implement mechanisms that will help improve the ability of businesses, enabling environment which will be good for start- ups and collaboration by the entrepreneurs themselves with the aim of sustainable
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ISSUE 01 JULY- SEPTEMBER 2017 2 development. Some of the necessary conditions will include having great co-working space, encouragement of entrepreneurship culture at a very early stage in life for the citizens; investment platforms such as angel networks and seed fund providers, meet-ups mainly to share experiences and more so on failures and lessons from such failures, collaborating incubators and accelerator mechanisms as well as Government-start-up dialogues. Our passion for clean tech startups continues to grow as we work together in developing this great Nation of Kenya. Kenya Climate Innovation Center Strathmore Business School Ole Sangale Road Madaraka P.O. Box 49162-00100 Nairobi, Kenya. +243703034701 About KCIC The Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) provides holistic, country-driven support to accelerate the development, deployment and transfer of locally relevant climate and clean energy technologies. KCIC provides incubation, capacity building services and financing to Kenyan entrepreneurs and new ventures that are developing innovative solutions in renewable energy, water and agribusiness to address climate change challenges. Editor Mercy Mumo info@kenyacic.org Contributors Ernest Chitechi Sarah Makena Mercy Mumo David Njagi Esther Kahinga Lilian Kaivilu
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LIVE GREEN Innovation is key in addressing food insecurity in Kenya
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67.2% By Mercy Mumo
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The rate of adopting the innovations remains the biggest concern because government cannot enforce everything Gone are the days when rain fed agriculture could support the food demand in the country and beyond. Harsh weather patterns have forced farmers to adapt to newer methods of farming. The move to newer farming methods has not been rosy. Assimilation of newer technologies for food production has been relatively slow as compared to developed countries. Over time, Kenyan farmers have continued to be exposed to innovations such as use of certified seeds, organic soil repair, hydroponic farming, vertical gardening among others. According to a report done by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, communities living in the rural areas especially the arid and semi-arid lands are the most exposed to food insecurity. This is as a result of limited access to food and financial resources. Among these, 50% are smallholder farmers. The farms in the rural areas produce 80% if the food which feeds the urban population. With the unreliable rainfall patterns, the urban have been quick to adopt innovative methods of farming to supplement their food demands. For the households with their
own compounds, kitchen gardens and vegetables grown in gunny bags have been the order of the day. The Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) has played an instrumental role in supporting innovations that address food insecurity. Ukulima Tech a company that provides vertical gardens to urban and peri-urban residents allows them to grow vegetables on small portions of land and balconies. The vertical gardens are very economical in the amount of water used and can even be irrigated remotely using a mobile phone. Another brilliant innovation that KCIC is supporting is by Hydroponics Africa. The technology involves growing crops without the use of soil. Mineral nutrients with water are used in place of soil. A shade net is employed in order to control the temperatures. This also ensures that water in conserved in the process. With this kind of technologies, a farmer is assured of a consistent supply of fruits and vegetables which can be grown all year round. FuturePump Kenya has also played a significant role in food security. The company has been
distributing a solar irrigation pump which can draw water from depths of up to 7.5m and an overall lift of 10 meters which is ideal for shallow wells, rivers and lakes. The pump works best during the dry season when there is a lot of sunshine. Farmers have been able to grow a variety of short cycle crops that fetch a higher price in the market. Their income has increased because they are able to grow food crops throughout the year without having to rely on often unpredictable rainfall. Innovations in soil repair and management have been key in increasing farm productivity considering the overreliance on chemical fertilizers by most farmers. KOFAr Limited processes and sells an easy to apply compost that reverses soil acidity and boosts moisture
retention in Kenya thus increasing production of quality food per area. Aside from food production, storage facilities that prolong the shelf life of agricultural produce are also key in reducing post harvest losses. Enterprise Projects Ventures fabricates off grid InspiraFarms cold storage units and processing plants for value addition of fruits, vegetables and dairy produce. The impact of the technology has been a significant reduction of waste in dairy and horticultural processing, with more than 20% value added above raw product price and time saved for smallholder farmers. The technology also provides an opportunity to increase farmers’ incomes and generate employment. From the examples above, it is
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evident that achieving zero hunger by the year 2030 will require increased adoption of innovative methods in agricultural productivity which translates to a healthier nation which works towards economic and sustainable development. By supporting innovations that touch on increasing agricultural productivity, this translates to achieving SDG2 which advocates for ending hunger and ensuring access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food by all people all year round. The rate of adopting the innovations remains the biggest concern because government cannot enforce everything. people will adapt to climate change simply by changing their behavior. The decision to adjust and adopt rests upon households or individual farmers.
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Pitching over the hills to let customers know you have a superior product By Ernest Chitechi
Knowing and understanding customer needs is at the centre of every successful business It was lunch time and I was very hungry. I therefore decide to go to my favorite restaurant. I ordered my favorite meal. However, when it came, it was not cooked the way I wanted. I ate because I was hungry. As usual the waitress came and asked how my meal was and I told her, “well actually it was not great.” The waitress gave me a blank stare, shrugged their
shoulders and walked away. These are some of the experiences we go through as customers. I would imagine all restaurants train their staff to ask such questions with sincerity and be ready to remedy what is not right. As a startup you may not be different from this restaurant. Of course many startups are prone to fail and cannot grow because
they never reach product or market fit. Many startups are under extreme resource constraints and need to figure out how to break through the noise to let their target customers know they have a superior solution for a critical problem. The solution lies in understanding what your customer likes. Knowing and understanding customer needs is at the centre of every successful business, whether it sells directly to individuals or other businesses. Once you have this knowledge, you can use it to persuade potential and existing customers that buying from you is in their best interests. If this restaurant was ready to remedy what went wrong and asked me how they could make my next experience better, I would have gone back and
spread the word to my friends. As you may realize, a recommendation from a satisfied customer is worth more than a paid advert because people tend to believe what they hear from others. As a startup you need to understand that your product or service may never be perfect for all and sundry. But if you go out of your way to understand what your customer does and does not like, and you take active steps to fix what goes wrong, you will have repeat customers who eventually become loyal. Well established organizations have resources to mount mega marketing campaigns using multiple channels. Most startups operates on a shoestring budget. Good marketing requires large sums of money, which is not in abundant supply for most new companies. But all is not lost; creativity and innovation will make you stand out from the rest. When you have limited resources, this encourages creativity. For instance, make sure you are surrounded by a skillful team tuned to create success. You can also partner with people who have the resources to help cover costs because it takes a while to be in a position where you can raise outside capital. Working from an incubation center or a co-working space will help you save on rent which in the initial stages may be a great hindrance. In the early stages of your business, you need a team that can take your products to market and generate revenue. Some of the ways to market your new outfit is through talking to
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ISSUE 01 JULY- SEPTEMBER 2017 4 people. Attending startup events like boot camps and local start up exhibitions and meetings are great ways to build relationships with people who could potentially become customers and advocate for your product or service. The catch here however is that you need to have a properly refined pitch. Be sure to explain the benefits of your product, but be honest and make sure people understand the story behind your product. Another good way to draw people to your startup is by generating useful content about the space your product or service operates in. Several newspapers and blogs will pick up your content and give you free publicity this will then draw the much needed attention towards your company and eventually translate into sales. Finally staff your core group with people, who are passionate about the company, not employees out for the financial outcome. Startups have a lot of ups and downs. If everybody in your team is just looking for the paycheck, then they don't have the right perspective going into a startup, which can take years to become a success.
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...many startups are prone to fail and cannot grow because they never reach product or market fit.
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LIVE GREEN Kenyan women turn cooking technologies into business By David Njagi
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The idea is to ensure women’s economic empowerment through energy enterprises as a way of meeting the SDG on energy The mother of two, who operates a cook stoves stand at Kangemi Estate on the fringes of Nyeri Town, is among hundreds in Kenya who are making business out of the kitchen. For every switch a mother makes from the traditional three stones cooking set up to the energy saving cook stove here, there will be more clanging at Nyawira’s yard. “There is high demand for the energy cook stoves because they use less firewood or charcoal,” explains Nyawira. It is easy to see why. At her tin smith yard, the floor is littered with cut metal sheets. A basin at one end is half full with paste cement and clay. It is the assembling of these that have resulted to the waist high pile of newly made cook stoves at another end. “All these are for servicing an order of 30 cook stoves that we must deliver to a customer today,” beams her husband, Philip Njau, who makes the cook stoves, while Nyawira does the deliveries and marketing. Nyawira adds that customers place orders from as far as neighbouring Counties, for as much as KSh10,000 in a day.
Lately, the couple is planning to hire a tin smith to assist them in making the cook stoves in order to meet the high demand. Creating business out of clean energy solutions is an emerging niche that is pulling Kenyan women like Nyawira from the kitchen to wealth creation. With the income she receives from the cook stove making venture, she is able to meet basic expenses like paying school fees for her two children and buying food. “The success of the business has strengthened my relationship with my husband,” she says. “We are able to sit down and plan for our family and how to make the business better.” The successful adoption of clean cooking technologies ‘is evidence that people at the bottom of the pyramid are willing, able and indeed often keen, to pay market prices for energy services’ argues the 2016 Poor People’s Energy Outlook report by Practical Action. However, they are unable to afford the full cost of the higher levels of access which would fully meet their needs, adds the report. For instance, the report says, over 84 per cent of Kenyans rely
on biomass as their primary energy source for cooking and heating, with firewood contributing 69 per cent and charcoal 13 per cent of this figure. But resources like firewood are diminishing, forcing mothers like Margaret Wanjugu to make a one kilometer journey to buy it from the nearest retailer from her home in Solio village, Central Kenya. “There is no firewood,” says Wanjugu, indicating that the resource is on the decline at the nearby forest which the community there has been relying on for fuel. Even for those who dare make the 10 kilometer walk to comb for dry twigs at the Gathorongai Forest floor, the journey is replete with danger. Stray wild animals like elephants send the mothers scampering for their safety, while some live with the pain of being raped by human stalkers living in the forest. “This is why I prefer to spend at least two dollars to buy firewood,” says Wanjugu, adding that this
can last even two months. However, this was after Wanjugu acquired an energy saving cook stove, which she came to know about after meeting the Sustainable Community Development Services (SCODE) officials. There is an economic benefit too. These days, she uses the time used to collect firewood from the forest to herd her goats, do some farming, or even take a leisure walk to Nyeri town. “The idea is to ensure women’s economic empowerment through energy enterprises as a way of meeting the SDG on energy that Kenya is a signatory to,” explains Practical Action Programme Manager, Lydia Muchiri. The Women in Energy Enterprises in Kenya (WEEK) project, says Muchiri, aims to reach 730 small scale women energy entrepreneurs in Kenya. By her estimation, their empowerment can benefit some 364,200 Kenyans, including institutions, where 450 jobs will be created by
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women enterprises in the project areas, including Rift Valley, Western and Nairobi regions. Such a hopeful outlook seems to impress Lilian Njeri, who is a volunteer at Imarisha (to make better) Community Based Organization (CBO) in central Kenya. “We create business opportunities for mothers because there is high demand for charcoal briquettes by farmers who do chicken farming,” says Winnie Kamau, who has been training Njeri at the CBO. The farmers use the briquettes for indoor warming because the product does not emit toxic fumes, she adds. “Energy enterprises have better returns for the poor because every household must cook every day,” argues James Mwangi, a technology mentor at SCODE and coordinator of WEEK in Central Kenya. SCODE is promoting improved cook stoveS, charcoal briquettes and solar technologies in Kenya, he says.
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The climate change agenda in economic development By Sarah Makena
Climate Change is not only related to drought and famine there are also issues of adoption of renewable energy solutions Kenya will go into the books of history as the first nation that passed a Climate Change Law in 2016 after the signing of the Paris agreement in 2015 at the COP21. This shows that Kenya is now awake to the realities of Climate Change and there is commitment to mitigating and adapting to Climate Change. In the same spirit, for the first time Climate Change will appear prominently in the Medium Term Plan III as one of the cross
cutting issues. Important to note is, when the Kenya Vision 2030 was drawn, Climate Change did not feature prominently as one of the development issues for the country. There has however been a readjustment to include climate change as one of the main agenda towards achieving the Kenya Vision 2030, which is the current development blue print for our country. The success of mitigation and adaptation will be based on the
efforts each Nation puts in including matters on Climate Change in the countries development agenda. It is not enough for there to exist an agreement without commitment from the signatory countries on how the targets of the agreement will be achieved. Developing countries are the worst hit by the effects of Climate Change with very constant reports of flooding, drought and famine. This then draws one’s attention to the efforts that a country should be putting in the Climate Change agenda which should include development of enabling policies and commitment of financial resources. In Kenya a policy, legislative and institutional framework has been developed in an effort to support the mitigation and adaptation strategies. Following the enactment of the Climate Change Law a Directorate on Climate Change was created and is responsible for the coordi-
nation of all matters climate change which includes the development and implementation of National Climate Action Plan which is supposed to act as the national policy on Climate Change. Beyond the existence of the Directorate the county governments are expected to develop county specific strategies in response to climate change. The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) is another institution that was created in Kenya with a mandate to establish mechanisms which ensure that drought does not result in emergencies and that the impacts of climate change are sufficiently mitigated. The Authority has been keen to assess the drought situation in the country in the different counties with the target of coming up with mitigation and adaptation strategies. Climate Change is not only related to drought and famine there are also issues of adoption of renewable energy solutions which is a major strategy of adapting to climate change. County governments in Kenya have made strides through the development of policies on clean and renewable energy and also setting up of departments in renewable energy. Nairobi county, Kisumu county and Machakos county are among the counties that have developed policies on renewable energy. This are just but examples of efforts by both the national and the County governments in Kenya in response to climate change. Climate Change is reality that cannot be ignored in the world today. The effects of climate change will have a far reaching effect on the development of economies and this especially on
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ISSUE 01 JULY- SEPTEMBER 2017 6 developing countries like Kenya whose economy is largely controlled by Agriculture. The failure to avert the effects of climate change can lead to the collapse of the agricultural sector which in turn would have a ripple effect on other sectors including industries that rely on agricultural products which would affect the employment both at the farm and industry level. Climate Change can also affect sectors such as the tourism sector where the weather conditions in a country are no longer attractive to the tourists or the flora and fauna that were a tourist attraction become extinct. Climate Change could also come with disease as a result of the indicators of climate change search as flooding, drought and famine. Climate Change is a reality that any developing country cannot ignore. The realities of climate change have a far reaching effect on economies and thus Climate Change cannot be ignored as a cross cutting issue in all sectors of an economy. It is important for there to be awareness on the role of the various sectors in averting the effects of Climate Change which should begin from incorporating Climate Change in the curriculum to ensure that each Kenya understands their role as early as possible. Climate change will not only be addressed through the existence of laws, agreements and institutions but through the sensitization of every citizen on the role they play in averting the effects of climate change.
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LIVE GREEN Why sustainability is crucial By Esther Kahinga
There is need for a radical change in how business is conducted, not only for the sake of the poor, but also for future generations In a recent report, Oxfam shows how 1% of the worlds richest people own more wealth than the rest of the world. Eight men own the same amount of wealth as the poorest half of the world. The World Economic Forum (WEF) also identified rising global inequality and polarization of societies as threats to the global economy in 2017. According to WEF, ‘the gap between rich and poor had been behind the UK’s Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s election victory in the US.’ Other experts argue that these two major occurrences of 2016 are anti-globalization forces coming to the fore. The concentration of wealth among a few individuals has also happened alongside the depletion of natural resources at an alarming rate. As at August 2016, the world had already used up more resources than can be replenished annually. Today, humans are extracting and using 50% more natural resources than they did 30 years ago. Between a rapidly growing population and use of finite natural resources, a catastrophe is looming. Besides resource depletion, climate change has made an already bad situation worse. WEF
named climate change as the second biggest risk for 2017. The January-April 2017 drought in the Horn of Africa region and Kenya in particular is one piece of evidence of the severity of the problem. As at April, 3 million Kenyans were in need of food aid. It is predicted that 2017 will also be the hottest year on record, just like 2016. WEF also adds that, ‘the pace at which emissions are being cut is not yet fast enough to avoid dangerous global warming.’ The proponents of capitalism said that the market was the best way to distribute resources. The argument was that as entrepreneurs increased production the wealth would trickle down to those at the bottom. It is evident that economic growth has not delivered. It has done nothing to mend fractured societies. The grim statistics above show that the market has failed to prove itself as the best way of organizing and valuing much of our common life or designing our common future. There is need for a radical change in how business is conducted, not only for the sake of the poor, but also for future generations. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are
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one indication of global commitment towards a form of change that will deliver a better future. The biggest drivers of this change ought to be corporations because unless they equally consider people and the planet in their quest for profits, nothing much will have changed by 2030. The world will still be worse off, than it is now. The focus on people calls for producers and workers to get more decent pay and for shareholders to accept smaller dividends, if only for a more equal and just society. SDG 8 on decent work and SDG 10 on reduced inequalities must be at the center of any efforts towards sustainability in corporations. Governments too have a key role to play here. The privatization of public services such as health, water and sanitation and education has been shown to exclude the most vulnerable members of society.
Like the Asian Tigers, African governments must set aside a good percentage of the taxes they collect from citizens for improvement of these services. Focus on the planet is also vital if the twin problems of resource depletion and climate change are to be addressed. Over production or production for the sake of production is one of the major drivers of resource depletion. Corporations produce more and use media to make these products appealing to people in order to increase profits. The result is a lot of waste is sent to dumpsites as people keep up with the latest trends or buy things that they do not really need. This race to the bottom needs to stop. The focus must shift to reducing resource use, promoting resource efficiency, re-using and recycling. Consumers must also be made aware about their options to reduce
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the use of natural resources. According to Oxfam, businesses are key players in the market economy, and when they work for the benefit of all, they can be vital to building fair and thriving societies. There is need for business models such as social enterprises and cooperatives that have people and the planet at the center of their agenda. Businesses must move away from increased production and consumption and concentrate on well-being.
The focus must shift to reducing resource use, promoting resource efficiency, re-using and recycling.
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KCIC CEO Edward Mungai together with a delegation from Danida at the Strauss Energy stand during a courtesy visit in March 2017 Nena Stoiljkovic, Vice President of Blended Finance and Partnerships at IFC listens to Steve Muema from Swiss Quest as he elaborates on how the meter system works.
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Courtesy visit by the Nigerian Government delegation and the World Bank team who came on a learning mission at KCIC.
KCIC CEO Edward Mungai addressing clients during the launch of the Green-Tech Accelerator Program in March 2017.
Clients participating during the Knowledge Cafe on marketing held in April 2017.
KCIC sta enjoying outdoor activities during the monthly Akwaaba session in March 2017
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Courtesy: The star
economic growth and investment by the Kenyan government. Kenya’s financial sector coupled with public-private investors have the capacity to upscale the adoption of various clean technologies.
Benefits of investment in technology in green businesses By Mercy Mumo
Innovations can barely get through the idea stage without support. Most innovators have either to dig deeper into their pockets with loans and handouts from friends and family. After graduating from college, with the limited blue collar opportunities, budding innovators come up with hands on technologies to solve day to day challenges. In the climate change adaptation space, the story is no different. Kenya’s economy is the largest in East Africa. With the growth comes depletion of natural resources at a rate not fast
enough to regenerate more. The Kenya National Climate Change Action Plan 2013-2017 states that climate change events such as droughts and floods could cost the economy as much as US$500 million a year. This means that the cost of sustaining the current economy growth rate will be extremely high by the year 2020. Green technology continues to gain support both the national and county governments. The level of awareness on the various green technologies in energy,
water, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation among others has grown. According to Investopedia, there are a good number of investment opportunities which in most instances support specific programmes. These can range from mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, stocks, bonds and even money market funds, equity, venture capital and loans. The last two years have seen a big shift globally in investments in green technology. The good news is, there is a market for clean technology considering the relatively low costs in sustaining the projects. For instance, solar and wind energy have been seen as attractive investments opportunities. A number of green technology projects have received investment support due to the policy commitment to inclusive green
The Kenya Climate Ventures (KCV) has also set its foot print in green technology investment. Commercialization of climate-tech companies is needed in order to demonstrate the potential and viability of green economic growth. Established in 2016 as a subsidiary of Kenya Climate Innovation Center, the firm seeks to accelerate the development of the clean-tech industry as a whole by providing much needed tailored and targeted financial and managerial support to innovative early stage businesses. KCV seeks to invest in businesses that have relevant products or services, sustainable competitive advantage, good management teams and ethical business practices. KCV plays the role of a strategic financial investor in developing a profitable investment model in clean tech. It also plays a catalytic role in catalyzing and facilitating investment in clean tech. Some of their products include debt and equity financing services. Some of the gaps that KCV is seeking to address include the growing demands for energy by complementing the government efforts from a private sector perspective. With the introduction of the green bonds, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Early this year, the Kenya Bankers Association togeth-
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ISSUE 01 JULY- SEPTEMBER 2017 9 er with the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Climate Bonds Initiative, Dutch Development Bank, Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Africa and the International Finance Corporation affirmed their commitment to the Kenyan Green Bonds programme. FSD Africa committed KSh62 million and the bond proceeds will go into funding sustainable environmentally friendly projects in energy, agriculture, waste management, water among others. According to a World Bank report on Aligning Kenya’s financial system with inclusive green investment, the country’s financial system can play a fundamental role in mobilizing capital to promote a greener economy, and in establishing general awareness about the importance of this shift and the opportunities it creates. This is set to bring a shift from business as usual to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious route in economic development. Reducing global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and protecting the environment will require innovation and mass adoption of green technologies. Without investing in these innovations, it will be an uphill task to address climate change effects.
The last two years have seen a big shift globally in investments in green technology.
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LIVE GREEN Creating an army of climate change agents By Lilian Kaivilu
Driven by the need to educate children on the importance of environmental conservation and provision of food, Nasike established The Hummingbird Foundation
After winning the Wangari Maaathai Education Scholarship Fund in 2015, Claire Nasike did not just get to boost her efforts as an environmentalist but inspired in her the need to influence others to conserve nature.
The 26 year-old Environmental Resource Management student at the Technical University of Kenya is now working with children in Nairobi’s informal settlements to create awareness on the effects of climate change. Through her Slum
Kids Initiative, Nasike is empowering children in Mathare Slums to conserve the environment. Driven by the need to educate children on the importance of environmental conservation and provision of food, Nasike established The Hummingbird Foundation that connects them to nature in their schools. The pupils do this by establishing both botanical and food gardens. They are able to learn about the importance of trees and enjoy the relaxation brought about by green spaces from the botanical gardens. She adds: “From such gardens, the children are able to obtain food such as vegetables and fruits for their daily use hence boosting their immunity.” According to Nasike, children in urban areas rarely find the opportunity to visit green places in urban areas more-so the ones from the slums. This is attributed to the lack of financial capacity as most of these areas charge entry fees as well as the high transport costs which most of these families cannot afford. “In addition to not being able to access green places in the city, some of these children go to school on empty stomachs as their families cannot afford three meals in a day.” This is what inspired Nasike to engage children from informal settlements within Nairobi. She is currently working with 30 pupils
from Patmos Community School in Mathare slums. In what started as a group of 10 children in the school’s environmental club, Nasike was hopeful that her mission would bear fruit. Today, the team has now grown to a group of 30 active and committed young environmentalists. The team meets every Saturday to tend to the garden and clean the playground as well as watering the trees. When the Hummingbird Foundation started working with Patmos Community School in Mathare, the school had no single tree, the playground was littered with polythene bags with human waste. Here, Nasike saw a looming health problem as well as an environmental challenge. “I wanted to make a change as an environmentalist. And now, four months later, the school playground is clean with no single polythene bag and the school has fruit trees (Mulberries) and vegetables in their school garden,” narrates Nasike. In order to involve all members of the society in environmental conservation, Nasike emphasizes on the need to adopt a multi-dimensional approach or a bottom-up approach. “We need to show each member of the society that their opinion matters in environmental conservation alongside educating them on the need for environmental conservation,” she says.
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Nasike laments that most of the times, decisions regarding conservation of the environment are done at the top level leaving out the communities at the bottom who are the custodians of the natural resources. She is optimistic that once she empowers the children, they will be in a better position to influence their parents towards environmental conservation. “I look forward to instilling a sense of environmental responsibility in young children in slums within Nairobi County. If these children are educated and involved in environmental conservation activities, they will be able to influence their parents into working towards conserving the environment thus creating a clean and safer place for them to live,” adds Nasike. She believes that children who are exposed to environmental conservation are more likely to value their environment more and they will pass on the skill to the younger generations to come.