Ahead of the long rains, the riparian strip along the stream that runs beneath the Gituamba footbridge had become clogged with polythene waste, discarded sacks, and construction debris washed down from upstream developments, worsening flooding in low-lying homes during heavy downpours.
On the second Saturday of June, we organized our largest cleanup exercise to date, mobilizing 120 volunteers, more than double our usual turnout, thanks to partnerships with two school environment clubs, a group of local boda boda riders who volunteered to haul filled sacks to the county collection point, and three church youth groups.
Working in shifts from 7am to midday, teams cleared roughly three tonnes of waste from a 600-meter stretch of stream bank, working carefully around sections where residents had planted vetiver grass during our 2025 erosion-control planting exercise, which is now visibly holding the soil in place.
Nairobi County's environment office supplied gloves, sacks, and a truck for final disposal after our chairperson raised the request two weeks in advance, a partnership we are keen to formalize so that cleanups can happen quarterly rather than depending on ad hoc requests.
“Every rainy season this stream used to flood my kitchen. Since the community started clearing the drainage path and planting grass on the banks, the water passes faster and my house has stayed dry for two seasons now.”
— Resident living near the stream
We are now looking for a sponsor to supply permanent waste bins at three points along the footpath to reduce dumping between cleanups. Businesses or individuals interested in funding this small but high-impact addition can reach us through the Contact page.
Your donation or volunteer hour goes directly into work like the story above — not overhead.
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