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Ustawi Kenya to Launch "Mazingira Yetu" Initiative in Kawangware
Posted by Leocadia Gaudencia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NAIROBI, KENYA – Ustawi Kenya is proud to announce a strategic partnership with We World to implement the Mazingira Yetu (Our Environment) project. This initiative represents a cornerstone of our Climate Action pillar, focused on transforming environmental hazards into economic dignity within Nairobi’s informal settlements.
In Kawangware, illegal glass waste has long been a public health crisis, causing frequent injuries and blocking essential drainage systems. Through the support of We World, Ustawi Kenya is deploying its Social Innovation model to treat this waste not as a burden, but as a valuable raw material for community-led transformation.
The Model: Waste-to-Value Innovation
Mazingira Yetu is built on the principles of a circular economy. The project moves beyond simple clean-up exercises to create a sustainable industrial cycle. By securing NEMA licensing for glass upcycling, we are helping local residents turn discarded beverage bottles and jars into high-quality, saleable artisanal glassware, such as lamps and vases. This shift ensures that environmental protection is directly linked to immediate income generation.
Inclusion by Design: Empowering the Frontline
Centering the most affected is at the heart of our Inclusion by Design philosophy. We are specifically equipping 80 young women, 50 young men, and 20 persons with disabilities with the technical and entrepreneurial skills needed to lead this green revolution. By collaborating with local universities to deliver technical entrepreneurship training and policy research, we ensure these green ventures are both business-ready and legally grounded.
Restoration and Policy Advocacy
The impact of Mazingira Yetu extends from the streets to the boardroom. Beyond physical restoration—which includes establishing a community tree nursery and clearing drainage hotspots—the project facilitates high-level climate policy debates. These forums allow Kawangware’s youth to advocate for local environmental norms that support a sustainable, circular economy at the county level.
"Our partnership with We World allows us to prove that the most effective climate solutions are designed with, not for, the community," says the Ustawi Kenya Program Secretariat. "We are building a scalable model where environmental stewardship and economic prosperity are one and the same".
About Ustawi Kenya
Ustawi Kenya is a civic-innovation powerhouse specializing in Governance, Human Rights, and Climate Action. As technical and social architects, we use community-led data and inclusive design to close the distance between policy and the people.
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