Dirty Hands, clean environment
Olympic High School’s compound still carried the smell of fresh soil — the honest scent of something planted with intent, not for a photo, but for shade years from now. Karen Forte Foundation had brought people together: students with shy grins, landlords with keys jingling, community members who know heat by heart.
ETCO’s Environmental Director Raphael Oduor represented us, standing where classroom blocks meet open ground, listening as issues that usually live in whispers became public: litter along lanes, drains blocked, trees cut for quick cash. Chief Environment Officer for Nairobi County, H.E. Hon. Geoffrey Mosiria, sat in the dignity of his office’s responsibility — not scolding children, but reminding adults that climate change begins in small decisions repeated thousands of times.
The call was practical: keep your plot clean, plant where you can, stop treating the verge like a dustbin. Toward the close, Hon. Mosiria pledged collaboration with anyone willing to conserve — a door opened wide. We are holding him to that spirit, and we invite you through it.
If you want trees, tools, or a neighbourly cleanup in your court, reach out to ETCO. Dirty hands are not shame; they are proof you started.
Engaging Children through Feeding Program
Thanks to Chris and Jayne, ETCO had a warm feeding program for children at our new office—bringing joy, a good meal, and community together in Kibera.
Project Site Visit by Rotary Club of IPSWICH (USA) and Kikuyu (Kenya)
It was a great and engaging day of partnership and learning as we hosted the International Rotary Club of IPSWICH team, led by Environmental Lawyer Chris and his wife, Jane, Former President of Rotary Club of Kikuyu Hon. George Ngotho and Rotarian Yumbya for a visit to our project implementation sites. The visit provided an opportunity to review the project areas on the ground, discuss implementation priorities, and strengthen our shared commitment to sustainable environmental and community development. We also had the opportunity to visit the Nairobi Rivers Commission (NRC), where we were hosted by Commissioner Dr. Loice Kipkorir, a member of the Ngong River Committee. We explored opportunities to strengthen collaboration and align our work with the Nairobi Rivers Commission's Restoration Framework.
Community Capacity Building Training
We are currently participating in the ongoing PROVE (Public Space Governance Research, Observation, Validation and Experimentation) Pilot Programme, a four-month initiative by Public Space Networks (PSN) bringing together 11 community groups from Kamukunji and Korogocho. The programme focuses on strengthening community organizations’ capacity to manage, protect and improve public spaces as well as restoring rivers and it's ecosystems. The ongoing capacity-building training is helping CBOs and community organizations better understand the connection between public spaces, river restoration and ecosystem conservation, while exploring practical approaches and stronger collaboration among communities, government agencies, development partners and other stakeholders.