Urgent Appeal: Recent Heavy Rainfall Wreaks Havoc in Nairobi
The night rain sounded like stones on iron roofs. By morning, riverine communities were counting losses—mud where floors should be, furniture gone, paths turned into streams. In some places, rubbish that should never have been in a river arrived at people’s doorsteps as if the city had chosen their house as a dumping ground.
Along the Ngong River corridors, we thank God that no lives were lost in the incident ETCO was closest to—but the damage was real. Floodwater pushed solid waste into homes, not because families are careless, but because waste upstream becomes someone else’s emergency downstream. Unplanned dumping onto roads and pathways has also made movement dangerous, and open ditches filled with rainwater have become hazards nobody can ignore.
A city-wide warning
Dr Pamela Olet, Chairperson of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, has urged vigilance as heavy rains continue to threaten communities along the Nairobi River. Her plea is practical: stay informed, avoid flooded zones, prepare to move if you must, and look out for neighbours who cannot move fast.
Elsewhere in Nairobi, the same rains have taken lives—including a police officer in Kamukunji who died trying to rescue a trapped family; at the time of reporting, recovery efforts were still ongoing. That grief sits beside every appeal for urgent intervention; it is why drainage, waste, and river health are not abstract policy topics for people who live next to water.
If you can help—technical skills, funding, or organised clean-ups—reach out. Prevention is not a poster; it is sacks, systems, and people choosing not to look away while the sky is still clear.
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.