World Earth Day at Kamukunji
On a bright April morning at Kamukunji, dust rose where shovels met soil and young trees waited in sacks. The theme hung in the air as plain as a slogan on a vest: Our Power, Our Planet.
ETCO stood beside other groups working the same river in different bends — Nairobi River, zone by zone, people who know the smell of stagnant water and the sound of plastic catching in the reeds. Together we planted, cleared, and talked through what it takes to bring a stretch of bank back to life.
Learning from others on the river
Partnering with organisations that do what you do — only in another place — is rarely boring. It is a day of swapped phone numbers, hard questions, and small victories: a trench unclogged, a seedling tucked in, a child who learns the name of a tree.
If you want to join the next river or tree day in Kibera, walk in on a Saturday or message ETCO — gloves and goodwill go a long way.
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.