Sustainable Waste Management: Venus Group Community’s Journey Towards a Cleaner Environment

The story of Venus Group in Blue Estate exemplifies the transformative power of community-driven initiatives in addressing waste management issues and creating positive change within a neighborhood. As the group embarked on their mission to establish a garbage holding point, they in effect launched a three-pronged attack on environmental concerns, fostering economic opportunities and social transformation within the community. Proper waste management is a critical aspect of maintaining a clean and healthy environment, especially in informal settlements where sanitation challenges often prevail.

Driven by the need for sustainable solutions, the group which was Initially focusing on proper waste disposal to prevent drainage blockages, realized the inefficiencies in the existing waste collection systems, and shifted focus towards securing a garbage holding ground from the Nairobi City County.

A constituted committee comprising representatives from the groups trained by AFRINOV namely: Kamukunji Blue Estate SHG, Blue Estate Empowerment SHG, New Blue Estate Amazon Youth and Sigona Youth group took up the challenge.

In spite of the progress, illegal dumping still threatened the initiative. The group had successfully lobbied for and established a temporary holding point for the garbage and all the stakeholders had given them the necessary support from the administration, security agencies, the landlords, tenants and the environment office of the subcounty. However, those who were not ready to pay for their garbage at the collection point decided to dump at the Kamukunji ground making it hard to generate income which would have been used by Venus to get lorries to ferry garbage to Dandora dumping site. Venus’ lobby managed to obtain a stop order from the County Governor. Additionally, conflicts with area leadership stalled operations of looking for an alternative site, highlighting the importance of effective communication and stakeholder engagement.

Venus group reported their progress and challenges to AfriNov which held a pre-action analysis and training in nonviolent principles, which enabled the group to reflect on their campaign progress, challenges, and the impact of recent events. Consequently, further engagement with local leadership addressed concerns and yielded mutually agreeable solutions and strengthened communication strategy

Through official letters and physical meetings, Venus Group established communication with the county environment office, seeking approval for the new proposed holding ground. Still, a few challenges such as group dynamics, conflicts with former landlords’ committees, and transportation costs, got in the way. Venus Group utilized nonviolent principes of Turning-The-Tide. They had dialogue with conflicting parties. Their efforts paid off as the ground was allocated, and the collection point was approved by the county environment office. Venus group were able to handle the challenges and are now currently using the new dumping ground. The group has made significant strides towards achieving their goals. – The Venus group was able to effectively handle the previous challenges and is now currently using the new dumping ground. The project has already led to job creation, reduced crime and idleness, and a cleaner environment for all residents of Blue Estate. By working together with local leadership and allies, Venus Group has demonstrated the power of community-driven initiatives in achieving sustainable waste management solutions.

The group has gained recognition and support from the local environment office. They have been trained and are working in partnership with the relevant authorities. Overall, the Venus campaign has made significant strides and is poised to deliver both economic and social benefits to the group and the broader community. The group plans to charge fees for the use of the holding ground, Venus Group aims to generate revenue that will be reinvested according to a defined Memorandum of Understanding.

The success story of Venus Group serves as a beacon of inspiration for communities striving to improve waste management practices and create a cleaner environment. Through their dedication, collaboration, and resilience, Venus Group has not only transformed waste management in Blue Estate but has also empowered community members and fostered a sense of pride and unity.

“The training not only opened our eyes to the harsh realities of social injustices, but it also ignited a fire within us, the Venus group, awakening our collective ability to identify the root causes of these problems. Armed with this newfound understanding, we embarked on a journey of community organization, guided by the principles of nonviolence from the esteemed AfriNov.” Venus member