BUILDING THE "MSAFITE" MOVEMENT

The notion of volunteerism is often seen as a tool for peace and development. This is mainly due to its benefit to the individual volunteers and the contribution it makes to the peaceful coexistence of people within communities and the development of societies. Volunteering opportunities, especially at community level, tend to bring people together to work in solidarity towards addressing issues and challenges affecting communities. They are a way of giving back responsibly and adding value to community projects. But volunteering is also a major driving force for environmental sustainability and protection of natural resources. 

Since August 2013, Mazingira Safi Initiative has made significant strides towards building a community based waste management system in Nairobi and inspiring communities to take up the responsibility of cleaning their environment. The initiative is just one powerful example that exists in different parts of Kenya and the world at large of people uniting and mobilizing action through volunteerism to address the challenges of litter, improper waste disposal, and individual attitude against environmental cleanliness.  Just like the greenbelt movement, which, through the power and support of volunteers managed to empower communities, especially women in communities, to improve their livelihoods by conserving the environment, the initiative is using the power of volunteers to gradually building a strong movement of “clean freaks”, also known as “msafites”. These are individuals from all walks of life who are radical about the cleanliness of the environment.

A movement is comprised of radically minded individuals who are brought together by their desperation to be the change they want to see. History has it that movements can bring down outdated systems, overthrow poorly run governments, and caused terror among those in opposition to positive change. If the combined effort of the ever growing 1000+ "MSafites" is well facilitated, then this will not only support the attainment of environmentally sustainable outcomes but also promote a long lasting process that changes people’s attitudes and perceptions towards the environment and encourage resilience towards realization of change.  Volunteering is a critical driving force that will continue to build the “Msafite movement”. 

Volunteers during one of the MSI's cleanups

All Kenyans should be part of this new wave of clean freaks and give first priority to the environment and the well-being of people before anything else.  Without sustainability, problems such as poverty can never end because pollution, uncleanliness, and environmental disasters deeply affect the poor. Supporting and encouraging each other to be environmental ambassadors in our most immediate environment, puts us in the right path towards achieving sustainability. What Nairobi and the whole of Kenya needs, is msafites and like minded individuals to mobilize resources to ensure that the streets, neighborhoods, towns, and markets remain clean.

It takes our collective effort to ensure streets remain this clean.

Article written by Kelly Wale

BEYOND THE WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL DAY, 2014

The 31^st World Environmental Day will be marked on June 5^th this week. This is an important day to increase publicity on the need for improving the state of our environment. I see it as a day where the public demonstrates their grass-root actions that have had a positive impact on our environment. Celebrating this day further leads to what I would call transformational thinking, something that we at Mazingira Safi Initiative strive to achieve. The theme for this year’s celebrations is “Small Island Development States”. I guess for most of us Kenyans we may not be aware what this theme is all about.

Let me give you a brief rundown. Human activities over the past half a century have led to some devastating effect on the planet. The low lying islands nations are some of the victims left to absorb the negative effect of climate change, which is also their foremost development challenge. Arguably, some of them are likely to be submerged when sea levels continue rising. You can imagine a situation where an entire country vanishes by being submerged in water because all the arctic ice has melted and the sea levels have risen to unprecedented heights. While this still remains imaginary, the coastal lines of these islands are faced with a situation where their biodiversity is destroyed by a combined effect of climate change, hence the need to turn the spotlight on these low lying islands during this year’s world environmental day.

Image source: UNEP

 But as the world awaits to celebrate this day, we as MSI intend to continue showing that it is possible to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment by inspiring grass-root actions where we are.  We will continue to make our contribution count in raising our voices and not the sea levels. 

However, one big challenge we face is that of changing people’s mindsets and developing a culture of personal responsibility. This is a challenge that cannot be addressed overnight. It takes resilience and moving a step further to inspire people, especially the young generation, before we can begin to realize transformation thinking. It can be hard to measure such an attribute but it is easy to notice it because it is evident in culture and behaviors. For instance, I know Kenyans have a tendency of improper littering in their own country. But, meet the same Kenyans in Dubai or in London they would not do the same thing. (I have used the word “Kenyans’ loosely because I know a few places in Kenya where people do not litter improperly). This shows the extent of the challenge because the privilege to travel to such cities is mainly with the educated Kenyans. Essentially, we have to adopt a culture of personal responsibility towards the environment and it starts with those who are informed.  

However, looking beyond the World Environmental Day, MSI will continue to unite communities to love and take care of their environment. Unity is important in mitigating causes of climate change. No matter where we live, we all have an individual responsibility to protect the environment. The longer we take waiting for someone else to do it, the more the damage is caused. So, I think, there is no better time to start than now. 

"The planet Earth is our shared island, let us join forces to protect it." -Ban Ki Moon

Article written by Kelly Wale

LITTER FACTS & MYTHS: DON'T BE A LITTER BUG!!!!!!

What is litter? It simply is trash put in the wrong place, in a place where it doesn't belong.

Trash can belong any number of places - in the garbage can, in the recycling bin, in a reuse facility, at the sanitary landfill or the waste-to-energy plant. Where it does not belong is on the ground, in the rivers or oceans or blowing in the air.

Litter originates from SEVEN major sources. Four are stationary sources where people live and work - household trash collection areas, business trash collection areas, business and industrial loading docks and construction and demolition sites. Three are moving sources - uncovered trucks, motorists and pedestrians.

Although there are many reasons given for littering, two of the most common are not having a disposal container available and being too lazy to walk to the recycling or trash container. Although most people will agree litter is ugly, most do not know it has economic, legal and environmental repercussions as well.

Litter is ugly. No one likes to live where there is litter. Neighbourhoods with a litter problem usually have higher crime, lower property values and less pride in their neighbourhood. Litter begets litter. A place that is littered tends to encourage more litter i.e. a dropped off washing machine soon encourages other debris and a dump site is formed. So, the quicker dropped litter is picked up, the less chance it has of accumulating.

Litter is also expensive. Every year, governments spend millions of shillings cleaning up litter. Houses for sale in littered neighbourhoods usually don’t get the best prices and owners lose money. Fires started by dropped or dumped litter cause millions of dollars of damage every year.

Litter is illegal. Kenyans are unaware of littering fines. In Pennsylvania, if you are caught littering from a vehicle, you can be fined up to $300 (KES 26580). Most localities also have fines for businesses or pedestrians caught littering. Littering in Kenya should perhaps be made a serious offence punishable by such hefty fines as it will be against the law. This will enable Kenyans and make them aware that opening a package of gum and dropping the wrapper on the sidewalk is doing an illegal act and, if caught, MUST face charges!!! Maybe then, the country will be cleaner.

Litter hurts people. Young children fall on litter in playgrounds, get cut and need medical attention. Litter also harms plants and degrades natural areas. When garbage is dumped, it can kill or stunt plant growth. Few people think about the harm to natural areas from litter.

Litter kills or injures animals. Many small animals crawl into bottles or jars and get stuck and slowly starve to death. Animals get caught in plastic six pack rings, plastic bags, fishing line and a multitude of throwaways. Birds that are stuck can’t fly away from danger. Sometimes animals caught in six pack rings are strangled as they grow too big for the opening. Animals get cut, infected and die. Every year, millions of birds, fish and animals die from litter.

Litter is a problem that can be controlled. Education is an important tool. People who are aware of the dangers of litter often make more of an effort to always put their trash the correct place. They also spread the word to others they see littering and teach them to dispose of garbage the right way. Community clean ups encourage people to take pride in their community and keep it clean. Quick removal of litter keeps it from growing into an unmanageable dump site. People can make a difference. Litter can be conquered.

MYTH: Litter control is not important.

FACT: Litter may not be the most dramatic or exciting of the many problems that threaten the quality of our environment, but it is a problem which affects everyone in the community

MYTH: Only "certain types" of people litter.

FACT: "Litterbugs" can be found among people of every age, sex, race and ethnic origin, at every level of society and in all geographic locations

MYTH: Littering creates jobs.

FACT: LITTER COSTS MONEY. Taxpayers pay millions of dollars annually for roadside clean-up. Not a good way to spend out taxes.

MYTH: No one notices litter.

FACT: LITTER DESTROYS THE BEAUTY OF A COMMUNITY. Tourism is an important part of government's economy. People come from all over the world to see the beauty of our countryside, towns and cities. When litter mars their enjoyment, governments lose valuable tourist shillings.

MYTH: Litter doesn't hurt anyone.

FACT: Litter is a safety hazard. Litter is a breeding ground for fire and disease, for rats and disease-causing bacteria.

FACT: Ingesting litter causes injury or death to thousands of pets, wild and farm animals.

MYTH: Litter doesn't affect the economy.

FACT: Litter discourages economic development because it impacts real estate values. Good stores and important businesses will not locate in a community which lacks the pride to effectively control litter.

Before you litter next time, think of all the consequences that will follow!

(Adapted from PENNdot, customized for Kenyans by Purity Wanjohi)

NAIROBIANS AND THE 3 CHAMBER BINS

The Nairobi City Council environmental department has put in place 3 chamber bins that enable segregation of waste at source. The bin has been clearly labelled: plastic litter, biodegradable litter and other litter (sand, glass, etc.). This is a great initiative but how many people really read the labels? How many people put their waste corresponding to the labels of the bins? Well, I took time to find out.

I went around in town and peeked into each of the 3 chamber bins located in the CBD. In addition to that, I also had the opportunity to watch people use the bins. The results: amazingly shocking. (Did I mention that I looked liked I had lost my mind?) Anyway, in all of the bins, the public had not followed the well written instructions. They also did not take time to put the waste into the corresponding bin. The waste was mixed up as they just used the bin. For a people who have over 300,000 graduates per year, this was quite disheartening. It is even harder to comprehend because in addition to the instructions are colours. Blue, green and brown. If we are the most educated county in the country, how would people in Wajir or Mandera use the bins? Are you among the people who do not use the bins appropriately?

The 3 chamber bin

I am inclined to say that we are educated but not learned. We study to pass exams and we only do what benefits us. Can you see that piece of paper next to the bin? Someone was too in a hurry to place it inside the bin. That person may be the very same one saying the government is at fault for the filthy state of Nairobi. Has the government not built for us the 3 chamber bins? Has it not given us free access to basic education so that we can be able to read the instructions? Has God not given us the responsibility to take care of our surroundings? What will it cost us to put our PET bottles into the blue bin for plastics?

What we don’t know is that when all the trash has been taken by the NCC, we spend millions of our hard earned money separating it. One may argue that this is creating employment. I say that this is revenue spent unnecessarily. How about we use that money to generate jobs in sustainability development? Waste that cannot be separated because it is too mixed up is sent to the ever growing Dandora dumpsite. And it is only a matter of time before what happened in January, 2006 in the Philippines happens in Kenya (google what happened). We will then be spending on funerals and in machinery to recover the buried people.

It is one thing to have nothing being done about anything and a different thing when something has been done and we do nothing about it. Do not be the reason why Nairobi is full of litter. In other news, Mazingira Safi Initiative celebrates children alongside Nigeria in today's World Children’s Day. Bring back our girls.

For the love of children

Article written by Purity Wanjohi

LET'S NOT BE COMPARED TO CANCER!!!

I recently came across a very thought-provoking comment posted on the internet. This is what the writer, Agent Smith, wrote: “I would like to share a revelation that I have had. It came to me when I was trying to classify your species. I realized that you humans are not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans, do not. You move to an area, and you multiply and multiply, until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you survive is to move to another area. There is another organism which follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus! Human beings are a virus, a cancer.”

Now, for a person to sit down and think about this and then transfer all his thoughts onto a webpage, he must have either experienced the wrath of our fading environment or was knowledgeable enough to know we are sitting on a time bomb. Agent Smith compared us to a virus, a cancer. These are the worst form of life-forms to ever exist. In my opinion, we are worth being called viruses and cancers. Like many other cities of the world, Nairobi is a city that is dull and full of slabs of concrete on every corner. A city with little green yet our national flag bears the green color. Who is to blame?

Our country is very busy growing steadily in every sector and poorly environmentally. We are experiencing a construction boom yet no nature boom as we go along. Are we doing this out of ignorance of the danger the environment is facing or out of selfish ambitions? Are we climbing the ladder of economic success while stepping carelessly on the head of the environment?

A day is coming when the sun, the trees, the waters, the soil and the wind will gang up against us. It will not be a battle with a hope of mediation. It will be one where humans will cry for mercy. We will sit and soak up the hot sun until we can’t anymore. Our throats will be on fire because we will have no water to drink. We will one day be sitting in the comfort of our big mansions, watching on our big flat-screen TV, news and images of malnourished human beings yet with all the money we will have acquired with our development, there will be no food to buy.

It is time we stop behaving like viruses and cancer cells. It is time to stand up and fight for this precious part of us that just keeps on giving while we give back nothing, time to give environmental issues the attention they deserve, time to take the environment as serious as we take politics. It may be a long shot but every journey starts with a single step. For example, stop littering with the wrapper from your sweet or PK! Thought-provoking, isn’t it? Think about it then act then tell your friends.

Eyes Set on the Big Picture for the Founders of Mazingira Safi Initiative

“The journey ahead is going to be a tough one, but we are dedicated to it”. These are the sentiments shared by the two founders of Mazingira Safi Initiative as they pose next to a pile of waste waiting to shoot a scene in their next campaign video.

The two founders, Purity Wanjohi and Kelly Wale, recall a moment when they randomly approached a German tourist at a popular cafeteria in Nairobi to share the idea of the organization. The conversation went well but concluded with a daunting statement from the tourist, “It is a good thing that you two are doing, but just know that it will be impossible to achieve the dream”. If anyone was to ask why the two are still committed to the organization after receiving such a response, they would point to the big picture. They had a choice to give up right there, but they understood that dreams are only validated by God.

Wayne, Purity, and Wale

As Kenyans, we cannot be oblivious to the environment; it is a terrible thing to ignore. Whether you belong to the social elite, the middle class, or you are simply a ‘Wanjiku’, the responsibility of caring for the environment does not belong to some government agencies or foundations.

Engaging communities in cleanups to increase environmental awareness

The environment is a responsibility of everyone. This is the big picture that the founders of Mazingira Safi Initiative have set their eyes on. It is a picture where Kenyans no longer litter improperly not because of any heavy penalties or fines that might be associated with it, but because they understand its effect to the environment and to their own lives.


It is a picture where there are working structures for effective waste management in every urban center in the country. It is a picture where the amount of waste that goes to dumpsites is reduced by separating the recyclable wastes from the non-recyclable wastes at source. It is simply a picture of a safe, secure, and clean environment.

Organic waste make such good manure

There are a lot of people at stake when we don’t take care of our environment not just in the present generation but also the future generation. The environment was not given to us by our forefathers but rather it has been lent to us by our great grandchildren.

Waste glass bottles are recycled in some of the most beautiful and artistic ways

A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE: SOUTH B POLICE BAND CLEANUP

 Located in a 20 acre piece of land, the south B police band serves as housing for more than 500 police men and women with their families. A walk in the compound revealed one serious and common problem of waste management.

I could not help but notice the decomposing hips of garbage thrown away by the residents. The sites have attracted families of the unusual looking ‘undertaker bird’ otherwise known as the marabou stork. The naked head and neck birds are only left to camp at the dumpsites scavenging through the scraps and filth to find something to eat. Parking boys walk through the once protected compound to the dumpsites rummaging through the garbage to find materials that could be sold for recycling. The compound is literary filled with litter either scattered by wind or improperly discarded by residents due to lack of a waste management system.

Some of the volunteers collecting liter

However, with the help of mazingira safi initiative, the south b police post is gradually having a fresh new look thanks to the work that began with a community cleanup on the 22nd February 2014.