How Kisumu entrepreneurs make money from waste

This includes the establishment of Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and partnering with private enterprises.

In Manyatta estate, Gasia Poa, a venture founded by Dickens Ochieng has been collecting waste from households, segregating it and taking the recyclables to a nearby Material Recovery Centre established by the county government.

Ochieng says the Material Recovery Facility within the area has been a game changer in sustainable waste management. 

"We started collecting waste at Manyatta Primary School in collaboration with the community and the school, and as part of encouraging students to embrace sustainable waste management," Ochieng says.

In Lolwe Estate, another venture, Clean Kisumu, is running a material recovery facility, where they recycle plastic, paper and glass waste.

Clean Kisumu started as a youth group, but has morphed into one of the key players in sustainable waste management in Kisumu county. 

"We mostly collect waste using handcarts because for now we are limited. We collect at least 40 tonnes of waste every month, and we look forward to going up," says Gloria Adhiambo of Clean Kisumu.

Ken K’Oyoo, the Director of Environment in Kisumu County, says the Material Recovery Facilities have been a game changer for sustainability, and a public-private partnership with enterprises has seen the city make significant strides in becoming cleaner and greener.