NAIROBI RESERVOIR RECLAMATION PROJECT

Restoring a Functional Ecosystem and Healthy Environment to the Residents of Kibera, Kenya

Introduction: Since late 2021, when Ecologists Without Borders (EcoWB) first toured the Nairobi Reservoir and Dam in the world-class capital of the Republic of Kenya we have been exploring opportunities to address the sanitation and ecological reclamation needs of this threatened corner of the city. In a big step toward this goal, EcoWB signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Empower the Community (ETCO) to formalize our partnership as we work together to improve the living conditions of the residents of the adjacent settlement of Kibera. ETCO is an established, youth-focused community-based organization, founded and headquartered in Kibera. ETCO is best known for their successful youth nutrition program.

Background: Kibera is an informal settlement on the outskirts of Nairobi that is home to over 250,000 people, one of the largest such urban settlements in the world. During a site visit by EcoWB volunteers in September 2021, we observed the disturbing conditions that exist within Kibera and the impact the settlement has had on the adjacent Nairobi Reservoir, a once beautiful recreational waterbody. The site is now littered with trash including discarded plastic and other solid waste that is being transported by wind and water to the reservoir where it has engulfed large areas adjacent to Kibera. With no land to spare, people have built residences and planted gardens around the entire perimeter of Nairobi Reservoir, trusting that they won’t be washed away by periodic flooding of the Nairobi River and its tributaries. 

Severely polluted and overgrown by the pernicious water hyacinth, a non-native aquatic weed originally found in the Amazon Basin, Nairobi Reservoir is no longer suitable for fishing and recreation, and represents a health hazard for human contact. Left untreated, the ongoing inputs of municipal and industrial waste risk bringing disease, conflict, and social disfunction to the residents of Kibera. Something must be done soon to avoid further environmental and societal impacts to the residents of Kibera. Watch a brief video of the situation is provided by Collince Onyango.

Next Steps: EcoWB and ETCO have developed a plan to begin addressing the situation. ETCO’s Director, Collince Onyango, has been meeting with representatives of Kenya’s new government and other organizations that are also interested in the betterment of the Kibera settlement and adjacent Nairobi Reservoir. Our initial efforts are modest but very symbolic and will involve a series of one-day community clean-up events. The goal will be to remove trash, plant trees and restore the natural functioning of the reservoir and its tributaries. EcoWB and ETCO will engage Kibera residents to conduct the work, train and equip them to work safely, and instill civic pride through the restoration of clean and useable open spaces.

Get Involved: So that you may help us address the many challenges faced by the Kibera community, we invite you to join us as a financial sponsor of the Nairobi Reservoir Rehabilitation Project. To familiarize yourself with the appalling conditions that currently exist, and to help us develop a strategic plan to restore the reservoir to a semblance of its former state, please take time to view the following photo and video essay. We believe that by bearing witness to the problem, you will feel compelled to support this critical effort. If you would like to be notified of future volunteer opportunities related to this project, please register as a volunteer on our website at https://www.ecowb.org/ecowb-volunteers.

To support the project with a financial contribution, please visit our donation page and select “Project: Nairobi Reservoir Rehabilitation Project” from the drop-down menu. We appreciate your support.