Growing a Greener Mathare

Synopsis

In the Mathare slums of Nairobi, Kenya, the community is rewriting the story of its river. Once an open-air dump, the space is slowly coming back to life through collective work: native trees, public gardens, yoga sessions and places for children to play.

Led by the Mathare Slums Community Association (MaSCA), the River Rehabilitation Programme tackles unemployment, waste management and climate resilience. From creative plastic recycling to urban farming, the riverbank has become a living laboratory of community-rooted solutions.