By Yoga David
The County Government of Kisumu has entered into a strategic partnership with Hand in Hand Eastern Africa through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening waste management systems in the county.
This initiative seeks to improve the waste management value chain, promoting environmental sustainability while also creating economic opportunities for local communities.
Speaking during the launch of the Building Inclusive and Resilient Enterprises (BIRE) Project, Kisumu County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water, Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change, Judith Oluoch, lauded the collaboration.
“As the County Government of Kisumu, we sincerely appreciate Hand in Hand Eastern Africa for choosing Kisumu. Through this partnership, we aim to establish a structured, collaborative approach to market cleanliness, enabling our people to organize themselves, engage in economic activities, and safeguard their health,” she said.
Ms. Oluoch further highlighted the project’s focus on capacity building, ensuring that traders and community members gain the necessary skills and awareness to protect themselves while conducting business sustainably.
Hand in Hand Eastern Africa CEO, Albert Wambugu, emphasized the project’s potential to create employment for women and youth while improving environmental conditions.
“We aim to facilitate the creation and establishment of sustainable enterprises, particularly in the waste management sector. Kisumu is a key focus area because waste management directly impacts water resources, including Lake Victoria,” he noted.
He further explained that the initiative presents an opportunity not only to enhance environmental conservation but also to generate employment for women, men, and youth by equipping them with business skills in the waste management sector.
The BIRE Project, funded by Hand in Hand Sweden and the Embassy of Sweden in Kenya, will run from 2024 to 2028. It targets 29,740 participants, including 80% women, 40% youth, and 20% men. The project aims to establish 20,818 sustainable enterprises, double beneficiaries’ incomes, and create 31,227 jobs within the solid waste management and circular economy sectors.
The event also brought together Kisumu County Attorney Otieno Aluoka, Hand in Hand Eastern Africa Program Manager Darius Makeri, officials from the County Department of Water, Climate, and Natural Resources, representatives from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), and community resource persons.