Brief: Working with Slum TV on solid waste management in Nairobi, Kenya

Supported by the ARISE responsive challenge fund, the African Population and Health Research Center worked with Slum TV to use film to help address solid waste management (SWM) in the community. SWM is the collecting, treating and disposing of solid material once it has been discarded. SWM is a challenge in informal settlements because: absentee landlords flout development control orders; inadequate storage containers; indiscriminate disposal by households; unreliable collection by county government; low household incomes; and limited public education. In the Mathare informal settlements, poor socio-economic conditions, spatial challenges and a lack of awareness about regulation lead to undesirable waste management practices like open dumping and burning. Desirable practices, such as waste sorting or recycling, are rarely adopted. Waste management practices, whether positive or negative, are influenced by community interactions, where both formal and informal rules play a role. This brief presents activities, key outcomes, lessons and recommendations.

Download PDF