Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Youth under the National Climate Resilience Programme have embarked on activities aimed at eliminating illegal dumping of solid waste and discharge of effluent in urban areas to build climate resilience and restore natural ecosystems.

The programme, known as Climate WorX, integrates young people into the national climate agenda.

The programme focuses on youth empowerment and their active involvement in improving infrastructure, including social housing, constructing footbridges and access roads, and creating essential physical and social amenities.

On Tuesday, the youth from Viwandani Climate WorX site in Makadara Sub-county, launched clean-up of Ngong River as part of the process.

The teams were led by the Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, the Nairobi security team and Makadara MP George Aladwa.

Aladwa said the visit underscores the ministry’s commitment to fostering sustainable environmental practices and community resilience.

Omollo said Climate WorX is an innovative initiative aimed at addressing climate challenges through community-driven solutions.

“The initiative is anchored on enhancing climate resilience, promoting sustainability, and fostering partnerships for environmental restoration and livelihoods,” he said.

The Viwandani Climate WorX site serves as a model for integrating environmental action with community engagement, focusing on projects such as tree planting, clean energy adoption, and waste management.

The local community and other stakeholders have been encouraged to actively participate in such initiatives which have the potential to create green jobs and improve living conditions.

The youth will be involved in three major work streams, including road and infrastructure, environment and housing and urban development.

Some of the specific activities are solid waste management, tree planting, rehabilitation of Nairobi River and housing projects.

Omollo said the youth will also be engaged in environmental stewardship, urban cleanliness, green space development, tree planting, and transforming the areas surrounding Kenyan rivers.

The PS said the programme will be implemented in all the 47 counties, with a proposed recruitment of at least 200,000 youths countrywide. A minimum of 1,500 youths will be hired per county.

The programme was launched on September 12 this year by President William Ruto and replaced the Kazi Mtaani Initiative.

“Climate WorX is a powerful, inclusive, and transformative intervention aimed at achieving ecological restoration, while maintaining public infrastructure and housing, through labour intensive and sustainable public works,” President Ruto said during the launch.

He added: “I encourage young people to be part of making Kenya’s cities, urban spaces and neighbourhoods liveable, smart, green and sustainable.”

PS Omollo has also said the state of security in the country has greatly improved.

“We want to sustain this by working closely with all the communities, elected leaders, and faith-based and non-faith-based community leaders,” the PS said.