Battling dirty air in Nairobi's slums as toxic air chokes residents

Residents passing next to a garbage heap on the banks of Mathare River on November 21, 2024 in Mathare slums. [Kanyiri Wahito Standard]

Slum dwellers in Nairobi heavily rely on solid fuels for cooking and heating because they cannot afford clean fuels or electricity. They use unclean biomass, which contributes about 15 per cent of PM2.5 concentrations.

Many depend on paraffin, firewood, and charcoal for cooking—levels four times higher than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended exposure.