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Teenagers in Nairobi’s Kibera slums are learning how to become champions of environmental conservation through a new initiative led by local community organisation Penda Mama Earth in partnership with the international group Impact Steps, a Chinese NGO.
The programme aims to equip young people with practical skills and knowledge to address environmental challenges in their communities.
Penda Mama Earth chairman Morphat Minishi hailed the partnership as timely and transformative for local youth.
“This training is opening the eyes of our young people to the role they can play in restoring our environment. For a long time, many thought conservation was something done far away in forests and parks. Today they know it starts right here at home,” he said.
The workshop drew dozens of teenagers who took part in sessions on tree planting, recycling, and community-led conservation practices.
As part of the initiative, eco-friendly planting bags were distributed to allow families to grow trees, flowers, and medicinal herbs even in small spaces such as walls or balconies.
Impact Steps Chief Executive Officer Molly Yang said the organization has been active in Kenya for over a decade, with projects in Nakuru County focused on wildlife and habitat protection.
She said this urban programme represents a shift to areas where environmental challenges are more acute.
“These planting bags allow families to green their surroundings without large plots of land. It is a simple solution with the potential for big transformation, especially in informal settlements,” Yang said.
She also urged national and county governments to support grassroots environmental initiatives, noting their importance in meeting President William Ruto’s goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2030.
Teenagers who attended the workshop expressed enthusiasm about applying their new skills.
Ten-year-old Kelvin Ochieng’, a Form Two student, said the training helped him understand his personal role in conservation.
“I used to think planting trees was only for adults or people with land. Now I know I can make a difference even from my small home with these planting bags. I want to teach my younger siblings the same,” he said.
Eleven-year-old Mercy Akinyi, a primary school pupil, said the sessions helped her see the link between a clean environment and community health.
“I have learned that taking care of the environment is also taking care of ourselves. I want to start a small garden at home and maybe inspire my friends to do the same,” she said.
In addition to training, Impact Steps distributed clothes, schoolbooks, and other essentials to the teenagers in preparation for the next school term.
Both organisations said they plan to continue similar programmes in Kibera as part of a long-term strategy to empower youth and strengthen community resilience against environmental degradation.
