World Environment Day

The Kibera community was not left out in celebrating the World Environment Day, an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. The day presents several activities taking place all year round that climax on 5 June every year, involving everyone from everywhere.
 
Local residents from Makina village had an opportunity to participate in this global day that saw some of them come out to clean the drainages alongside their homes. This was done by using some rakes to remove dirt and litter along the banks of the streams of dirty water. The cleaning exercise was organized by one of the organizations known as Umande Trust.

Kibera residents participating in a clean up

Fred Amuok, the communication officer of Umande Trust noted that it was important to come out and join local residents in sensitizing them on importance of having a cleaner environment.“We are trying to educate our people to take care of the environment, by even planting trees besides doing clean-ups,” noted Fred.

Fred Amuok of Umande Trust

One of the participants Mr. Jacob Mudaki a member of Jasho Letu self help group also shared his sentiments, that they came to educate the community on how they can preserve the environment as the world marked this important day. “There is need to start educating our brothers and sisters that it takes individual commitment on how we dispose litter, garbage and how we preserve the environment,” says Jacob.  Jacob also urged some of the local non-governmental organizations to look for ways of partnering with each other in helping preserve the environment.

Jacob Mudaki, left, of Jasho Letu Self Help Group talks to Thomas Bwire of Uweza

World Environment Day celebration began in 1972 and has grown to become  one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.  Through World Environment Day, the UN Environment Programme is able to personalize environmental issues and enable everyone to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development.

World Environment Day is also a day for people from all walks of life to come together to ensure a cleaner, greener and brighter outlook for themselves and future generations.  Everyone counts in this initiative and World Environment Day relies on you to make it happen!