With global waste measured in millions of tonnes, it is easy to question whether recycling your water bottle or daily paper can really have an impact. In Kisumu Kenya, and indeed the whole country, a recent survey by the KISUMU FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT GROUP (KisFeg) showed that almost half of people in the 25–44 age bracket were unwilling to segregate their waste at all. Too much effort, a lack of space for multiple bins and a lack of trust in local authorities to handle recyclables were quoted as reasons for resistance. The sheer amount of plastic and other waste along kisumu Town, road sides and open sewer lines would be enough to put most people off the mammoth task of urban waste management. But for the past four years Mr Jared Odhiambo has been working to change a system which has the potential of improving health, environment and financial well being of young people and provide sustainable employment for those at the bottom of the economic ladder in the county where the second largest population in Kenya lives. With the Formation of KISUMU FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT GROUP, Jared Odhiambo and George Best have made a step ahead as Co-Founders of the group. Recycling to this date is carried out largely by the Group, though the nature of the work has changed. Plastic Waste collection has become incredibly complex,. It is no longer simply sorting glass from paper and tin cans. We now have multi-layered plastics and all kinds of new materials coming into packaging. These cannot be recycled without high tech recycling facilities, which the group does not own, and would be willing to own through donation or funding. It is not just the volume of waste, but its hazardous contents which concern The Group. Chemicals in products, lead in paints, pesticides in food and bio-medical waste have all contributed to the toxic mix that forms a constant threat to the land, air and water within the county and its surrounding centers and villages. On top of that, the demands of a rising middle class and illegal dumping from factories and institutions mean that electronic waste is a growing problem in waste management and recycling. In order to tackle the problems at large, Mr.Jared Odhiambo and his Co-Founder Mr. George Best are now openly campaigning and pleading to interested personalities, Groups and Organizations to support the group. The Group is also pushing for policy change and law reforms that would allow such Groups to be supported by the County Government in their efforts to help manage and clean the environment off toxic waste. KisFeg believes that industry and government need to step up to the plate, but that consumers will hold the real power to demand change. Through innovative ways of communication, KisFeg aims to reach the next generation of environmental leaders. KisFeg members are fully aware of the dangers to their own bodies and the environment, they won't accept the situation as it is.
