Mathare River Future Design Basecamp 2024
A four-day, whole-system gathering that brought government, civil society, and riverside communities together to agree a shared future for the Mathare River — and six concrete plans to begin building it.
Over 100 people came together to design a future for their river
The Mathare River Future Design Basecamp 2024 was held from November 12 to November 15 in Kabete Sub-County, Kiambu County. The pivotal event brought together over 100 participants, including representatives from government bodies, environmental organizations, community groups, and local residents.
The Basecamp aimed to address the deteriorating state of the Mathare River ecosystem by fostering unprecedented collaboration and developing actionable, feasible strategies for its restoration and regeneration. The event underscored a commitment to transforming the Mathare River into a clean, habitable, and resilient ecosystem over the next decade.
From a planning taskforce to a coordinated future
Preparations for the Future Design Basecamp began in the winter of 2023 with a planning taskforce drawn from across the Mathare River ecosystem. Their work — shaping the mission, mapping stakeholders, running community dialogues and preparing the ceremony and logistics — laid the foundation for everything that followed.
A Future Design Basecamp (FDB) is a participative, creative, task-oriented event that enables a large group to collectively create a plan its own members will carry out. It is carefully designed to ensure participation of all directly involved parties — in this case, Mathare River-related organizations, communities and various levels of government.
The process follows three parts: first, the environment — the outside forces and changes bearing on the system; second, the system itself — its history, strengths and challenges, and its most desirable future; and third, the integration of the two, defining strategies and action plans, including a plan to organize implementation afterwards, such as electing a coordinating council.
Start of preparations
A planning taskforce of problem-holders from across the Mathare River ecosystem is formed to shape the mission and identify relevant actors.
Exploration
The taskforce explores common ground among stakeholders and begins scoping the process.
Planning team convenes
The planning team takes shape to guide selection of participants, location and logistics.
Thirteen river community dialogues
A series of River Dialogue meetings and site visits inform problem-holders and stakeholders and build partnerships with key stakeholders ahead of the Basecamp.
Future Design Basecamp
The four-day Basecamp itself, opening with a ceremony and closing around a fire, with a Coordinating Council appointed along the way.
Basecamp 2 — FDB at work
A planned follow-up work session to keep progress moving toward the best possible future.
Four days, in pictures
From the opening ceremony beside the river to the closing fire, the Basecamp moved through a deliberate rhythm of reflection, dialogue and planning.
The Basecamp officially commenced on November 12, 2024, with an opening ceremony next to the upstream Mathare River. Attendees included government officials, civil society organizations, community leaders, and environmental advocates. Speakers and organizers — led by World Waternet, Embassy of the Earth and the Mathare River Regeneration Network — highlighted the importance of the river and the urgent need for collaborative restoration.
The ceremony featured traditional dances and songs celebrating the river's cultural and ecological significance, and concluded with a walk to the river itself, where the community settled on the rocks to pray and reflect in silence.
Day one opened with purpose, theory and the way the group would work together, followed by hopes and expectations, a look at important changes in the world, an environmental impact scan, and the group's shared history with the river.
The day's purpose statement, written by participants on flip-chart paper: "Our sacred duty to our children, our ancestors & ourselves is to take care of our river."
Before the process formally began, participants expressed what they wanted to hold in their hands when they walked out on the last day. It was, as the report notes, their first shot at working in small teams — no facilitators, just participants responsible for their own process.
Day two made an assessment of the current state: which forces, initiatives and activities are already working toward a better future and should be kept? In "Create," novel and important new ideas surfaced; "Drop" allowed the group to face the reality of letting go of what stands in the way of progress.
Participants embarked early on a field visit to Cura Village, the source of the Gitathuru River, a major tributary of the Mathare River, experiencing firsthand its pristine origins and clean groundwater springs. The visit reinforced the urgency of restoration, contrasting the river's purity upstream with its polluted state downstream.
The final day was dedicated to setting actionable goals under each of the six thematic areas. Participants identified specific, short-term targets to be achieved within six months, ensuring measurable progress toward the ten-year vision.
After a three-day intense Future Design Basecamp, the group stood around the fire with a feeling of fulfilment and content, bringing something valuable back into their own worlds. Each person shared a heartfelt message; those who supported the Basecamp were thanked, and a shared "shout of the warrior" unified the group before they departed.
On whose shoulders do we stand
The history session brought the story of the Mathare River ecosystem up collectively, beginning with the eldest amongst the group — what was it like to live here, and what were the significant moments, milestones, tragedies, people and laws along the way. In moving toward a viable future, the group reflected on whose shoulders they stand on, determined not to throw away the baby with the bathwater.
"The river is more than just a waterway. It is a symbol of life, blessings, and the power of the elements. It represents fire, the energy that drives us forward, and water, the life force that sustains us. It is a reminder that even in the face of storms, we must be resilient, for just as the river flows regardless of obstacles, so too must we adapt, grow, and continue forward with hope."
— Elders Albert and Nyanja
A river of resilience, marred by decades of pollution
As Jane Ajwang told the Basecamp, the story of the river is one of resilience, unity, and the unwavering need for inclusive efforts in its rejuvenation. For decades, the river served as a lifeline for communities along its banks, providing water for farming, tree-growing and sustaining livelihoods — even as its significance was marred by pollution and environmental degradation posing a serious health risk downstream.
Pollution began decades ago, particularly along the Pangani stretch, where companies such as the Changaa brewery dumped untreated waste into the water. The river's condition worsened over time, with a particularly devastating impact in 1971 when a heavy downpour caused floods that carried people and belongings downstream while destroying infrastructure — compounded by sewer lines and pit latrines draining directly into the river.
By 1976 the river was still filthy, a reflection of years of neglect. The Hon. Michuki period marked a turning point in river rehabilitation, with leadership focused on environmental preservation and stricter regulation of pollution. Today, the message remains clear: the work of rejuvenating the river must continue, alongside the well-being of downstream communities — encouraging sustainable practices, like growing fruit trees such as mangoes, paw paws and arrowroots, that support both environment and local economies.
How the group worked together
Consortium World Waternet and Embassy of the Earth applies a methodology inclusive of all perspectives and problem-holders. Instead of separate challenges, the group looked from an open-systems perspective — mapping the river environment until the whole system became clear in its relationships, coherence and vulnerabilities, and the right sequence of actions could follow.
Ground rules — "the way we work"
- Leave your hat at the door.
- All perceptions are valid.
- People are self-managing.
- Resolve conflict through listening and seeking common ground.
- Dialogue is the "working language."
Working principle: the whole organizes the parts.
"Our sacred duty to our children, our ancestors & ourselves is to take care of our river, to unite and empower problem owners and stakeholders to transform the Mathare River into a clean, healthy and thriving ecosystem — a symbol of collective hope and resilience for Nairobi and its environment. Our goal is to revitalize the river, enhance community wellbeing and foster socio-economic sustainability."
Important changes in the world
Zooming out to the big picture, the group built a database of important global changes and trends on the wall, weighing what the world would look like by 2034 if these trends simply ran their course, against what it could look like with deliberate intervention.
- Increase in health pandemics and uncontrolled disasters
- Instability and ungovernable populations
- Social backlash — crime, loss of heritage and culture
- Economic backlash — rising poverty, low GDP per capita
- Environmental backlash — pollution, deforestation, land degradation
- Collapse of institutions, poor policy-making and governance
- Uncontrolled urbanization and technological misuse
- Zero waste and zero net emissions — a circular economy
- Social, economic, political and environmental development together
- A world full of love, peace and unity — an equitable society
- Ecosystem restoration — nature and biodiversity, global communities thriving in harmony with nature
Environmental impact scan
Zooming back in on the task environment, the group mapped the external factors, trends and forces directly impacting daily life within the Mathare River ecosystem: encroachment and riparian degradation, pollution, urbanization, exotic trees and feral birds, politics, education and awareness, human activities, socio-cultural and economic realities, and the outbreak of diseases linked to loss of livelihoods.
Keep, Drop, Create
Day two made an assessment of the current state. Which forces, initiatives and activities are already working toward the better future, and should be kept? What needs to be dropped to allow necessary progress? And what needs to be created that doesn't exist yet?
Keep
- Community-led grassroots initiatives
- Indigenous knowledge
- Education and awareness
- Football for plastic — soccer league
- Wellness hub
- Existing green spaces along Mathare river
- Taking care of riparian land
- Urban agriculture / hydroponics
- NGOs and private sector in the community
- Urban farming / livestock keeping
- Green spots
- Demonstrations against encroachments
- Waste segregation and recycling education
- Sustainable waste management
- Wetlands
- Meandering nature of the rivers
- Keeping the network that brought us here
- Bamboo plant growing
- Keep Dandora Dumpsite
- Climate Works
- Library
- Mathare roots library
- Vegetable gardens and tree nurseries along Gitathuru river
- Education in a suitcase
- Madoya Community library
- E-waste
- KOMB Green Solutions
- Project — Women in Construction, Women Education Build Her
- Water tokens
Drop
- Eucalyptus, in favour of species beneficial to the environment
- Usage of harmful pesticides and unsustainable farming
- Dandora Dumpsite in its current form
- Channelization and closing of our rivers
- Politics
- Encroachment on the rivers
- Corruption
- Dumping of organic waste on Dandora dumpsite
- Unrecyclable waste and packaging
- Selfish interests
- Land grabbing and cartels
- False promises
- Gender-based violence
- Drug abuse
- People who hold you back / resistance
- Traders and mechanics
- Illegal breweries
- Crime
- Police harassment and brutality
- Briefcase NGOs
- Drop metered water
- Water cartels
Create
- Law enforcement
- Biogas and composting
- Bio-carbon sink along the river
- Research on indigenous and useful species of trees and plants, creating biodiversity
- A sufficient sewer line
- Perimeter wall around Dandora Dumpsite
- Treatment plant for leachates
- Vermiculture and permaculture
- Alternative waste management for Dandora
- Environmental champion volunteers
- Promotion of innovative solutions — recycling, green investments
- A circular economy as economic empowerment
- Green safe spaces
- An inclusive waste-to-business model promoting circular economy
- Black soldier fly farming to manage organic waste
- Adopt-a-river initiative
- Giant bamboo plantation, with value addition
- Dykes for low-lying areas to prevent flooding
- Recyclable products, including wrappings
- A culture of responsibility for all
- A green hub connecting all stakeholders to monitor and evaluate programs
- Botanical gardens
- A multi-sectoral network
- Community forums and exchange programs for environmental initiatives
- A green nature path from Gataara to Lucky Summer
- Intentional community dialogues on climate change and environment
- Socially sustainable housing for the community
Statements of the most desirable future
Keep, Create, Drop prepared the group for collectively viewing into the future. Ten years felt right — not too far to lose urgency, not too close to become a mere project. In small groups, participants "jumped" into 2034 and wrote four to five statements describing that future in the present tense, like headlines from a leading newspaper.
- President swims in Mathare River (pools) at the opening ceremony of the 2034 swimming Olympics
- World Cup street soccer hosted along Mathare River
- The smiling fish in Mathare River
- Safari Park Hotel patronizes Mathare River floating fish-cage farmers
- Tourists flock to green parks and waterfalls to witness the whistling
- Colourful scenes as women and children draw water from Mathare River, following WRA's affirmation of clean water in the river
A revitalized Mathare River with a clean, thriving, and serene ecosystem
A revitalized Mathare River with a clean, thriving, and serene ecosystem as the foundation of social cohesion, cultural pride, and sustainability for Nairobi.
The restored Mathare River ecosystem drives economic growth and fosters tourism, recreation, and business opportunities while providing clean, affordable water for all. Emerging from inclusive collaboration and rooted in indigenous knowledge, the revitalized river flourishes through vibrant biodiversity, resilient infrastructure, and native vegetation.
The Mathare River is a pathway to wellbeing, enhancing quality of life and the dignity of the people.
The framework behind Vision 2034
All the statements and themes generated across the Basecamp were woven into six thematic strands — each carrying its own purpose statement, agreed collectively by participants.
Utilization of Indigenous Knowledge
Emphasizing traditional practices and wisdom for sustainable river management.
To conserve and protect the indigenous knowledge for the sustainability of the Mathare River ecosystem.
Clean, Accessible, and Affordable Water
Ensuring safe and reliable water sources for all communities.
To ensure communities along the Mathare catchment area have access to clean, affordable and reliable water through sustainable methodologies, enhancing the dignity of the people.
Clean River and Proper Infrastructure
Addressing pollution and implementing infrastructure improvements.
A reclaimed and restored Mathare River with a developed, functional and sustainable infrastructure for a safe, clean and serene ecosystem that communities can thrive in.
Economic Opportunities
Leveraging the river for sustainable livelihoods and economic growth.
Restoring the Mathare River ecosystem, boosting recreational and ecotourism opportunities, stimulating business and job growth, improving quality of life and strengthening community engagement and cultural pride.
Public Involvement
Engaging communities in decision-making and restoration efforts.
Restore the Mathare River ecosystem through sustainable practices while engaging local communities, indigenous groups and stakeholders in decision-making, to ensure shared ownership and lasting impact.
Recreation Spaces
Developing green spaces and parks along the river for community use.
A vital aspect of human existence, offering a pathway to wellness through green sport and connecting with nature in safe green spaces — fostering social cohesion, biodiversity, happiness and vibrant, transformative communities.
Six task forces, six seed initiatives
After conclusion of the action planning, each of the six task forces selected one goal — a "seed initiative" — achievable within six months, chosen because it would leverage the other goals and act as a stepping stone toward the best possible future. Each plan below follows the same set of guiding questions the task forces answered together.
Already doing
- Exchange visits, e.g. Mathare River Future Design Basecamp
- Interaction with elders, the custodians of culture along the Mathare River
- Group visits, including to rural areas to interact with village elders
- Studying and internalizing current environmental laws
- Planting and preserving indigenous plants, e.g. aloe vera
Now going to do
- Mapping and documenting what already exists, and what new can be added
- Implementing known practices, e.g. planting indigenous trees
- Removing invasive species through smart agriculture
- Creating awareness through education and cultural heritage
Resources available
- Riparian land
- The Mathare River community of stakeholders
- Social experience, technical experience and indigenous knowledge
Resources still needed
- Funds for environmental hubs, labs, stationery, tools and equipment
- A traditional-language interpreter
- Land space and partnerships with institutions of higher learning (e.g. University of Nairobi, JKUAT) and research bodies such as KEFRI
- Documentation materials — projectors, cameras, laptops — and secondary data from other researchers, e.g. UN-Habitat, NGOs, NEMA
- Tree nurseries for indigenous trees and herbs
Community involvement
- Dialogues, public participation, storytelling, workshops and sport
Already doing
- Working on non-revenue water losses at small scale — kitchen gardens, container gardening, rainwater harvesting within the catchment area
Now going to do
- Create materials to help residents calculate their own water-consumption patterns
- Identify champions within the community
- Upscale successful approaches and identify interested parties for a pilot project
Resources needed
- Money and finance, to be acquired through proposal writing, companies and CSR partnerships
Community involvement
- Door-to-door campaigns
- Barazas
- The Water Resource Users Association (WRUA)
- Schools and institutions of higher learning
Organization
- A task force with assigned roles, group chats, and regular meetings inviting partners and the WRUA to identify target areas
Already doing
- Recognizing the importance of a functioning Water Resource Users Association (WRUA)
- A first engagement meeting already took place on November 15, 2024, during a tea break
Now going to do
- Form a communication platform, preferably a WhatsApp group or channel
- Mobilize all relevant stakeholders for inclusivity in re-establishing the WRUA
- Build awareness of the need and importance of a functional WRUA
Resources needed
- Finance to mobilize stakeholders for WRUA re-establishment (an Integrated Water Resource Management workshop, elections and documentation)
- Review and implementation of the sub-catchment management plan (SCMP)
Community involvement
- Environmental awareness workshops
- Chief barazas and faith-based organization exchange platforms
- Environmental sports, social media, community radio and outreach programs
Organization
- Regular physical meetings, social media, and local administration
Already doing
- CBO engagement in waste management and urban agriculture
- Planning for a bulk sewer system underneath the settlement
- Waste-management capacity building, proposal writing and riparian reclamation
- Engaging government to permit CBOs and the community to practice smart agriculture
Now going to do
- Revamp the WRUA
- Engage CBOs for collective solid-waste management
- Sensitize the community on environmental awareness
- Research better green practices and technology
Resources available / needed
- Have: human resources, a few tools and PPE, riparian land
- Need: skills, tools, machinery, an informal-settlement mapping system, finance, capacity building, office infrastructure and water
Community involvement
- Inclusive, meaningful public participation, awareness and capacity building, organized through the cluster system of village elders and CSOs (e.g. PWD organizations)
Already doing
- Civic education
Now going to do
- Find better ways to emphasize the importance of continuing restoration initiatives
- Use all available avenues to spread awareness, not limiting dissemination to meetings
- Map out stakeholders essential to the goal — potential funders, environmental champions, and re-establishment of the WRUA
Resources have / need
- Have: manpower, skills, knowledge, spaces and allies
- Need: funding, technical expertise, additional manpower and indigenous knowledge — acquired through proposals, partnerships, community outreach and intergenerational learning
Community involvement
- Workshops and trainings, barazas, peer-to-peer interaction programs, and tailored sessions for schools, churches and faith-based organizations
Organization
- Through the clusters
Already doing
- Mapped out Mau Dam, Karunga Uthiu, Lucky Summer waterfalls, Mathare Community Park and Ghetto Farmers
- Conservation and awareness efforts already in place; a team established
- Pollution control under way at Mau Dam and Mathare Community Park
Now going to do
- Increase awareness and pegging; a perimeter fence using bamboo
- Increase tree nurseries and social cohesion between riverline communities
Resources have / need
- Have: manpower, community, land/space and skills
- Need: finance, government support and partners — through proposals, fundraising, income-generating activities
Community involvement
- Inclusive activities, meaningful public participation, chief barazas, community workshops and green sports
Organization
- Regular meetings, local administrations, advocacy tools such as sports and arts, and faith-based organizations (churches and mosques)
A Coordinating Council to carry the work forward
After the action planning for the six task forces concluded, a Coordinating Council was appointed, with two members per task force. The council oversees the selected goals for the next six months, tracks implementation, monitors progress and safeguards the integrated, longer-term development of the journey that began at this Basecamp.
What's already under way, and what's next
Current
- The Future Design Basecamp report has been written
- A documentary video of the Basecamp
- Presentation of the action plan to key stakeholders, Thursday December 5
- All task forces reporting back and sharing within their own organizations
- All six task forces fine-tuning their action plans with an expanded team and relevant others
Upcoming & ongoing
- Embassy of the Earth's Mathare River Summer School / certificate course on social design and process facilitation
- Further work sessions with the full Mathare River FDB task forces, planned six months out
- Organizing to work together across the board, at every level, as never before
Mathare River Future Design Basecamp 2024
A four-day, whole-system gathering that brought government, civil society, and riverside communities together to agree a shared future for the Mathare River — and six concrete plans to begin building it.
Over 100 people came together to design a future for their river
The Mathare River Future Design Basecamp 2024 was held from November 12 to November 15 in Kabete Sub-County, Kiambu County. The pivotal event brought together over 100 participants, including representatives from government bodies, environmental organizations, community groups, and local residents.
The Basecamp aimed to address the deteriorating state of the Mathare River ecosystem by fostering unprecedented collaboration and developing actionable, feasible strategies for its restoration and regeneration. The event underscored a commitment to transforming the Mathare River into a clean, habitable, and resilient ecosystem over the next decade.
From a planning taskforce to a coordinated future
Preparations for the Future Design Basecamp began in the winter of 2023 with a planning taskforce drawn from across the Mathare River ecosystem. Their work — shaping the mission, mapping stakeholders, running community dialogues and preparing the ceremony and logistics — laid the foundation for everything that followed.
A Future Design Basecamp (FDB) is a participative, creative, task-oriented event that enables a large group to collectively create a plan its own members will carry out. It is carefully designed to ensure participation of all directly involved parties — in this case, Mathare River-related organizations, communities and various levels of government.
The process follows three parts: first, the environment — the outside forces and changes bearing on the system; second, the system itself — its history, strengths and challenges, and its most desirable future; and third, the integration of the two, defining strategies and action plans, including a plan to organize implementation afterwards, such as electing a coordinating council.
Start of preparations
A planning taskforce of problem-holders from across the Mathare River ecosystem is formed to shape the mission and identify relevant actors.
Exploration
The taskforce explores common ground among stakeholders and begins scoping the process.
Planning team convenes
The planning team takes shape to guide selection of participants, location and logistics.
Thirteen river community dialogues
A series of River Dialogue meetings and site visits inform problem-holders and stakeholders and build partnerships with key stakeholders ahead of the Basecamp.
Future Design Basecamp
The four-day Basecamp itself, opening with a ceremony and closing around a fire, with a Coordinating Council appointed along the way.
Basecamp 2 — FDB at work
A planned follow-up work session to keep progress moving toward the best possible future.
Four days, in pictures
From the opening ceremony beside the river to the closing fire, the Basecamp moved through a deliberate rhythm of reflection, dialogue and planning.
The Basecamp officially commenced on November 12, 2024, with an opening ceremony next to the upstream Mathare River. Attendees included government officials, civil society organizations, community leaders, and environmental advocates. Speakers and organizers — led by World Waternet, Embassy of the Earth and the Mathare River Regeneration Network — highlighted the importance of the river and the urgent need for collaborative restoration.
The ceremony featured traditional dances and songs celebrating the river's cultural and ecological significance, and concluded with a walk to the river itself, where the community settled on the rocks to pray and reflect in silence.
Day one opened with purpose, theory and the way the group would work together, followed by hopes and expectations, a look at important changes in the world, an environmental impact scan, and the group's shared history with the river.
The day's purpose statement, written by participants on flip-chart paper: "Our sacred duty to our children, our ancestors & ourselves is to take care of our river."
Before the process formally began, participants expressed what they wanted to hold in their hands when they walked out on the last day. It was, as the report notes, their first shot at working in small teams — no facilitators, just participants responsible for their own process.
Day two made an assessment of the current state: which forces, initiatives and activities are already working toward a better future and should be kept? In "Create," novel and important new ideas surfaced; "Drop" allowed the group to face the reality of letting go of what stands in the way of progress.
Participants embarked early on a field visit to Cura Village, the source of the Gitathuru River, a major tributary of the Mathare River, experiencing firsthand its pristine origins and clean groundwater springs. The visit reinforced the urgency of restoration, contrasting the river's purity upstream with its polluted state downstream.
The final day was dedicated to setting actionable goals under each of the six thematic areas. Participants identified specific, short-term targets to be achieved within six months, ensuring measurable progress toward the ten-year vision.
After a three-day intense Future Design Basecamp, the group stood around the fire with a feeling of fulfilment and content, bringing something valuable back into their own worlds. Each person shared a heartfelt message; those who supported the Basecamp were thanked, and a shared "shout of the warrior" unified the group before they departed.
On whose shoulders do we stand
The history session brought the story of the Mathare River ecosystem up collectively, beginning with the eldest amongst the group — what was it like to live here, and what were the significant moments, milestones, tragedies, people and laws along the way. In moving toward a viable future, the group reflected on whose shoulders they stand on, determined not to throw away the baby with the bathwater.
"The river is more than just a waterway. It is a symbol of life, blessings, and the power of the elements. It represents fire, the energy that drives us forward, and water, the life force that sustains us. It is a reminder that even in the face of storms, we must be resilient, for just as the river flows regardless of obstacles, so too must we adapt, grow, and continue forward with hope."
— Elders Albert and Nyanja
A river of resilience, marred by decades of pollution
As Jane Ajwang told the Basecamp, the story of the river is one of resilience, unity, and the unwavering need for inclusive efforts in its rejuvenation. For decades, the river served as a lifeline for communities along its banks, providing water for farming, tree-growing and sustaining livelihoods — even as its significance was marred by pollution and environmental degradation posing a serious health risk downstream.
Pollution began decades ago, particularly along the Pangani stretch, where companies such as the Changaa brewery dumped untreated waste into the water. The river's condition worsened over time, with a particularly devastating impact in 1971 when a heavy downpour caused floods that carried people and belongings downstream while destroying infrastructure — compounded by sewer lines and pit latrines draining directly into the river.
By 1976 the river was still filthy, a reflection of years of neglect. The Hon. Michuki period marked a turning point in river rehabilitation, with leadership focused on environmental preservation and stricter regulation of pollution. Today, the message remains clear: the work of rejuvenating the river must continue, alongside the well-being of downstream communities — encouraging sustainable practices, like growing fruit trees such as mangoes, paw paws and arrowroots, that support both environment and local economies.
How the group worked together
Consortium World Waternet and Embassy of the Earth applies a methodology inclusive of all perspectives and problem-holders. Instead of separate challenges, the group looked from an open-systems perspective — mapping the river environment until the whole system became clear in its relationships, coherence and vulnerabilities, and the right sequence of actions could follow.
Ground rules — "the way we work"
- Leave your hat at the door.
- All perceptions are valid.
- People are self-managing.
- Resolve conflict through listening and seeking common ground.
- Dialogue is the "working language."
Working principle: the whole organizes the parts.
"Our sacred duty to our children, our ancestors & ourselves is to take care of our river, to unite and empower problem owners and stakeholders to transform the Mathare River into a clean, healthy and thriving ecosystem — a symbol of collective hope and resilience for Nairobi and its environment. Our goal is to revitalize the river, enhance community wellbeing and foster socio-economic sustainability."
Important changes in the world
Zooming out to the big picture, the group built a database of important global changes and trends on the wall, weighing what the world would look like by 2034 if these trends simply ran their course, against what it could look like with deliberate intervention.
- Increase in health pandemics and uncontrolled disasters
- Instability and ungovernable populations
- Social backlash — crime, loss of heritage and culture
- Economic backlash — rising poverty, low GDP per capita
- Environmental backlash — pollution, deforestation, land degradation
- Collapse of institutions, poor policy-making and governance
- Uncontrolled urbanization and technological misuse
- Zero waste and zero net emissions — a circular economy
- Social, economic, political and environmental development together
- A world full of love, peace and unity — an equitable society
- Ecosystem restoration — nature and biodiversity, global communities thriving in harmony with nature
Environmental impact scan
Zooming back in on the task environment, the group mapped the external factors, trends and forces directly impacting daily life within the Mathare River ecosystem: encroachment and riparian degradation, pollution, urbanization, exotic trees and feral birds, politics, education and awareness, human activities, socio-cultural and economic realities, and the outbreak of diseases linked to loss of livelihoods.
Keep, Drop, Create
Day two made an assessment of the current state. Which forces, initiatives and activities are already working toward the better future, and should be kept? What needs to be dropped to allow necessary progress? And what needs to be created that doesn't exist yet?
Keep
- Community-led grassroots initiatives
- Indigenous knowledge
- Education and awareness
- Football for plastic — soccer league
- Wellness hub
- Existing green spaces along Mathare river
- Taking care of riparian land
- Urban agriculture / hydroponics
- NGOs and private sector in the community
- Urban farming / livestock keeping
- Green spots
- Demonstrations against encroachments
- Waste segregation and recycling education
- Sustainable waste management
- Wetlands
- Meandering nature of the rivers
- Keeping the network that brought us here
- Bamboo plant growing
- Keep Dandora Dumpsite
- Climate Works
- Library
- Mathare roots library
- Vegetable gardens and tree nurseries along Gitathuru river
- Education in a suitcase
- Madoya Community library
- E-waste
- KOMB Green Solutions
- Project — Women in Construction, Women Education Build Her
- Water tokens
Drop
- Eucalyptus, in favour of species beneficial to the environment
- Usage of harmful pesticides and unsustainable farming
- Dandora Dumpsite in its current form
- Channelization and closing of our rivers
- Politics
- Encroachment on the rivers
- Corruption
- Dumping of organic waste on Dandora dumpsite
- Unrecyclable waste and packaging
- Selfish interests
- Land grabbing and cartels
- False promises
- Gender-based violence
- Drug abuse
- People who hold you back / resistance
- Traders and mechanics
- Illegal breweries
- Crime
- Police harassment and brutality
- Briefcase NGOs
- Drop metered water
- Water cartels
Create
- Law enforcement
- Biogas and composting
- Bio-carbon sink along the river
- Research on indigenous and useful species of trees and plants, creating biodiversity
- A sufficient sewer line
- Perimeter wall around Dandora Dumpsite
- Treatment plant for leachates
- Vermiculture and permaculture
- Alternative waste management for Dandora
- Environmental champion volunteers
- Promotion of innovative solutions — recycling, green investments
- A circular economy as economic empowerment
- Green safe spaces
- An inclusive waste-to-business model promoting circular economy
- Black soldier fly farming to manage organic waste
- Adopt-a-river initiative
- Giant bamboo plantation, with value addition
- Dykes for low-lying areas to prevent flooding
- Recyclable products, including wrappings
- A culture of responsibility for all
- A green hub connecting all stakeholders to monitor and evaluate programs
- Botanical gardens
- A multi-sectoral network
- Community forums and exchange programs for environmental initiatives
- A green nature path from Gataara to Lucky Summer
- Intentional community dialogues on climate change and environment
- Socially sustainable housing for the community
Statements of the most desirable future
Keep, Create, Drop prepared the group for collectively viewing into the future. Ten years felt right — not too far to lose urgency, not too close to become a mere project. In small groups, participants "jumped" into 2034 and wrote four to five statements describing that future in the present tense, like headlines from a leading newspaper.
- President swims in Mathare River (pools) at the opening ceremony of the 2034 swimming Olympics
- World Cup street soccer hosted along Mathare River
- The smiling fish in Mathare River
- Safari Park Hotel patronizes Mathare River floating fish-cage farmers
- Tourists flock to green parks and waterfalls to witness the whistling
- Colourful scenes as women and children draw water from Mathare River, following WRA's affirmation of clean water in the river
A revitalized Mathare River with a clean, thriving, and serene ecosystem
A revitalized Mathare River with a clean, thriving, and serene ecosystem as the foundation of social cohesion, cultural pride, and sustainability for Nairobi.
The restored Mathare River ecosystem drives economic growth and fosters tourism, recreation, and business opportunities while providing clean, affordable water for all. Emerging from inclusive collaboration and rooted in indigenous knowledge, the revitalized river flourishes through vibrant biodiversity, resilient infrastructure, and native vegetation.
The Mathare River is a pathway to wellbeing, enhancing quality of life and the dignity of the people.
The framework behind Vision 2034
All the statements and themes generated across the Basecamp were woven into six thematic strands — each carrying its own purpose statement, agreed collectively by participants.
Utilization of Indigenous Knowledge
Emphasizing traditional practices and wisdom for sustainable river management.
To conserve and protect the indigenous knowledge for the sustainability of the Mathare River ecosystem.
Clean, Accessible, and Affordable Water
Ensuring safe and reliable water sources for all communities.
To ensure communities along the Mathare catchment area have access to clean, affordable and reliable water through sustainable methodologies, enhancing the dignity of the people.
Clean River and Proper Infrastructure
Addressing pollution and implementing infrastructure improvements.
A reclaimed and restored Mathare River with a developed, functional and sustainable infrastructure for a safe, clean and serene ecosystem that communities can thrive in.
Economic Opportunities
Leveraging the river for sustainable livelihoods and economic growth.
Restoring the Mathare River ecosystem, boosting recreational and ecotourism opportunities, stimulating business and job growth, improving quality of life and strengthening community engagement and cultural pride.
Public Involvement
Engaging communities in decision-making and restoration efforts.
Restore the Mathare River ecosystem through sustainable practices while engaging local communities, indigenous groups and stakeholders in decision-making, to ensure shared ownership and lasting impact.
Recreation Spaces
Developing green spaces and parks along the river for community use.
A vital aspect of human existence, offering a pathway to wellness through green sport and connecting with nature in safe green spaces — fostering social cohesion, biodiversity, happiness and vibrant, transformative communities.
Six task forces, six seed initiatives
After conclusion of the action planning, each of the six task forces selected one goal — a "seed initiative" — achievable within six months, chosen because it would leverage the other goals and act as a stepping stone toward the best possible future. Each plan below follows the same set of guiding questions the task forces answered together.
Already doing
- Exchange visits, e.g. Mathare River Future Design Basecamp
- Interaction with elders, the custodians of culture along the Mathare River
- Group visits, including to rural areas to interact with village elders
- Studying and internalizing current environmental laws
- Planting and preserving indigenous plants, e.g. aloe vera
Now going to do
- Mapping and documenting what already exists, and what new can be added
- Implementing known practices, e.g. planting indigenous trees
- Removing invasive species through smart agriculture
- Creating awareness through education and cultural heritage
Resources available
- Riparian land
- The Mathare River community of stakeholders
- Social experience, technical experience and indigenous knowledge
Resources still needed
- Funds for environmental hubs, labs, stationery, tools and equipment
- A traditional-language interpreter
- Land space and partnerships with institutions of higher learning (e.g. University of Nairobi, JKUAT) and research bodies such as KEFRI
- Documentation materials — projectors, cameras, laptops — and secondary data from other researchers, e.g. UN-Habitat, NGOs, NEMA
- Tree nurseries for indigenous trees and herbs
Community involvement
- Dialogues, public participation, storytelling, workshops and sport
Already doing
- Working on non-revenue water losses at small scale — kitchen gardens, container gardening, rainwater harvesting within the catchment area
Now going to do
- Create materials to help residents calculate their own water-consumption patterns
- Identify champions within the community
- Upscale successful approaches and identify interested parties for a pilot project
Resources needed
- Money and finance, to be acquired through proposal writing, companies and CSR partnerships
Community involvement
- Door-to-door campaigns
- Barazas
- The Water Resource Users Association (WRUA)
- Schools and institutions of higher learning
Organization
- A task force with assigned roles, group chats, and regular meetings inviting partners and the WRUA to identify target areas
Already doing
- Recognizing the importance of a functioning Water Resource Users Association (WRUA)
- A first engagement meeting already took place on November 15, 2024, during a tea break
Now going to do
- Form a communication platform, preferably a WhatsApp group or channel
- Mobilize all relevant stakeholders for inclusivity in re-establishing the WRUA
- Build awareness of the need and importance of a functional WRUA
Resources needed
- Finance to mobilize stakeholders for WRUA re-establishment (an Integrated Water Resource Management workshop, elections and documentation)
- Review and implementation of the sub-catchment management plan (SCMP)
Community involvement
- Environmental awareness workshops
- Chief barazas and faith-based organization exchange platforms
- Environmental sports, social media, community radio and outreach programs
Organization
- Regular physical meetings, social media, and local administration
Already doing
- CBO engagement in waste management and urban agriculture
- Planning for a bulk sewer system underneath the settlement
- Waste-management capacity building, proposal writing and riparian reclamation
- Engaging government to permit CBOs and the community to practice smart agriculture
Now going to do
- Revamp the WRUA
- Engage CBOs for collective solid-waste management
- Sensitize the community on environmental awareness
- Research better green practices and technology
Resources available / needed
- Have: human resources, a few tools and PPE, riparian land
- Need: skills, tools, machinery, an informal-settlement mapping system, finance, capacity building, office infrastructure and water
Community involvement
- Inclusive, meaningful public participation, awareness and capacity building, organized through the cluster system of village elders and CSOs (e.g. PWD organizations)
Already doing
- Civic education
Now going to do
- Find better ways to emphasize the importance of continuing restoration initiatives
- Use all available avenues to spread awareness, not limiting dissemination to meetings
- Map out stakeholders essential to the goal — potential funders, environmental champions, and re-establishment of the WRUA
Resources have / need
- Have: manpower, skills, knowledge, spaces and allies
- Need: funding, technical expertise, additional manpower and indigenous knowledge — acquired through proposals, partnerships, community outreach and intergenerational learning
Community involvement
- Workshops and trainings, barazas, peer-to-peer interaction programs, and tailored sessions for schools, churches and faith-based organizations
Organization
- Through the clusters
Already doing
- Mapped out Mau Dam, Karunga Uthiu, Lucky Summer waterfalls, Mathare Community Park and Ghetto Farmers
- Conservation and awareness efforts already in place; a team established
- Pollution control under way at Mau Dam and Mathare Community Park
Now going to do
- Increase awareness and pegging; a perimeter fence using bamboo
- Increase tree nurseries and social cohesion between riverline communities
Resources have / need
- Have: manpower, community, land/space and skills
- Need: finance, government support and partners — through proposals, fundraising, income-generating activities
Community involvement
- Inclusive activities, meaningful public participation, chief barazas, community workshops and green sports
Organization
- Regular meetings, local administrations, advocacy tools such as sports and arts, and faith-based organizations (churches and mosques)
A Coordinating Council to carry the work forward
After the action planning for the six task forces concluded, a Coordinating Council was appointed, with two members per task force. The council oversees the selected goals for the next six months, tracks implementation, monitors progress and safeguards the integrated, longer-term development of the journey that began at this Basecamp.
What's already under way, and what's next
Current
- The Future Design Basecamp report has been written
- A documentary video of the Basecamp
- Presentation of the action plan to key stakeholders, Thursday December 5
- All task forces reporting back and sharing within their own organizations
- All six task forces fine-tuning their action plans with an expanded team and relevant others
Upcoming & ongoing
- Embassy of the Earth's Mathare River Summer School / certificate course on social design and process facilitation
- Further work sessions with the full Mathare River FDB task forces, planned six months out
- Organizing to work together across the board, at every level, as never before