Waste field in Mathare North
Waste management has a become major problem in Mathare north and its environs. In the past Nairobi city council had the capacity and machinery to handle waste but due to curruption, proper waste management policies and proper resource management things are falling apart because waste is being dumped every were.
Ateku, project manager for a progressive development organization (CBO), says that in the year 1996 up to the 1999 they were handling a capacity of two to four tonnes of solid waste per day, but due to rapid population growth in the urban areas they are now handling a capacity 10 to 15 tonnes of waste per day. But due to ignorance from Nairobi city council and the Government who failed to assist them to secure funds and suitable places to dump, nowadays waste is being littered every where which in return has made mathare and its environ untidy and filthy both for children and grown ups living around.
George Wambua, children rights activist, says that most CBO’s working within mathare lack machinery in terms of tools, man power, vehicles which will help them transport waste to the government designated area which is about 40 kilometer from mathare north. In return it has led to a wider spread of waste being dumped everywhere and the talk of the day is that there is wider spread of cholera and asthma being transmitted to young children who have got no proper playing grounds, hence they end up playing with garbage leading to early death cases.
Our request to the Goverment, National and International NGO’S is that” waste is money ”if managed well. Most of the youths living within mathare north are idle and jobless, which in return has wider spread of crime and death of young people between the age of 12 to 18 years. Please help equip the local CBO’S around mathare north with machines so that they can improve their working standard and the environment.
– Javin
matharevalley 
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