On 19th March 2026, community champions from some of Nairobi’s informal settlements, Mukuru kwa Ruben, Korogocho, Mathare, and Kibera, gathered not for another workshop, but for a show-and-tell. Briquettes, scented candles, beaded jewellery, recycled plastic plates, organic compost, and handmade bags lined the table. Each item told the same story that what others throw away, these communities are turning into a livelihood.

This was the Breathe Nairobi Initiative’s Exchange Learning Exhibition, facilitated by SDI Kenya and Muungano wa Wanavijiji, and it was anything but ordinary.

Korogocho- Turning River Waste into Renewable Fuel and Community Livelihoods

Three groups made the trip from Korogocho: the Korogocho Agrifood Association, Towers of Hope, and the Vintage Ladies. Together, they painted a vivid picture of what circular thinking looks like in practice.

The Korogocho Agrifood Association demonstrated how organic waste, much of it the kind that once clogged the settlement’s rivers, is transformed into briquettes, artificial firewood, avocado oil, and compost. Rosemary Mwangi, one of the group’s members, put it simply: what was once considered waste is now a vital resource. Through the initiative’s training programs, the group has not only cleaned up their environment but built sustainable livelihoods in the process, and they’re now passing that knowledge on to others.

The Vintage Ladies brought a different kind of creativity. Using excess cloth off-cuts and discarded sponge material, they craft stylish bags that are both eco-friendly and market-ready. It’s a reminder that upcycling doesn’t always mean industrial processes; sometimes it starts with a needle and thread.

Mukuru kwa Ruben- Plastic Recycling, Urban Farming, and Feeding Children

Mukuru Rescue CBO had one of the most layered stories to tell. Led by 26-year-old Noel Okoth, the group collects PET bottles and plastic waste and transforms them into durable household items, plates, bowls, and storage containers, many of which go directly into local school feeding programmes. The same materials are also shaped into artwork that raises awareness about the health impacts of poor waste management.

But perhaps their most powerful initiative is their community feeding program, which provides nutritious daily meals to children using organic ingredients grown from compost made from their own waste. In one neat loop, waste becomes fertiliser, fertiliser grows food, and food nourishes the next generation.

Gateway CBO rounded out Mukuru’s representation with their Black Soldier Fly (BSF) composting system. Job Machoka explained how organic kitchen and market waste is processed daily by BSF larvae into premium, chemical-free fertilise, ideal for urban farming. The group also runs hands-on training in BSF cultivation, integrated pest management, and livestock health, equipping other community champions to replicate the model in their own neighbourhoods.

Kibera- Upcycling and Art as Advocacy for Clean Air

Kibera’s contingent, Visionaries CBO, Foundation of Hope, and Kibera Art, took a distinctly creative approach. Visionaries CBO works with recycled glass to produce scented candles and beadwork. Foundation of Hope focuses on turning plastic waste into functional household items. Kibera Art transforms old textiles into wearable advocacy pieces that carry the message of clean air wherever they go.

For these groups, art isn’t just a product; it’s a strategy. As they see it, a well-crafted canvas or a uniquely designed candle can communicate what a presentation slide sometimes can’t. It invites people in, sparks curiosity, and makes the message stick.

Breathe Cities and the Fight for Cleaner Urban Air

The Breathe Nairobi Initiative is part of the global Breathe Cities initiative, active in 12 cities worldwide through the Clean Air Fund and its partners. The goal: a 30% reduction in urban air pollution by 2030.

But what this exhibition made tangible is that the path to that goal doesn’t run only through policy or technology, it runs through communities like these, where people are already doing the work. By transforming waste into opportunity, Nairobi’s Clean Air Champions are building something bigger than products. They’re building a blueprint for what healthier, more sustainable cities can look like.