Fair recycling 2.0: from waste to possibility

SANKARA NAGAYA – Aggregator, Social Justice and Environment Centre, Ngong

Sankara Nagaya’s recycling journey began in 2018, but a dumpsite closure forced his team to stop operating. He turned to Kazi Mtaani to support his family while holding on to his commitment to environmental conservation. Today, that determination has helped grow the Ngong Social Justice and Environment Centre into a registered community-based organisation with a material recovery facility (MRF) working with approximately 60 waste pickers.

The centre buys plastics from waste pickers, sorts and prepares them for onward recycling, increasing the value of materials along the chain. Through Fair Recycling 2.0, Sankara and his team have strengthened business management, record keeping, negotiation and advocacy skills, while gaining exposure to more reliable markets and partnerships. The team is also exploring Black Soldier Fly farming to turn organic waste into animal feed protein and organic fertiliser.

“Before, we only knew how to collect plastic. Today, we understand the value chain, negotiate better prices and run a stronger business while protecting the environment.” Sankara Nagaya

His next step is growth: better processing equipment, a permanent working shed, stronger storage and safety systems, and a waste pickers’ cooperative that can strengthen bargaining power and access to finance.

KELVIN OMONDI – Aggregator, Wapole Kijee Buyback Centre, Majengo

Before most of Nairobi wakes up, Kelvin Omondi is opening the gates of the Wapole Kijee Buyback Centre. His own journey began as a waste picker. After four years collecting recyclable materials, he challenged himself to become an aggregator buying from fellow waste pickers, sorting materials and supplying to recycling companies.

Today, Kelvin connects waste pickers to the wider recycling value chain. Five workers support daily operations while he manages purchases, sales and customer relationships. Fair Recycling 2.0 is helping him strengthen business and entrepreneurship skills, build market linkages, introduce digital records and traceability through M-Taka, App and grow his confidence as an entrepreneur.

“Waste pickers are the entry point to the circular economy. Without them, there is no recycling.” Kelvin Omondi

His next goal is to register Wapole Kijee as a limited company, invest in a truck and processing equipment, expand employment and improve prices paid to waste pickers.

MARY NYAGUTHII, aggregator.

Mary Nyaguthii never imagined that the work she once saw as “dirty and tiring” would become her business. While running a small vegetable stand in Nairobi’s Korogocho, she watched her friend Esther collect and aggregate plastic waste. A simple invitation from DRC “Imagine, even you can do it.” helped her see the recycling value chain differently.

With training in entrepreneurship, recycling enterprise development, financial literacy and occupational health and safety, Mary started collecting plastics alongside her vegetable business. With support including tarpaulins and a weighing machine, she began buying directly from waste pickers, selling to recycling companies and reinvesting her earnings.

Her enterprise has grown steadily. Mary now collects more than one tonne of recyclable material each week and serves approximately 100 waste pickers in a day, with additional collectors coming on Sundays. She employs five waste pickers at her aggregation site, paying each KES 500 per day. Her reputation is built on something simple but powerful: waste pickers know they will be paid.

“There is no dirty work. There is dignity in work, and there is money in recycling.” Mary Nyaguthii

Her next goal is to buy a lorry and a plastic crusher to add value to materials, secure better prices, grow her enterprise and create safer, more dignified opportunities for waste pickers.