Spades Out, Gloves On; A Mazingira Day Win For Environmental Sustainability.
On 10 October 2026, the compound of Clay City Secondary School in Kasarani, Nairobi, filled with students, youth, community leaders and government officials for Mazingira Day. The event was led by Green Advocates Africa, in partnership with WeWorld Kenya, the Organisation of African Youth (OAY) Kenya and the Nairobi City County Government, with support from Giving Light to Society.
The day combined a climate awareness session, tree planting and a community clean-up. With El Niño rains approaching, the conversations carried real urgency.
THE COUNTY PLAN AHEAD OF EL NIÑO
The County Executive Committee Member for Urban Planning, Mining and Housing opened by thanking the organising partners for making the day a success. He then spoke about what the county is doing to protect residents from the coming rains.
“Over the next week, the county will fill all quarries and open pits, both private and public, to reduce the risk of flooding and disaster. Teams are also unclogging drainages so surface runoff can flow freely once the rains begin.”
The Deputy County Commissioner connected flooding to everyday habits. He urged all stakeholders to practise sustainable waste management from the homestead upward. “Undesignated dumpsites and clogged drainage channels,” he noted, “make flooding worse, and they begin with how waste is handled in individual households.”
The Sub-County Director of Education welcomed the initiative and pointed out that planting inside the school compound helps guarantee its sustainability. The trees have a daily guardian in the school community. He also described the exercise as environmental education, since learners will watch the trees grow and understand why they matter.
The school principal and the Environment Club teacher committed to nurturing the trees until they reach maturity. The Kenya Forest Service officer echoed this, urging the school and organisers to make sure the trees survive and grow to full height.
BEYOND PLANTING DAY
A tree takes an afternoon to plant and years to grow. What stood out on 10 October was that every speaker, from county government to the classroom, spoke about what happens next: drains cleared, pits filled, waste managed properly, seedlings watered through the dry months.
The day also showed what partnership can do. A community organisation, international and youth-led partners, a county government, a school and a supporting organisation each brought something different, and together they linked climate action to a risk residents face this season.
At OAY Kenya, we are proud to have been part of it. We thank Green Advocates Africa, WeWorld Kenya, the Nairobi City County Government, Giving Light to Society, the Clay City Secondary School community and everyone who showed up to plant, clean and commit.
By Faith Ndanu
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