While working with Umande Trust, I actively participated in a transformative sanitation project—the construction and deployment of bio-centres in informal settlements across Nairobi. These centers served as modern, clean toilets that converted human waste into biogas—a renewable fuel used by the community for cooking.
The beauty of this innovation is that it tackled three major challenges at once: poor sanitation, limited access to clean energy, and unemployment. I contributed by helping train residents on how to manage and maintain the facilities, as well as collecting feedback to improve adoption and usability. It was empowering to see how the simple act of using a toilet could power a stove—and bring dignity to people’s daily lives.
Hygiene Access through Handwashing Stations
In response to increasing health risks, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Umande Trust implemented a handwashing station project aimed at promoting hygiene in crowded areas. I worked on this project by helping install stations and conduct community sensitization campaigns on handwashing practices.
These stations were placed near marketplaces, schools, and transit hubs, giving hundreds of residents daily access to soap and water. Our team collaborated with local health volunteers to teach correct handwashing techniques, and I helped document success stories from the field.
Reflections
These projects were more than infrastructure—they were about restoring dignity, reducing disease, and building long-term resilience through community-driven solutions. Being part of such impactful work affirmed my passion for combining sustainable development with grassroots engagement.
If you’d like to learn more about Umande Trust’s work, visit Umande.org.