Clean a river in Migingo & stop plastic pollution

Hello friends,

Thank you for your continued belief in our work here in Kenya. We're writing to share both some challenges we've faced and the inspiring resilience that continues to define this project and our community.

Recently, our plastic recycling efforts were dealt a blow when a major power surge - caused by a fault in Kenya’s national electricity grid - damaged key machines in our recycling factory. These machines, which are used to transform the plastic waste into paving blocks and fabric, are now out of service and will need repairing before we can resume production. It’s a frustrating setback, but the team is already assessing the steps needed to get back on track as soon as possible. We're expecting that this won't take too long, and hope to resume the plastic processing very soon!

Despite this hurdle, our work hasn’t stopped. In fact, the community has come together more than ever. We're continuing to restore the local riverbanks and green spaces, still healing from the devastating floods that hit Nairobi last year. It's been tough, but progress is clear. The community gardens we’ve planted are now flourishing.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to share that the team is starting to explore new ideas to expand the types of materials we can recycle in the future. These early-stage plans hold great promise, and we can’t wait to share more as they develop. Watch this space!

As ever, we thank you for your continued support. If you would like to share this project with your friends and family, we, and the Chemolex team in Kenya, would be extremely grateful. 

Best wishes

Kirsten and the SVRG Team

Links:

• Chemolex
• Smart Villages Research Group