Local leadership
Champions will participate in leadership development, environmental stewardship training and community mobilisation.
SOEA — NCCG
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPIONS INITIATIVE
Co-designing climate solutions for a sustainable Africa.
An 18-month community-led initiative strengthening environmental stewardship, livelihoods, circular economy opportunities and climate resilience in Dandora and Mathare.
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THE INITIATIVE
Communities at the centre of climate action.
The Community Environmental Champions Initiative (CECI) is an 18-month programme designed to respond to the environmental, livelihood and climate-related challenges identified within the community.
The programme brings together community leadership, environmental stewardship, occupational safety, circular economy enterprise and climate resilience.
At its centre are people — particularly waste pickers and community environmental actors — who are supported with skills, safer working practices, market opportunities and pathways toward more resilient livelihoods.
01
Community-led
Local people are central to planning, implementation and learning.
02
Circular economy
Turning environmental challenges into opportunities for livelihoods and enterprise.
03
Climate resilience
Strengthening community capacity to respond to environmental and climate-related risks.
WHY CECI?
Environmental challenges are connected.
The programme responds to interconnected challenges affecting communities and environmental workers.
CECI takes an integrated approach — connecting environmental action with health, safety, livelihoods, enterprise and community resilience.
01
Waste
Better waste management and environmental stewardship.
02
Livelihoods
Stronger enterprise, income and market opportunities.
03
Health & safety
Safer working conditions and greater dignity for environmental workers.
04
Climate resilience
Stronger capacity to respond to environmental and climate-related risks.
THE PEOPLE
30
Community Environmental Champions.
At the heart of CECI are community members who will be equipped to lead environmental action, strengthen local networks and contribute to more resilient communities.
Environmental action
They will contribute to local environmental action plans and community initiatives focused on stewardship, resilience and better waste management.
Skills & digital literacy
The programme includes environmental training, digital literacy and an introduction to the Taarifa Eco Platform.
Inclusion & participation
Recruitment is designed to be open, transparent and inclusive, reaching women, youth and marginalised groups.
THE PROGRAMME
Six areas of action working together.
CECI takes an integrated approach to environmental action, livelihoods, community leadership and climate resilience. Each work package contributes to the wider goal of sustainable, community-led change.
01
Community Leadership & Environmental Stewardship
Strengthen local leadership and community ownership of environmental action through leadership development, environmental stewardship training, digital literacy, safeguarding, community mobilisation and peer learning.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Increased community participation, stronger local
leadership and sustained environmental action.
02
Occupational Health, Safety & Dignity
Improve the health, safety and wellbeing of waste pickers and frontline environmental workers through occupational safety training, PPE distribution, health promotion, safeguarding and referral pathways.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Safer working practices, improved occupational
health and increased dignity among environmental
workers.
03
Circular Economy Enterprise & Financial Inclusion
Strengthen livelihoods through enterprise development, value addition, business coaching, financial literacy, savings groups, mentorship and market linkages.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Increased household income, improved financial
resilience and stronger circular economy enterprises.
04
Climate Resilience & Community Environmental Action
Strengthen community capacity to respond to environmental and climate-related risks through waste segregation, environmental restoration, drainage clean-ups, tree growing and climate awareness.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Cleaner neighbourhoods, reduced environmental
risks and improved community climate resilience.
05
Partnerships, Knowledge & Policy Engagement
Strengthen institutional collaboration through stakeholder engagement, county collaboration, policy dialogue, research partnerships, learning exchanges and advocacy.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Stronger institutional coordination, increased
policy engagement and sustained collaboration.
06
Storytelling, Communications, Learning & Scale-Up
Generate evidence and strengthen visibility through documentation, photography, videography, digital storytelling, publications, monitoring, evaluation, knowledge management and reflection.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Increased public awareness, stronger organisational
learning, improved programme adaptation and greater
replication potential.
THE JOURNEY
18 months of community action.
CECI moves from mobilisation and leadership development into environmental action, enterprise, learning and long-term community resilience.
01
MONTHS 1–4
Mobilise & build leadership.
The programme begins by bringing communities and partners together, recruiting Community Environmental Champions and building the leadership, environmental stewardship and digital skills needed to drive local action.
- Recruit Community Environmental Champions
- Leadership & environmental training
- Community mobilisation
- Local environmental action planning
- Launch of Phase One
02
MONTHS 5–16
Act, build & create opportunity.
Community action expands into occupational safety, circular economy enterprise, environmental restoration, climate awareness and livelihood development.
- Occupational health & safety
- PPE and health promotion
- Circular economy enterprise
- Savings & financial inclusion
- Environmental restoration
- Climate action campaigns
03
MONTHS 17–18
Learn, share & look ahead.
The programme brings together evidence, stories and lessons from implementation to strengthen learning, document impact and explore opportunities for future replication and scale-up.
- Reflection & learning
- Impact documentation
- Stories & knowledge products
- Evaluation
- Future scale-up and replication
CECI × SUPER CUP
Where community action meets the pitch.
The SOEA–NCCG Environmental Super Cup and Circular Economy Fair serves as a flagship platform for community mobilisation, partnership visibility and resource mobilisation — and marks the official launch of Phase One of CECI.
Explore the Super Cup →
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Be part of the change.
CECI brings communities, environmental champions and partners together to build cleaner, safer and more resilient communities.