GRECOP founder Fionah Njeri and some community members during clean up sessions./PHOTO ; GRECOP
One of the jewels of Kenya, Kajiado County, which is known for its stunning landscapes, wildlife, and vibrant Maasai culture, is losing its luster as the effects of climate change take a toll on the region.
The main economic activities here are pastoralism, tourism, and agriculture; unfortunately, limited job opportunities have led to high unemployment, causing people to rely heavily on natural resources.
This has resulted in environmental issues like burning fossil fuels, deforestation (especially cutting down acacia trees for charcoal production), and overgrazing by livestock, which has led to less vegetation thus speeding up the process of fertile land becoming desert.
These activities have messed up the climate in the area, intensified the greenhouse effect and global warming; hence, the county is grappling with prolonged droughts, extreme heat, and flash floods, a vicious cycle exacerbated by deforestation, overgrazing, and illegal charcoal production.
According to the 2023 KNBS report, Kajiado County has experienced a 25 per cent decline in average annual rainfall over the past decade, worsening water scarcity and crop failures.
A personal call to action
Fionah Njeri, a passionate environmentalist born and raised in Kajiado, witnessed these changes firsthand.
She fondly remembers the rivers of her childhood, once teeming with life, and worries that future generations might never experience the same vibrant landscape.
“Nature walks opened my eyes to how humans disrupt nature,” she said. “When my dad passed on his tree business to me, I saw it as an opportunity to make a positive impact in my county by planting trees.”
During her time in college, Fionah started Fifiture, a youth-led initiative combining her name and the word nature, with the support of her friends.
The project focused on tree planting in Kajiado County and later earned her the title of Miss Environment, further fuelling her drive to create a larger impact.
The birth of GRECOP
In January 2022, Fionah took her passion further by founding the Greener Communities Program (GRECOP), a community-based organisation with nine staff members working across different parts of Kajiado.
The team focuses on climate-smart agriculture, sustainable farming, waste management, agroforestry and policy development.
In just its first year, GRECOP had planted more than 10,000 trees. The organisation’s multifaceted approach aims to ensure soil health and promote sustainable practices for a greener future across the 8,220-square-mile region.
For Njeri, who studied to be a teacher at Africa Nazarene University, education is at the heart of change.
Therefore, GRECOP offers mentoring programs and environmental clubs in 10 Kajiado County public and private schools and hosts community book clubs to make environmental information more accessible.
Sustainable farming and agroforestry
In the field of climate-smart agriculture, GRECOP trains farmers in eco-friendly practices, including organic farming techniques, improved irrigation methods, soil erosion prevention, pest and disease control and agroecology to maintain soil health.
According to a 2022 study by the Arid Lands Information Network, farmers adopting agroforestry practices in Kajiado saw a 30 percent increase in crop yield while reducing soil degradation.
Agroforestry, Njeri explained, boosts climate resilience by providing income sources for instance, through the sale of fruits from trees while improving water management and conserving soil fertility.
It creates conditions that withstand climate change, benefiting both crop and livestock production, sequestering carbon and supporting biodiversity.
“Agroforestry is key to our strategy,” she said. “We show our commitment to integrating trees into agriculture for carbon sequestration, soil health and food security.”
GRECOP encourages villages and schools to create food forest gardens, which mimic natural forests and provide fruits, nuts and herbs.
Empowering communities and youth
Njeri believes her organisation’s community- and youth-driven model makes it effective in Kajiado. Her staff of young people grew up in the villages where they work and understand local cultural nuances.
“Our members are leaders in their communities,” she said. “They take part in our environmental projects based on where they’re located in Kajiado. Through them, we are invited to participate in community projects.”
This community orientation allows GRECOP to serve as a bridge for other environmental organisations to better reach local villages.
For example, GRECOP partners with the Arid Lands Information Network, which helps farmers learn agroecology, and the Community Sustainable Agriculture Healthy Environmental Program, which trains small-scale farmers, particularly women.
“We help by building capacity on how farmers can grow food organically, improve irrigation, establish nurseries, and sell surplus for economic development,” Njeri said.
Waste management and river cleanups
When it comes to waste management, GRECOP visits schools, educating students on proper waste disposal and recycling.
They teach art using waste products, like making flower vessels out of used plastic or creating beautiful flower arrangements.
Additionally, the group coordinates the cleanup of the Mbagathi River, which is often filled with waste and trash, yet it flows into the nearby Nairobi National Park, home to Kenyan wildlife.
At the community level, they occasionally engage the community members in a communal clean-up and empower individuals by teaching them how trash can be transformed into a source of income.
“Waste management is not just about keeping our communities clean,” Njeri said.
“It is about protecting ecosystems, preventing pollution, and showing that what we throw away can create income and opportunity.”
Impact in Schools and Communities
Greener Communities’ programs are already transforming local schools. At Visioners School Kandisi, teacher Albert Siro said, “Since the program started in 2022, our students have actively embraced conservation efforts, and awareness has soared.”
He added that many families have also taken up tree planting and balcony gardening using recycled containers.
“I believe it is the work of GRECOP in our schools and community that has led to these impacts,” he said.
Njeri noted that they have observed growing interest and personal initiatives from students, with some club members even coming to school during holidays to care for the trees.
Challenges on the Road to Sustainability
Despite its progress, GRECOP faces significant challenges. Inadequate funding slows the program’s expansion, while harsh weather and remote locations make tree survival and project implementation difficult.
Cultural barriers also exist. Alexander Kiruga, head of communications for the group noted that differences in Maa dialects make communicating environmental messages challenging.
“Some traditional gender roles limit participation in certain activities. Communal land use for grazing conflicts with agroforestry goals,” he said.
To overcome these challenges, GRECOP encourages communities to plant trees such as Moringa, Calliandra, and Leucaena, which can serve as livestock feed once mature.
However, maintaining these trees requires long-term commitment, as communities must care for them until they reach the stage when they can be pruned for feed.
Kiruga added that community participation can be difficult to sustain.
“Encouraging active involvement from all community members, especially across diverse age groups, is challenging due to varying cultural interests and priorities,” he said.
Financial constraints also limit GRECOP’s capacity, slowing outreach. The organisation must navigate resistance to new conservation habits, cultural norms, traditional practices, and lack of awareness.
“Land in the county is mainly communal, which can pose problems when some community members prefer using it for livestock grazing instead of agroforestry,” Njeri said.
Future plans
Despite these obstacles, Greener Communities remains dedicated to making an environmental impact.
“Yearly, we plant approximately 10,000 trees in Kajiado,” Njeri said.
The longevity of environmental clubs, sustained interest in eco-education programs, and the integration of sustainable practices in schools contribute to assessing long-term educational impact.
Assessing milestones achieved in collaboration with partners provides a qualitative measure of their collaborative impact.
The aim is to partner with 100 schools and plant 50,000 trees in schools, which, when mature, can collectively absorb over a million kilograms of CO2 annually, Njeri said.
“Our strategic roadmap includes registering as an NGO, with a vision to expand our outreach to other parts of Kenya; we envision having an agroforestry center as well,” she said.
Njeri, in her conclusion, noted that their goal is to create a legacy of environmental stewardship, thriving ecosystems, and empowered youth that will forever strive to be a model for sustainable environmental programs that bring about lasting positive change.
