Madoya is located in the informal settlement of Mathare. It is the second largest informal settlement in Kenya, with an estimated population of 206,564 people. The area is characterized primarily by makeshift housing, insufficient water supply, poor sanitation, and poor solid waste management and disposal. Disposal is usually along the Nairobi river bank, which borders Madoya.

In collaboration with the Join the Pipe Foundation (JTP) and the Down Yard Self-Help Youth Group from the Madoya area, a new project was initiated to improve the sanitation facilities run by the Down Yard Self-Help Group and clean up the dump site on the river bed. ITF’s goal was to provide clean, usable washroom facilities and install a water tap station with the purpose of improving the environment in Madoya, making it more habitable by distributing water bottles to schools and also using the youth group to sell JTP bottles and drinking water. The project is funded by Leiden University in the Netherlands.

The project was implemented between November 10th and January 26th, 2022, when two toilets and two bathrooms were constructed in Madoya, Mathare. The toilets and bathrooms were built on the grounds of and for a local youth group called ‘Down Yard Self-Help Youth Group'. The construction process was managed by ITF technician David Munyu, who employed members of the aforementioned youth group and other local (mostly unskilled) casual workers to assist. Overall, a total of KSH 417,483 was spent on the project. Two toilets and two showers operating with cold water were then finalized, as well as a JTP water tap with clean drinking water.

The Madoya Clean-Up activity took place on January 28, 2022, from 9am to 2pm in collaboration with the Down Yard Self-Help Youth Group. It was a successful event with community participation as well as the participation of a Year 8 class of a local school, Furaha Community High School. Moreover, we collaborated with NMS (Nairobi Metropolitan Services), who provided us with lorries. At the end of the clean-up, local youth gathered in a nearby church, and a representative of each group (including ITF and NMS) introduced themselves. JTP water bottles were then distributed to everyone who had participated in the clean-up, and refreshments. A total of 150 bottles were distributed during the event. ITF’s presence was appreciated, and two youth leaders from local groups asked ITF for collaboration on similar projects.