25,000 young people have been enlisted into the Climate Worx Programme in a renewed effort to clean up the environment and offer jobs to youth across Kenya.
President William Ruto said the programme reflects the government’s commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for young people while advancing environmental conservation.
“We are proud of the programme’s success in cleaning up Nairobi River. We are now expanding its reach by deploying more youth to active and emerging Climate Worx sites, particularly in high-density informal settlements, riparian corridors, and flood-prone urban areas,” said the President.
He added that the government targets to engage over 200,000 youth countrywide through the programme.
The Climate Worx Programme is a flagship initiative implemented under the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with county governments, the Nairobi Rivers Commission, NYS, civil society organisations, and other partners.
It focuses on addressing environmental challenges such as river pollution, accumulation of solid waste, and neglected public spaces while creating livelihoods for thousands of young Kenyans.
“This isn’t just about cleaning up our environment, it’s about tackling the problem at the source,” said Rtd. Brigadier Joseph Muracia, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nairobi Rivers Commission.
“It’s about restoring dignity to informal workers, revitalising neglected urban spaces, and building a greener, more inclusive future led by our youth,” he added.
The newly inducted group will be deployed across a network of active and upcoming Climate Worx sites, especially in densely populated informal settlements, riparian corridors, and flood-prone areas.
The workforce comprises youth, women, NYS graduates, and community-based groups selected through a structured recruitment process held over the past few months.
Previous phases of the programme have transformed key areas such as Kibra, Dandora, and Lucky Summer, where major works on riverbank decontamination, improved drainage, sanitation upgrades, and public space renewal have taken place.
One of the programme’s focus areas is the 27-kilometre Nairobi River corridor, currently undergoing phased rehabilitation under a Special Planning Area framework that was gazetted in March 2025.
The programme not only targets environmental restoration but also offers economic and social benefits including paid work for disadvantaged youth, skills development, and improved public health.
In the coming weeks, the new recruits will begin work at newly identified sites, with further mobilisation planned through partnerships with community-based organisations and agencies involved in housing and urban development.
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