RECAP OF WORLD CLEAN UP DAY 2025

Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority joined partners during national celebrations to mark #WorldCleanUpDay2025, hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Forestry and Machakos County Government, with support from UN-HABITAT, NEMA Kenya and other institutions for a clean-up at Sokoni ,Machakos Town and celebrations later at The Machakos University Amphitheatre which was graced by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Forestry.

The Theme for this year was  “Tackling Textile and Fashion Waste through Circular Fashion,” focusing on how sustainable choices in fashion and responsible waste management can help tackle one of the fastest-growing pollution challenges of our time .As a testament to its efforts in environmental conservation, TARDA donated 2000 assorted tree seedlings during the event.

In Nairobi County, another team participated in an exercise organized by the Ruai Environment Group, which brought communities together at Ruai Market and later converged at Ruai Primary School for a day of action and awareness. TARDA was proud to be part of this exercise, not just in the clean-up, but in advancing conversations that matter for our environment and communities.

The day featured market clean-up exercises and waste segregation activities that demonstrated the power of community-led responsibility at the source. Together with traders, pupils, and local leaders, we engaged in awareness talks that unpacked the hidden costs of textile waste and its growing impact on our environment. Practical demonstrations on circular fashion — reuse, repair, and redesign — reinforced how everyday choices can turn waste into opportunity and value.

As custodians of the Tana and Athi River Basins, TARDA’s role in waste management goes beyond clean-ups. We bring practical solutions through:

Supporting tree planting and riparian restoration to reduce riverbank pollution.

Engaging youth and communities in sustainable waste practices that protect rivers from textile and plastic runoff.

Linking conservation with livelihoods — ensuring that climate action translates into real socio-economic opportunities.

By participating in today’s clean-up, TARDA reinforces its mandate: keeping rivers healthy, ecosystems resilient, and communities empowered. Together with partners, we are turning awareness into measurable impact — ensuring that rivers remain lifelines, not dumping lines. .

For TARDA, these celebrations were more than a symbolic act of service. It was about embedding environmental stewardship into daily community life — connecting waste management to the protection of our basins, the safeguarding of livelihoods, and the shaping of a future where sustainability is second nature.