ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR KARIOBANGI NORTH’S WASTE MANAGEMENT
Kariobangi is one of the low-income residential estates situated in the northern part of Nairobi city. The estate consists of slum and apartment dwellings, and it has been split into two, that is, Kariobangi south and Kariobangi North.
Kariobangi North was constructed first, with the first buildings being erected in the 1960s. It is one of the renowned wards in Embakassi North Constituency, which Nairobi city offers, under the new constitution promulgated on 27th of August in 2010, and Kariobangi South being part of the Embakassi West constituency.
Kariobangi North’s Economic Block
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the low-income residential estate has been operating on a 24hrs economy. That is through the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) such as the bakeries, transportation sectors which includes Bodaboda operators, SACCOs like Kariobangi Matatu Owners Sacco (KMOS), and the Neema Travellers Sacco (NTA) and other sources of income such as the retail shops, restaurants, supermarkets, and the Beauty Industry. Light-Industry, Kariobangi North market, and the Korogocho market are renowned for their economically strategic position that they give to the hardworking residents of Kariobangi North despite the continued population growth and the limited opportunities. Light-Industry is Kariobangi North’s manufacturing hub that is well known for producing a range of counterfeit products such as machinery parts, foodstuffs, alcoholic beverages, and the region has a significant role in boosting the economy of Kariobangi north.
The economic block of Kariobangi North started weakening when the world got struck by the pandemic, so many youths lost their jobs. The industries available cannot absorb more youths due to the low income generated in the sectors. From the existing businesses and households in Kariobangi North, waste management has been a significant threat to the residents of Kariobangi north, which has led to environmental pollution, interfering with the sustainable development of the ward and improvement of the health sector. The waste problem can be turned into a good income source if handled with care and concern by the ward.
The Future Waste Management
The continued population growth and development of Kariobangi North has come along with waste management issues. Many are times when litters and garbage have been piling by the roadsides, causing congestions of vehicles and motorbikes operating on the road and pollution of the environment.
Establishing a single point of the waste collection would be a problem due to the ongoing land issues between private entities and the administration at the ward and the county level at large, but that should not be the limiting factor that will put Kariobangi north into an unpleasing environment.
Introducing dumpsters (with three sections for different waste materials, that is, plastics, polythene bags, and biodegradable materials) in every area in Kariobangi north that have the capacity of serving at most 5, five-story buildings.
A temporary collection point of waste materials in every village or area would help avoid roadside dumping and at the same time create more job opportunities for the youths, a specific day should be set aside as to when the dumpster trucks will be coming to pick the waste materials, just like it happens in the estate managed by the City Council of Nairobi, well known as (city).
Will this be a valuable model for managing waste disposal? Yes, the move will play a vital role by helping the ward administration ensure that the environment is clean and healthy for the residents of Kariobangi north through the introduction of The Mobile Alert Technology. Kariobangi north ward will be the first ward in the entire country and East Africa to embrace this technology.
Mobile Alert System
A mobile alert system is a system designed to send geographical targets to the administrator in the form of a text message or a photo, creating an awareness of any imminent threat to the environment. For our case, this technology will be used to manage the waste products and monitor any individual who tries to litter the streets of Kariobangi north.
How is this going to work? Mobile alert software, smartphone, and data connection are the only requirements for the entire process to start where one’s mobile phone will be linked to the administrator through registering in the Application’s system. Taking a photo and sending it to the administrator when the dumpsters are almost full or taking a picture of any person littering the streets and sending it to the administrator will help curb the problem facing roadside dumping .
Once the photo of the dumpster is sent to the ward administrator, the ward administrator can find the location of the dumpsters that are almost full with the help of the GPS coordinates that come along with the photo taken, where in return, the dumpster trucks will be directed to go and replace or the empty the dumpsters. The same will apply when it comes to identifying and locating any person spotted while littering the environment. The person will be apprehended for disciplinary actions for not abiding by the law and contributing to polluting the environment. The charges placed will be accompanied with sufficient evidence.
How will this provide employment?
1. The youth groups responsible withcollecting garbage will still retain their jobs, and an added advantage will be that they will no longer need to travel long distances to dump the waste products.
2. Each area with a dumpster will have a certain number of youths who will bear the responsibility of collecting and taking care of the dumpsters.
3. New positions will be created for the youths who will be managing the dumpsters.
4. Each household is expected to pay at least KES 30 at the end of every week. Therefore, the youth are guaranteed a weekly payment to help them meet their daily needs from this side hustle.
When will the system be ready?
The entire system will be available once the Kariobangi North leadership accepts the proposal aimed at curbing the waste management issue that has been a threat to the residents of the Kariobangi North ward.
Achievements
This proposal will bridge the gap towards attaining-
SDG 1; Ending poverty in all its form through the jobs created.
SDG 3; Whose target is to ensure that there are healthy lives by living in a clean and healthy environment.
SDG 8; Which promotes sustainable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
John Waruru Gitau’s proposal, IBD mentee and a fifth-year engineering student at Taita Taveta University (Kenya), the 8th African Centre of Excellence (CEMEREM) under the DAAD-funded Centres of Excellence Initiative. Over the period June-July 2020, John participated in a participatory feasibility study of a Voi construction project, part of IBD mentorship.
