On July 1st, 2025, the Urban TRACS Inception Workshop in Kisumu, Kenya, marked the start of the project’s local stakeholder engagement. The workshop brought together community members, County and National government representatives, academia, and civil society to collectively reflect on how Urban TRACS will be contextualised and implemented.

The event served as an opportunity to officially introduce the Urban TRACS project to stakeholders drawn from Nairobi, Nakuru, and Kisumu, share its objectives, structure, and expected outcomes, and provide a platform for community voices and local stakeholders to discuss climate and adaptation challenges. It also set the stage for building collaborative momentum and partnerships that will support the project’s implementation moving forward.

SDI Kenya Executive Director Joseph Kimani recognizes community members, local government representatives, academia, and civil society partners present at the Urban TRACS Inception Workshop.

Stakeholders in attendance included representatives from SDI Kenya, Muungano Wa Wanavijiji, Kenya informal settlements improvement programme (KISIP), Suswatch, Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Kisumu County, Maseno University, and community members from Nyalenda A and B, Manyatta, Kondele, Bandani, Shaurimoyo, and Railways, with residents of Bandani and Nyalenda  A where the project will be implemented playing a leading role in the discussions. Climate change has significantly affected the people of Kisumu, especially in these areas. 

“The implementation of Urban TRACS in Kisumu targets Nyalenda A and Bandani, which have been affected by flooding, poor sanitation, and health problems like typhoid,” noted Mr. Kilion Nyambuga, Programs Coordinator at SDI Kenya.

Funded under CLARE, the Urban TRACS project will enhance resilience by improving climate risk assessments, promoting inclusive governance, and developing locally-driven solutions, including establishing resilience hubs and inclusive financing mechanisms. CLARE is a flagship research program on climate adaptation and resilience, funded mostly (about 90%) by UK Aid through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and co-funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. CLARE is bridging critical gaps between science and action by championing Southern leadership to enable socially inclusive and sustainable action to build resilience to climate change and natural hazards

“The focus of the CLARE program is to enable socially inclusive development actions in building resilience to climate change and natural calamities in Africa and Asia-Pacific.” Mercy Ojoyi

Ms. Judith Oluoch, CECM Water, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Kisumu County, and Ms. Mercy Ojoyi, Senior Program Specialist at IDRC, engage in discussion during the Urban TRACS Inception Workshop. Photo: KYCTV

Kisumu City has a high poverty index, with approximately 60% of its population living in poverty, significantly higher than Kenya’s national average of about 20.9%. A large portion of Kisumu’s residents live in informal settlements and squatter areas that lack access to basic services. 

A recent climate risk and vulnerability assessment conducted by SDI Kenya, in partnership with the County Government of Kisumu, Maseno University, Muungano Wa Wanavijiji, and community members from seven wards within the Kisumu City slum belt, revealed that residents in these informal settlements are increasingly affected by climate change impacts such as flooding and rising lake levels. During floods, women and children are especially vulnerable, often facing severe displacement and disruption to their daily lives.

“It’s just a month ago that we launched the adaptation plan for the seven wards in Kisumu City, and the promise was that proposed projects from these plans at the grassroots would get some funding to improve the resilience of the urban poor. I am overjoyed. We will work together with all partners and the community to ensure we deliver change leading to a resilient society,” said Judith Oluoch, CECM Water, Environment, Climate Change, and Natural Resources, Kisumu County

Community members, local government representatives, academia, and civil society engage in breakout sessions during the launch, discussing who should be involved in Urban TRACS and defining guiding principles from a local perspective. Photo: KYCTV

The core aim of the Urban TRACS project is to strengthen the capacities, relationships, systems, and processes for communities, governance actors, and other key stakeholders to work together to fund, plan, and implement climate change adaptation strategies that reduce existing inequities and promote equitable and inclusive climate-resilient development.

Slum dwellers have long been overlooked, and development has rarely prioritized urban informal settlements. SDI Kenya and Muungano Wa Wanavijiji are committed to ensuring that communities remain at the center of this project, as is their practice; the adaptation process will be locally driven. To reaffirm this, the inception meeting created space for community members to lead breakout sessions alongside local government representatives, academia, and civil society. Together, they discussed who should be involved in Urban TRACS and defined guiding principles from a local perspective, ensuring that community voices shape every step of the process.

“We must change how we plan. Our actions must lead to impact, and meetings must result in tangible outcomes. Let’s work together to make this reality possible.” – Mr. Joseph Kimani, Executive Director of Shack Dwellers International Kenya (SDI Kenya)

Meta Meta Youth Group showcasing local urban farming solutions during the Urban TRACS Inception Workshop. Photo Courtesy KCYTV

Local innovators also exhibited practical solutions at the workshop. Wolf Art showcased chairs made from recycled tires and waste bins designed for organic and inorganic waste separation; Jamtaka presented soap and drinking glasses made from recycled glass bottles and black soldier fly (BSF) products; Metameta displayed African leafy vegetables grown through urban smart agriculture; and United Solution shared their work on vermiculture. These initiatives reflect the community’s creativity and commitment to circular solutions that tackle waste, sanitation, urban hunger, and build climate resilience.

The Inception Workshop was an important first step in putting communities at the center of climate action, building local ownership, strengthening partnerships, and setting the foundation for practical solutions that reflect the lived realities of the people and help them cope with the changes in climate. With communities leading the way and strong partnerships from all stakeholders, Kisumu is charting a path toward a fairer, more resilient future for everyone.