25,000 recruited for Kenya’s Climate Worx urban revival drive
The Climate Worx Program delivers outcomes across environmental, economic, and social fronts. Environmentally, it supports the revival of damaged ecosystems, improves water quality, and boosts waste management.
Kenya has expanded its urban climate response with the official induction of 25,000 youth into the Climate Worx Program during a high-profile event at Uhuru Gardens on Friday.
The new workforce represents a major step forward in the country’s efforts to address pollution, restore ecosystems, and offer green job opportunities to the youth.
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The "Climate WorX" initiative, officially the Climate Resilience Service Programme (CRSP), is a Kenyan government programme launched by President William Ruto to address both unemployment and climate change.
The initiative is led by the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with county governments, the Nairobi Rivers Commission, the National Youth Service, civil society organisations and other partners.
It focuses on tackling urban environmental issues like river pollution, solid waste accumulation, and neglected public spaces, while also equipping young Kenyans with meaningful and paid work.
“This isn’t just about cleaning up our environment, it’s about tackling the problem at the source,” said Rtd Brigadier Joseph Muracia, 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."
The newly inducted workforce is composed of youth, women, National Youth Service (NYS) alumni and community-based groups.
These teams were selected through a structured recruitment exercise and will be stationed in current and upcoming Climate Worx sites in informal settlements, riparian areas and zones prone to flooding.
Previous phases of the programme have made visible progress in areas such as Kibra, Dandora and Lucky Summer. In these locations, workers have helped clean riverbanks, fix drainage systems, improve sanitation and reclaim public spaces for community use.
One of the programme’s priority areas is the 27-kilometre Nairobi River corridor, which is undergoing phased rehabilitation on both banks under a Special Planning Area (SPA) model.
The SPA was officially gazetted in March 2025 to guide the sustainable recovery of the area.
The Climate Worx Programme delivers outcomes across environmental, economic, and social fronts. Environmentally, it supports the revival of damaged ecosystems, improves water quality, and boosts waste management.
Economically, it provides paid work, builds youth capacity, and encourages local enterprise. Socially, it fosters healthier communities, social inclusion, and safer spaces for recreation and culture.
With the induction now complete, the new workforce will soon be deployed to newly identified project sites.
More teams will be brought in through collaboration with local groups, housing and urban agencies, and other government departments.
Officials who addressed the gathering at Uhuru Gardens reaffirmed the long-term nature of the programme, which includes ongoing training, proper equipment, solid infrastructure and cross-agency coordination to protect and expand the gains made.
The government sees Climate Worx as a blueprint for linking climate adaptation, urban transformation and youth empowerment in a way that can be scaled up across cities and counties.
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