Disposingof garbage and waste is a problem in many parts of Kenya. In the western Kenyancity of Kisumu, the Zingira Nyanza group is hoping to reduce the amount ofgarbage by making objects of beauty out of plastic bags, tin cans, and otherdiscarded materials. Cathy Majtenyi visited the group and filed this report forVOA.

Lucy Okudo

Lucy Okudo braids strips from old plastic bags into arope. She collected the plastic bags from streets and garbage dumps in herneighborhood in Kisumu.

She windsthe rope around a wooden frame to make a basket. Okudo has been creatingbaskets out of plastic bags for almost eight years.

She saysit's a win-win situation. "I saw the need of cleaning up the environmentand picking up polythene bags. I wanted to pick up the polythene bags and earna living from it. That is why I came up with the (basket) product, to be ableto feed my family and at the same time clean the environment," Okudosaid.

Acrosstown, Richard Omolo makes objects from metal sheets. He smoothes the roughedges. By using scrap metal, Omolo says he is saving more than just theenvironment.

Richard Omolo

"Ifthe metal sheets are thrown away, they can cut children who are playing withinthe dumping area," Omolo said. "That is why it was ideal to approach thecompanies and get the metal sheets from them to make good products."

Omolo andOkudo are members of Zingira Nyanza, it's a 25-member group creating objects ofbeauty out of trash.

Young men,hired by the group, gather plastic bags and other discarded objects from anearby dump.

The groupalso purchases metal sheets from soft drink and beer companies looking to getrid of defective bottle cap designs.

With thematerials, members make a wide range of products like necklaces made out ofmagazines, toys, mobiles, and jewelry boxes.

Furniture and lampshades, made from water hyacinth fibers

Furnitureand lampshades are fashioned from water hyacinth fibers.

Waterhyacinth is considered a danger to Lake Victoria. It cuts off oxygen and sunlight to the lake's plants and fish.

The grouphas put the maligned plant to good use.

EvanceOdhiambo, a former gardener, founded Zingira Nyanza eight years ago.

"Iwanted to create job opportunities for the youth, staying within thiscommunity, and I saw the need of cleaning up the environment, and I wanted todo that in a creative way by having people earning a living from cleaning the environment,"Odhiambo said.

He startedoff by recycling paper, and then used the paper to make greeting cards.

Evance Odhiambo

He thenrecruited and trained young people to make the cards, and eventually otherproducts.

ZingiraNyanza now employs more than 40 artisans. 

Odhiambosays he encourages them to create their own designs. "We realize that manyof the youths around are so creative and their minds are just lyingfallow. No one is giving them a chanceto come up with their designs," Odhiambo said.

Odhiambohas big dreams. He hopes to sell thegroup's jewelry, toys and other objects in Europe, North America, and beyond.