A 3-year project by Ecofinder Kenya, an NGO working in the Winam Gulf wetlands around Kisumu, offered families living in these Lake Victoria swamps incentives in exchange for them to conserve the wetlands

By Annika McGinnis

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Climate change, farming and dams severely affect Kenya’s wetlands – contributing to the country’s current water crisis and fish shortages.

A three-year project by Ecofinder Kenya, an NGO working in the Winam Gulf Wetlands around Kisumu, offered families living in these Lake Victoria swamps incentives in exchange for them to conserve the wetlands.

These included Ecosan toilets, which convert human and animal waste to biogas energy; solar lamps; and water pumps. Participating households also became “farmer-to-farmer teachers” to share their conservation farming techniques with their neighbours.

After three years, wetland plants grew back and fish returned to the swamps: the swamps were restored.

View the multimedia project on how this solution is working to conserve swamps and benefit communities in Kisumu, Kenya.

This story was supported with a grant from InfoNile and Code for Africa.