Ecofinder Kenya

Organization Name: Ecofinder Kenya

Location: Dunga Beach, Kisumu, Kenya

Funds Raised: $10,000

Anticipated Completion Date: Spring, 2013

Focus of Project: Construction of an Eco-Center for the Dunga Community

Ecofinder Kenya is a non-governmental organization located at the Dunga Wetland Pedagogical Center in the Lake Victoria region of Kenya in eastern Africa. Ecofinder Kenya works towards the conservation of the Lake Victoria islands and wetlands, which currently face numerous anthropogenic threats including waste pollution, reclamation for unsustainable farming and settlements, papyrus burning and over-harvesting for fuel.

The Lake Victoria region exhibits an extremely high level of  human waste contamination as most community members defecate in either open-pit latrines which seep into the lake, or in the wetlands themselves. The magnitude of contamination has left many wetland communities in dire need of sustainable, potable water resources. The lack of safe, potable water has led to a chilling prevalence of water-born illnesses. Thus, Ecofinder Kenya facilitates a multifaceted approach towards raising awareness about environmental conservation and combating debilitating social norms.

Ecofinder Kenya utilizes activities such as “conservation education” through local drama and radio programs; habitat restoration through planting trees and replanting papyrus; capacity building through community trainings; promotion of compost toilets for human waste management and organic farming; small-scale water harvesting techniques; and the promotion of green energy technologies.

Do Good Lab is partnering with Ecofinder Kenya in the construction of an Eco-Center for the Dunga community. The Eco-Center will serve as a training center for important potable water/conservation practices. It will also be outfitted with compost toilets and a ecosan roof-top water harvesting technique.  Members of the Dunga community will be taught how to implement the same water harvesting technique in their own homes and encouraged to invest in their own compost toilets.  The impact of this project will extend to the entire Dunga population of 4,200.