Kisumu, Kenya Est. 2020

Turning Waste
Into Value for
Cleaner Communities

Mechria Caters empowers women and youth in Kisumu's informal settlements to segregate, recycle, and earn from waste, building a circular economy one recyclable at a time.

Our Work & Impact Support Us
Janet Okach
Founder & CEO
Women-led
Green Enterprise
Mechria Caters waste management operations in Kisumu, Kenya
SDG 8 SDG 11 SDG 12
300 Women Empowered
Earning from waste in Kibos
~5 Tonnes Diverted
From dumpsites monthly
300+ Households reached
with awareness
~5T Waste diverted from
dumpsites monthly
300 Women earning
from waste
KES 1.2M Annual revenue
generated
The Challenge

Kenya’s Waste Crisis Is Right Here

Kisumu generates enormous volumes of waste daily. Most of it is burned or dumped in open spaces, threatening health, livelihoods, and Lake Victoria.

22K+
Tonnes of waste generated across Kenya every single day. Less than 30% is properly managed.
272T/day
Tonnes generated in Kisumu per day. 256 disposed at dumpsites or on streets. 23 tonnes burned daily in open spaces.
<30%
Women and youth form the backbone of informal waste handling yet remain excluded from formal waste economies and earn little or nothing.

“In the slum communities, waste is often dumped or burned openly. This pollutes air and water, spreads disease, and destroys livelihoods. Most residents have never been told that the waste they discard has real value.”

Janet Okach leading the Mechria Caters team in the field
Kisumu, Kenya
Est. 2020 — Women-Led
Our Story

Born from the Waste Spots of Kisumu

“Every meal we eat leaves behind more than an empty plate. There is food waste, plastic packaging, and a carbon footprint that someone has to deal with.”

My name is Janet Okach, founder of Mechria Caters. I grew up in the waste spots of Kisumu. I watched my mother pick up discarded food to feed us, and that experience taught me something most people miss: waste is not just an environmental problem. It is a social opportunity.

Our mission is to turn waste into wealth by empowering women and youth in informal settlements to segregate, recycle, and earn from waste. Since 2020, we have helped Kisumu transition from open dumping and burning toward a cleaner, circular economy.

Vision
To become a leading community-based waste management and recycling enterprise in Western Kenya within the next 5 years.
Mission
Affordable, reliable waste collection while promoting recycling, composting, and environmental sustainability in our communities.
What We Do

Services We Provide

We offer end-to-end waste solutions for households, businesses, and institutions. From doorstep collection to hands-on recycling training, every service is designed around the communities we serve.

01 — Collection
Household Waste Collection
Regular doorstep collection for subscribed households. Reliable, affordable, and scheduled to match your routine.
KES 300 / month
02 — Education
Training & Awareness
Community training on waste segregation, recycling value, and green entrepreneurship for women and youth.
03 — Circular Loop
Sorting & Recycling
Waste is sorted at our hub. Plastics, metals and paper are sold to licensed aggregators, keeping materials in use and out of dumpsites.
04 — Composting
Organic Composting
Organic waste turned into high-quality compost with 23 partner farmers in Kibos, feeding urban agriculture.
The Process

How It Works

Five simple steps that turn neighbourhood waste into value for families, communities, and the environment.

1
Households Register
Families subscribe for KES 300/month and receive collection schedules plus sorting guidance.
2
Weekly Collection
Our trained team collects waste from each household using carts and hired trucks on a fixed schedule.
3
Transport & Sorting
Waste is taken to our sorting hub where women and youth separate recyclables from organic material.
4
Sell Recyclables
Sorted plastics, metals, and paper are sold to licensed recycling aggregators like Mr Green Africa.
5
Compost Organic Waste
Organic matter goes to our composting site. The finished manure is sold to local farmers in Kibos.
Our Model

People. Planet. Profit.

Mechria Caters is built on a triple-bottom-line model that creates social, environmental, and financial returns simultaneously.

People
Creates dignified jobs for local women and youth waste collectors. Improves sanitation in informal settlements and trains 300+ community members on waste-to-value skills.
SDG 8SDG 10
Planet
Diverts ~5 tonnes of waste from open dumpsites monthly. Promotes recycling and composting to reduce landfill volume and cut open burning in target wards by 30%.
SDG 11SDG 12SDG 13
Profit
Annual revenue of KES 1.2 million projected to grow to KES 4.5 million. Revenue from household subscriptions plus sale of recyclable materials and compost.
SDG 8SDG 9
The Team

The People Behind the Work

A dedicated team of women and youth driving the circular economy forward in Kisumu’s communities every day.

JO
Janet Okach
Founder & CEO
SA
Sela Akinyi
Head of Operations
EO
Emily Otieno
Waste Sorters & Recovery Lead
IA
Ivy Awuor
Waste Sorters & Recovery Lead
CO
Christian Ochieng
Waste Sorters & Recovery Lead
SO
Seline Oduor
Waste Sorters & Recovery Lead
DO
David Olela
Admin & Logistics

What’s Missing?

To scale responsibly and build long-term donor confidence, we’re seeking a few key roles.

  • Financial manager — for growth-stage planning
  • Digital strategist — for app/platform and waste tracking dashboard
  • Mentor/investor with experience in circular economy startups
Partners & Collaborators

Who We Work With

We do not work alone. Local farmer groups, community organisations, government bodies and impact investors all play a role in making our circular economy model work on the ground.

🌿
23 Kibos Farmers
Composting & Agriculture
🏠
Hillview Jirani Groups
Community Awareness
👩
Gracious Mums Group
Community Awareness
♻
Mr Green Africa
Waste Aggregator & Processor
🏠
County Government of Kisumu
Government Partnership
🌍
NEMA
Environmental Regulator
🏦
Equity Bank
Financial Institution
📈
Stanbic Kenya Foundation
Impact Investor
🌎
GIZ — WE4D
Women’s Green Economy
Latest Updates

Articles & News

Stories from the field, insights on the circular economy, and updates from Mechria Caters.

Environment Mar 2026
How Plastic Waste Is Threatening Lake Victoria’s Marine Life

Lake Victoria is one of Africa’s most vital water bodies, yet plastic waste from Kisumu’s informal settlements flows directly into it every single day.

Read More
Livelihoods Feb 2026
How Waste Collection Is Generating Real Revenue for Local Families

300 women in Kisumu’s informal settlements now earn a steady income from waste sorting and collection. Here’s how Mechria Caters made it possible.

Read More
Circular Economy Jan 2026
Kisumu’s Circular Economy: From Dumpsite to Resource Hub

Community-led enterprises like Mechria Caters are proving that a circular economy is not just theory. It is already happening in Kibos, one bottle at a time.

Read More
View All Articles →

“Imagine a Kisumu where every waste bin is a source of opportunity, every woman is a green entrepreneur, and every neighbourhood is waste-free. That is the future we are working towards. One recyclable, one compost heap, one woman at a time.”

Janet Okach — Founder & CEO, Mechria Caters
Get In Touch

Let’s Talk

Whether you want to subscribe for waste collection, partner with us, explore funding opportunities, or simply learn more about what we do in Kisumu, we would love to hear from you.

Phone +254 722 763 607
Email janet@mechriacaters.com
Address Kibos, Kisumu County, Kenya