Our time in Magadi was very eye-opening. Although we only spent one night there, it was enough time for us ponder many different aspects of the town. Magadi is a small town located on the shores of the briny Lake Magadi, which is all surrounded by extremely hot and dry conditions. The town itself is the cleanest of all the places we’ve seen so far in Kenya. It would take a lifetime just to spot one piece of garbage on the ground. We were also impressed by all the signs located up and down the civilized sidewalks that said something along the lines of: Don’t Litter, It’s OUR Environment. The people of the town are all employed and supported by TATA Chemicals which produces salt and soda ash from the lake. Residents are provided with free housing, electricity, and water. We wondered whether the community members were able to prioritize the environment because they didn’t need to worry about the basic necessities of life. Or is Magadi so clean simply because it’s a small town that is easier to manage?
By: Olivia Petersons (MMASc in Global Health Systems in Africa Candidate); Aleksey Paltsev (PhD and Collaborative Program in Global Health Systems in Africa Candidate); Joyce Mutiso (BSc Egerton University)
The Africa Institute Blog 