Everyday in Kenya, over 22,000 tonnes of waste silently pile up.
It gathers in alleys, clogs drainage channels, and attracts pests, but it rarely makes the headlines. Why? Because it disappears faster than plastic. Because it’s just “organic.”
But here’s a better question: what if waste could do more?
What if the food scraps left from last night’s meal could feed chickens, grow vegetables and clean our streets?
At Project Mila, we asked that question and found the answer in a humble insect, the Black Soldier Fly (BSF).
A Tiny Insect with Giant Potential
Unlike most flies, the BSF doesn’t bite, sting, or spread diseases. In fact, it does the opposite.
Its larvae devour organic waste and give us two life-changing gifts in return:
- Protein rich animal feed that supports local farmers.
- Organic fertilizer that restores tired soils and grows food.
It’s nature’s way of closing the loop, a circular solution rooted in biology, community, and hope.
Why Waste Is Everyone’s Problem
Across Mombasa, from Bamburi to Kadzandani, organic waste piles up daily. It fills the vacant plots and sits in the sun, turning from scraps to sickness in just hours. While policies are written and plastic bans enforced, many communities wait for action they can actually see.
That’s where we come in, helping communities lead climate actions through circular models like those outlined in Nairobi’s Circular Economy Baseline Study.
At Mila, we believe climate solutions shouldn’t just live in reports, they should live on our streets. In your backyard garden. On your dinner table.
Turning Rot Into Results: The Mila Model
Here’s how we turn waste into something wonderful:
- We collect food scraps from homes, schools, and markets, waste that would otherwise rot in the open.
- We feed it to BSF larvae, raised in small rearing stations, often built and managed by local youth.
- We harvest frass (organic fertilizer) and protein-rich larvae, which return to the community.
This isn’t just theory, its visible change.
We watched as once barren corners of Mshomoroni turned into thriving green patches, nourished with frass. Students at Pwani Junior Academy grow vegetables in soil they understand, not bought in a packet but made from waste they used to walk past.
Youth Led, Community-Grown
Real climate action begins at home. In classrooms. On idle land.
Our approach is simple: empower youth with practical tools, not just climate talk. That’s why our school programs aren’t just about lessons, they’re about touching soil, turning compost, and planting seeds.
Amina, one of our BSF farmers, now trains others in Kadzandani. Her unit diverts 80kg of waste per week. That 80kg won’t attract flies, cause diseases, or end up in the ocean.
When a 12 year old teaches her family how to sort waste…
When a local chicken farmer switches to BSF feed and cuts costs…
When an abandoned plot becomes a vegetable patch…
That’s what we call a revolution.
Impact That Grows with You
We’re not just fighting waste. We’re feeding chickens, fertilizing crops and building dignity.
- Circular economy in action? Check.
- SDGs? We hit four: Zero Hunger, Climate Action, Decent Work, and Responsible Consumption.
- Scalable? Absolutely, our model works in cities, villages, and schools alike.
And it’s all rooted in the belief that the smallest changes make the biggest impact when led by the community.
This is Where You Come In
We need more frass, more youth units, more hands in the soil.
- Training new BSF farmers
- Expanding into 10 new neighborhoods
- Launching more school gardens with local compost.
- Donate, Partner, or simply Share our story.
Let the world know that in Kenya, we’re not waiting. We’re doing.
Climate change isn’t just about rising seas and melting glaciers. In Mombasa, it’s the waste in our backyards, the price of chicken feed, and the quality of our soil. That’s why our solutions must live in everyday life.
– Project Mila Team
This is what climate action looks like when it’s built with compost, community, and care.
And this is just the beginning.
