This underwhelming side of Ugunja was unraveled late last week when UCRC's youth project in conjunction with Kodiaga CLRC's youth department, supported by personnel from the Ugunja town council engaged in environmental clean-up of the municipality.

Dubbed the 'environmental clean-up day', no stone was left unturned as close to sixty youths braved the afternoon scotching sun to leave Ugunja dazzling clean.

‘As an organization, we are working with clusters in such initiatives so as to uplift profiles of youth groups’, said Enoch Chiteri, UCRC's youth officer.

The activity kicked off on the lower side of the town centre, at pentagon estate, of the busy Kisumu-Busia highway. Characterized by heaps of garbage, the estate's extreme filthy conditions provided a not so welcome stink.

But with unrivalled dedication; armed with jembes, pangas, spades, wheelbarrows, rakes, brooms and hands firmly confined in plastic gloves, it took the young men and women few minutes to transform the dirty scenes into environmentally accommodative havens.

‘Where are these people from? If they can do this atleast twice a week then we'll be living in a clean environment like in other towns’, said John Ochien'g, Ugunja resident


In order to actively engage the youth in community based programs, the youth network is organizing a host of activities. The Ugunja clean-up will be replicated at Kodiaga on August 18, 2010.

This shall be succeeded by ball games for youths scheduled to take place on August 27, 2010 at Maliera primary school, Yala Division, North Gem location in Gem constituency. The aim of the football event is to bring youths together and advocate for behavior change in respect to the HIV\AIDS scourge.