Communities Already Have the Ideas. They Just Need the Right Partners.

Inside Kisauni, more than 30 grassroots organisations are building a circular economy from waste, water and fish — one partnership at a time.

At the coast, the biggest ideas rarely come from boardrooms. They come from the ground — from people who live with a problem long enough to understand exactly how to solve it. That was the lesson our directors carried home last weekend after attending a meeting convened by Pamoja Alliance, a coalition of over 30 Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) in Kisauni who have united around one purpose: creating greater impact through collaboration.

What we heard in that room was both humbling and energising.

The Reality on the Ground

The challenges facing Kisauni’s youth and families are not abstract. Drug and substance abuse, idle youth, rising crime, unemployment, and a chronic lack of support for community-led initiatives — these are daily realities, not talking points. Yet what stood out most was the posture of the people in that room. They are not waiting for someone else to fix it. They are organising, planning, and building solutions themselves.

A Circular Economy, Built From the Ground Up

Pamoja Alliance’s vision is both ambitious and deeply practical. At its centre is a circular economy model built around black soldier fly farming — converting fish and chicken waste into high-protein animal feed, while opening up new, sustainable livelihoods for local households.

From there, the plans expand outward:

• Maize farming and poultry production to strengthen local food systems
• A community-owned water bottling plant
• Supply partnerships with the Coast Development Authority, other government agencies, and the private sector

It is enterprise thinking rooted in community ownership — the kind of model that keeps value, and jobs, within Kisauni itself.

Beyond Enterprise: Social Infrastructure That Lasts

The coalition’s ambitions extend past income generation into the social fabric that holds a community together. Members spoke of the need for a community hall to host events and youth activities, boxing facilities, upgraded football pitches to give local talent a real platform, and the long-awaited Kisauni Fish Market — a project that could unlock significant opportunity within the blue economy.

“Sustainable development is built on strong institutions, continuous learning, and opportunities that empower young people.”

That was the core of our message to Pamoja Alliance: organise, document your impact, strengthen your governance structures, and keep investing in your people. Good ideas need strong institutions behind them to survive and scale.

Icon Radio Kenya’s Commitment

We left that meeting with a clear commitment: to tell these stories, amplify these voices, and crea  te linkages wherever we can. We believe media’s role at the coast — and everywhere — should go beyond reporting. It should actively connect communities with the opportunities, partners, and solutions that help their work grow.

A Call to the Private Sector and Development Partners

We’re also using this platform to make a direct call to the private sector, development partners, government agencies, and investors: look closely at the work being done by CBOs and Self-Help Groups like those in Pamoja Alliance. These organisations understand their communities in ways no outside consultant can replicate. With the right investment and the right partnerships, they are positioned to become genuine drivers of economic growth, job creation, and social transformation along the coast.

The solutions already exist within our communities. The task now is simple, and shared: help them scale.

Digital Team

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