Waste Pickers in Nairobi Are Learning to Recycle Better—By Playing a Board Game

In the dusty, sprawling expanse of the Dandora dumpsite on the eastern edge of Nairobi, a quiet revolution is taking place. Waste pickers who spend their days sifting through mountains of refuse are now gathering regularly to play an unlikely educational tool: a custom-designed board game that teaches circular economy principles, workplace safety, and waste sorting techniques.

The initiative, led by a local NGO in partnership with Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, uses the game to bridge the gap between the informal knowledge that waste pickers already possess and the systematic understanding needed to improve their livelihoods and environmental impact.

Raphael Kung’u, who has worked as a waste picker at Dandora for three years, says the game has changed how he approaches his work. “I used to just grab whatever had value and sell it,” Kung’u told African News. “Now I understand why separating plastics from metals matters, and how different materials are processed. I earn more because I know what to look for.”

How the Game Works

The board game, developed through a collaboration between researchers and waste picker cooperatives, simulates a full waste sorting and recycling cycle. Players earn points for correctly categorizing materials, identifying hazardous waste, and optimizing the value of their collected items.

Crucially, the game also teaches business skills: players learn about negotiating with middlemen, calculating profit margins, and planning collection routes. These are lessons that, for many waste pickers, were never available through formal education.

Turning Informal Work Into Dignified Employment

The board game initiative aims to change that. By treating waste picking as a skilled profession with learnable techniques, organizers hope to shift public perception and create pathways for waste pickers to enter the formal recycling economy.

“What these workers do is essential to the city’s survival,” said Dr. Wambui Kariuki, an environmental economist involved in the project. “Our goal is to help them earn more, work safer, and be recognized as the professionals they are.”

Circular Economy Potential

Kenya generates an estimated 4.5 million tonnes of solid waste per year, of which only a fraction is properly recycled. The informal waste sector—including thousands of pickers in Nairobi alone—handles a significant portion of recyclable materials that would otherwise end up in landfills or illegal dumping sites.

For Raphael Kung’u and his fellow pickers, the game represents more than just education—it’s a symbol of recognition. “People used to look down on us,” he said. “Now we are learning, teaching each other, and earning more. That changes everything.”

Sources: African News, Strategic Sector Cooperation (Denmark-Kenya), Kenya Ministry of Environment