Innovation empowers Mombasa youth with jobs, safer communities

An innovation of raising Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) for fish feed has created jobs, protected the environment, and deterred youth from joining criminal gangs in Mombasa.

The group in Kwa Ng'ombe, Mikindani, produces packaging products from paper, creates dustbins from waste paper, and organises sports to fully engage the youth.

At least 200 youths are employed in the venture by a community-based organisation called Majestic Digital Hub CBO, which has positively impacted the lives of over 1,000 locals.

The supervisors of the BSFL project, Ms Rachel Oduor and Mr Ambrose Mugao, harvest eggs from giant flies and feed the larvae with food leftovers.

"Once the BSFLs are 40 and 45 days old, they are dried or fried and used as fish and chicken feed," said Mugoa.

Youth from the CBO collect food leftovers from households and local hotels to feed the BSFL and, in the process, help clean the environment.

"BSFL are a rich source of protein that can be mixed with other feeds and given to fish and chickens. The broken-down garbage can be used as high-quality organic matter,” said Ms Oduor.

Ms Oduor states that they also grow some of the larvae into flies that lay more eggs as the CBO increases the production of more protein sources for fish.

Another source of protein comes from fish leftovers in Kisumu, but they are in short supply.

The CBO has established 26 saltwater ponds near Kwa Ng’ombe village, cultivating tilapia, milkfish, and prawns.

Benson Kiama, the fish farm supervisor, noted that the 30-by-25-foot ponds were built in a high-tide area protected by tall sandbanks.

“We drain the water from the ponds when tides are about to wash the area and replace it during the high tides to ensure they have enough oxygen,” he says.

The fingerlings are sourced from the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), which provides technical support.

Fish feeding supervisor Dennis Onyango noted that tilapia and milkfish are fed four times a day with balanced feeds for rapid growth, while prawns need less feeding.

“We feed the fish on pellets mixed with protein and carbohydrates such as wheat germ and husks. They are satisfied when they no longer scramble for food. The fingerlings are first fed on algae made mostly from cow dung,” he said.

But Charo Ziro was running up and down with his catapult, warding away birds targeting the fish.

“Two of us have been employed to provide security for the fish during the day, and our three colleagues will be here to guard the ponds at night. Kingfisher and Indian house crows (kunguru) are a threat to the fish,” said Ziro, who was until recently jobless.

Majestic Digital Hub CBO chief executive officer Stephen Musyoki says the biggest challenge in expanding the fish farm is the shortage and high cost of fingerlings in the Coast region.

“We are planning to raise funds and establish our hatchery here, which costs about Sh18 million. We have a ready market for marine tilapia, but the biggest challenge has been the shortage of fingerlings. They are also expensive, as one fingerling goes for Sh15,” he said.

The CBO also plans to establish a one-million chicken farm close to the ponds where the dung can be easily collected to feed the fish.

Majestic Digital Hub also runs the Khaki production industry that makes packaging bags, cake boxes, gift bags, envelopes, and branded book covers.

Ms Aisha Swaleh, 29, who had failed to secure employment after undergoing a catering course because she is deaf and dumb, was employed here a year ago, together with her sister Mariam Swaleh, 27.

Mariam, who works with her baby, said she had to abandon a job at a local salon to assist her sister in communicating with colleagues at her workplace using sign language because of her condition.

“I help her communicate, and she has been doing well. I also got a job here. My sister had stayed without a job for years after her catering course because of her condition, and now she is happy,” said Mariam.

Ms Zipporah Kiama, who heads the Majestic Khaki industry, said locals are happy to have secured employment at the CBO.

Ms Faith Winnie, who leads the Majestic Green paper bucket unit, stated that they utilise paper from the Khaki industry and households to create environmentally friendly buckets designed for waste collection and environmental cleaning.

“We soak the paper and use wheat flour to mould the buckets on wire mesh. They are then dried and coloured. They do not leak and can even hold water,” she said.

Mr Musyoki says they run the Majestic waste management unit that collects the garbage from businesses and households after paying a token.

“We are environmental champions. The whole idea is to use the environment to clean the environment. We buy the waste from households and hotels. We distribute the buckets to households for free,” said Musyoki.

He said they started the CBO with 39 youths who used to clear grass in schools and collect waste in the area as volunteers. The CBO also has digital platforms and a recording studio to promote various talents. 

Dr David Mirera, KMFRI director for aquatic fisheries, recently said the government was focused on rolling out the production of fingerlings for sea fish at the new Sh1 billion hatchery at Shimoni in Kwale County.

Mirera noted that mariculture is underdeveloped along the coast, despite declining fish catches in the Indian Ocean's shallow waters.