It’s early Friday morning in Nairobi’s Industrial Area in Kenya. Dark clouds of smoke furiously billow from the chimneys of the many industries dotting this area.
The thick clouds make the shiny sky cloudy, illustrating the city’s bustling manufacturing sector and its negative environmental impact.
Between three of the industries resides Virginia Waithera, a business lady and mother of two, who runs a business at Athi River town.
Waithera’s first two children were preterm babies. The firstborn came in 2006, and the second born in 2013.
The 37-year-old mother says her first pregnancy was normal, till the 30th week when she developed complications.
“In the 30th week, I noticed swelling of my legs, puffy face and after checking my pressure, it was too high, 199/100,” she says. “I went to hospital and doctors said I had a condition called preeclampsia.”
Living around Industrial Area, where most industries in Nairobi are based, Waithera says she suffered from effects of industrial pollution during her first pregnancy.
“You see I am surrounded by three industries and I usually had problems at night during my pregnancies,” said Waithera. “When I was pregnant for my firstborn, I could feel nauseated, headache and the smell from fumes was really unbearable.”
She adds, “Even Athi River which is just a few meters from our area, there is a lot of dumping of dirt and raw sewage lines are directed to the river.”
This story was produced with support from Internews' Earth Journalism Network. It was first published in Citizen Digital on May 31, 2024. It has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Banner image: A glimpse of heavy traffic in Nairobi. Motor vehicles can emit fumes that are hazardous to the environment / Credit: Zachary Mayieka.
NYAMONDO MAYIEKA ZACHARIA
