Kisumu 2.0 is an initiative to transform Kisumu, a city in western Kenya, into an urban resilience city.
The project is aligned with the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as it seeks to promote inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban development.
Kisumu 2.0 will address the challenges of rapid urbanization, climate change, poverty, and inequality by fostering innovation, collaboration, and learning among various stakeholders.
The project will also showcase best practices and solutions for urban resilience, such as green infrastructure, circular economy, social cohesion, and participatory governance.
Kisumu 2.0 will be a model for other cities in Africa and beyond, demonstrating how urban resilience can contribute to achieving the SDGs and advancing the New Urban Agenda.
Kisumu 2.0 seeks to:
- Demonstrate innovative solutions for urban resilience, such as renewable energy systems, green infrastructure, waste management, and water harvesting.
- Provide a platform for learning and knowledge exchange on urban resilience among local communities, academia, practitioners, and policymakers.
- Support the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Kisumu and other cities in Kenya and Africa.
Kisumu 2.0 relates and contributes to the New Urban Agenda and the SDGs by:
- Aligning with the vision and principles of the New Urban Agenda for sustainable urban development.
- Addressing some of the key challenges faced by Kisumu and other cities in Africa, such as poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, climate change, and urbanization.
- Advancing several SDGs that are relevant for urban resilience, such as SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals).
The campus will provide a platform for learning, research, and action on urban resilience and sustainable development.
Some of the anticipated results from Kisumu 2.0 are:
- Enhancing the capacity of local actors to address urban challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation.
- Promoting participatory and inclusive governance and planning processes that involve diverse voices and perspectives from the city.
- Supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda (NUA) locally, focusing on cross-cutting issues such as inclusion, gender equality, social justice, and human rights.
- Creating a network of urban resilience practitioners and researchers who can share knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned from Kisumu and other cities in Africa and beyond.
- Generating innovative solutions and prototypes that can improve urban residents’ quality of life and well-being, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Join us for Kisumu 2.0 – Urban Thinkers Campus, UTC happening at the TEDxKisumu Countdown event this August.