About this project
Project Snapshot: Goodzey Water & Sanitation Grid (GWSG)
Location: Likoni, Mombasa, Kenya
Lead Organization: Tradeline Agencies | Youth-led (Ages 18–29)
Focus SDGs: SDG 6 (Clean Water & Sanitation), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production)
The Goodzey Water & Sanitation Grid (GWSG) is a youth-led, tech-powered initiative addressing the urgent challenges of unsafe water and poor sanitation in coastal informal settlements. In Likoni, over 65% of residents live without access to improved sanitation and safe drinking water. These conditions have contributed to recurring outbreaks of cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea. GWSG responds with a holistic, mobile-first solution that integrates smart sanitation, real-time water safety monitoring, and circular waste reuse—designed by and for young people.
The Solution
GWSG consists of two core components:
Goodzey SmartToilets – Ten solar-powered public toilet units equipped with IoT sensors, auto-locking doors, handwashing stations, and M-Pesa-enabled payments. Each hub is maintained by youth teams and monitored through a cloud-based dashboard for cleanliness and usage tracking.
Goodzey WaterScan – A subscription-based water testing service using low-cost kits distributed via trained community health volunteers (CHVs). Results are delivered via SMS and mapped on the Goodzey app. Safe water providers (vendors, landlords) receive “Verified Safe Water” badges to display publicly.
Pilot Results (Q2 2025)
470 daily toilet users; 3 youth employed per cluster
150 WaterScan subscribers; 92% renewal rate
6 water points certified “safe” in the pilot zones
96% user satisfaction with dignity, privacy, and hygiene access
Community-Driven and Scalable
GWSG is powered by youth from the Likoni Youth Movement and co-designed with community stakeholders, CHVs, and women’s groups. Waste is collected weekly and processed into compost in partnership with local waste innovators, reducing pollution and supporting food security. The project also integrates with MOWASSCO’s emergency response system to ensure timely intervention during water contamination spikes.
Impact and Sustainability
Year 1 targets include:
1,000 households with verified safe water
60,000 unique toilet visits
20 youth jobs created
35+ metric tons of waste safely diverted
50+ vendor APIs activated for water safety
With support from 1MYAC, GWSG aims to deepen its pilot in Likoni and prepare for scale to other high-risk informal settlements in Mombasa, Nairobi, and beyond. The model is financially feasible, community-owned, and environmentally sustainable—offering a powerful, replicable blueprint for SDG implementation through youth-led innovation.
Goals and Objectives
The primary goal of the Goodzey Water & Sanitation Grid (GWSG) is to revolutionize access to clean water and safe sanitation in informal settlements through an integrated, youth-led, tech-driven approach. Our objective is to reduce waterborne diseases, improve public hygiene, create green jobs, and empower local communities with real-time access to water safety and sanitation data.
Our intended beneficiaries are residents of Likoni’s informal settlements, particularly women, children, and youth who are disproportionately affected by poor sanitation and contaminated water. These communities were chosen due to the persistent health risks they face—frequent cholera outbreaks, high rates of diarrheal diseases, and lack of access to safe toilets. By focusing on Likoni, we are addressing one of Mombasa’s most vulnerable areas and demonstrating how low-cost, community-centered innovation can lead to long-term health resilience.
Youth benefit directly through employment and training in sanitation management, water testing, digital systems, and community engagement—building technical capacity and income opportunities. Households benefit through access to verified clean water, dignified sanitation facilities, and reduced exposure to disease.
To ensure sustainability, the GWSG operates on a hybrid revenue model: affordable user fees (KES 5–10), monthly WaterScan subscriptions, and data access for institutional partners. Compost produced from the waste stream adds a future revenue layer. The model is maintained by local youth groups and designed to be self-sustaining after the initial funding phase.
GWSG is inherently scalable. Its modular design, use of mobile tools (app, USSD), and strong local ownership make it replicable across other urban slums in Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa. Our long-term vision is to evolve GWSG into a regional franchise model, proving that dignified WASH access is achievable, affordable, and youth-powered.
Expected result
By the end of the initial 12-month implementation phase, the Goodzey Water & Sanitation Grid (GWSG) aims to achieve specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound results that align with our core objectives and community needs.
We expect to install and operate 10 fully functional Goodzey SmartToilets in high-density informal settlements in Likoni, Mombasa. Each unit will be equipped with IoT sensors, solar energy, and hygienic handwashing stations. These sanitation hubs are projected to collectively serve a minimum of 60,000 unique toilet visits within the first year, translating to approximately 165 uses per day across the network. We will closely monitor usage data through our digital dashboard, which tracks occupancy, cleanliness status, and maintenance alerts in real time. These metrics will be validated monthly by trained sanitation teams and verified through on-site inspections.
Simultaneously, we aim to enroll 1,000 households in the Goodzey WaterScan program. Each participating household will receive affordable water testing kits, with results transmitted and mapped via SMS and app. With support from our trained community health volunteers, we will conduct at least 3,000 water quality tests within the year and expect 80% of enrolled households to demonstrate consistent engagement and trust in the verification process. Verified “Safe Water” status will be tracked and displayed via the app and physical vendor signage. We aim to onboard at least 50 water vendors or landlords into this trusted network.
From a public health standpoint, we aim to reduce self-reported cases of waterborne illnesses—specifically diarrhea and typhoid—by at least 20% in the pilot zones. Health impact will be tracked through quarterly household surveys in partnership with Mombasa County Public Health Office and community health units.
Economically, the project will create at least 20 direct jobs for youth as sanitation monitors, WaterScan agents, data managers, and community liaisons. We will track employment outcomes through signed contracts, regular performance assessments, and stipend disbursement records.
Environmentally, we aim to safely collect and divert at least 35 metric tons of human and organic waste from informal dumpsites. This waste will be processed in collaboration with our composting partner and monitored through weekly waste collection logs and monthly compost output reports.
All project activities will be tracked via our internal monitoring and evaluation system, using both digital tools and community-based verification methods. A baseline report will be completed before deployment, with quarterly progress updates and a final impact assessment at month twelve. These reports will guide both operational adjustments and strategic planning for scale-up.
In summary, the expected results of the GWSG pilot are time-bound, clearly measurable, and realistically achievable given our community partnerships, digital infrastructure, and trained youth workforce. These outcomes will demonstrate that even in resource-constrained urban settings, youth-led innovation can deliver sustainable and transformative WASH solutions.
About me / organisation
Belindah Nekesa
Belindah Nekesa is a 24-year-old environmental advocate and youth leader based in Mombasa, Kenya. She is the co-founder and Project Lead of the Goodzey Water & Sanitation Grid (GWSG), a youth-driven initiative addressing critical WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) challenges in coastal informal settlements.
Belindah holds a background in Environmental Science and has over four years of hands-on experience leading grassroots projects focused on climate resilience, clean energy, waste management, and youth empowerment. She has coordinated multiple community campaigns, trained over 60 young people in eco-sanitation and recycling practices, and worked with both local government and civil society actors to improve environmental outcomes in underserved areas.
As the lead of GWSG, Belindah is responsible for project planning, stakeholder coordination, community engagement, and overseeing day-to-day operations of both the SmartToilets and WaterScan systems. Her leadership is defined by a strong blend of empathy, technical understanding, and a passion for youth inclusion in sustainable development.
Belindah is deeply committed to using digital innovation, local knowledge, and grassroots action to create long-lasting impact in vulnerable communities. She believes that with the right tools and support, young people can lead the transformation toward clean, healthy, and dignified urban living.