On 18th and 19th June 2026, the Institute for Development Studies participated in the workshop themed “Translating Air Quality Data into Inclusive Policy and Community Action for Clean Air in Nakuru City.” The workshop was hosted by the Nakuru City Board in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) under the Just Cities Programme, and the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), University of Nairobi.

The workshop brought together partners from the University of Gothenburg, the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL), Stockholm University, and the University of Pretoria (South Africa) project team, who are jointly implementing the project titled “From Air Quality Data to Actions for Clean Air for Vulnerable Populations in African Developing Countries.’’ The project is funded by the National Research Foundation (Kenya), the National Research Foundation (South Africa) and Formas (Sweden), and has developed an innovative school-based air quality modelling framework that provides a useful guide to public authorities in the design of practical short-term and long-term intervention measures.

The two-day workshop included a Citizens Science engagement on the first day at the Kenya National Library Services, where the Nakuru Citizens gave their perspectives, experiences and proposals towards cleaner air in Nakuru City. The second day was a reflection meeting that involved representatives from the Institute for Development Studies and the Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology from the University of Nairobi, the Nakuru City County Government, the Stockholm University, the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Just Cities Working Group Programme, the Respira Air Quality Monitoring Project from Egerton University, and E-Moti.

 
The workshop builds on the recent initiative of the ‘Respira Team’ from Egerton University that will install air quality monitors in five schools to facilitate evidence-based decision-making for infrastructure design and policy intervention within the schools and their environs. The school's initiative complements the ongoing quality assessment through the 28 air quality monitors installed in different parts of the city.
Overall, the workshop provided the Nakuru City Board and its stakeholders a learning and exchange platform on viable air quality improvement measures based on lessons from experiences in South Africa and Sweden, as well as an analysis of air quality data in Nakuru. The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of the Board and local stakeholders to utilise air quality research data and practice models to collectively identify and explore policy- and sector-specific interventions to address air pollution in pilot public Schools in Nakuru City.