To support low-income workers during this time of limited movement, the government created the National Hygiene Program to provide employment opportunities with daily wages. The program, commonly known as Kazi Mtaani (loosely translated as jobs in our hood), includes labor-intensive works such as street and drainage cleaning, garbage collection, bush clearance, fumigation and disinfection, while ensuring clean environs and improved urban infrastructure and service delivery. Through the National Hygiene Program, the government offered a lifeline to more than 250,000 youth hurt by COVID-19 response measures; the social protection program has transformed to provide sustainable work activities expected to last beyond life of the program; more than $92 million (Ksh10 billion) has been invested in the game-changer program that has brought positive social impact to the countries informal settlements.
Under Phase 1, youth enlisted in the program earned a daily wage of Kshs 600 (~$5.5) paid through mobile money transfer.