Our approach is two fold: Storytelling and iGrow
Storytelling
For Risto za Nai, it is not just about storytelling fwaaaa…it is beating stories in our languages of knowing; the Kenyanized mix of English and indigenous languages that are common to our everyday life.
And kwani what is all this fuss about language, you ask? Si story ni story? Well, yes and no.
Language holds an inordinate power in how we view our world, how we claim things as our own and how we remember. Yet, when we speak about nature or conservation, often stuffy, colonial language is used. This disconnects us to the world next to us. Nature does not sound like us. Nature has become an “other” to the urban Kenyan, not part of our story. Risto za Nai envisions a Nairobi where every person sees themselves as a vibrant part of nature, and where the stories of our forests, rivers and neighbourhoods are told in our own languages and expressions.
This is not about othering others, it is the acknowledgement that our languages are also beautiful and are very capable of articulating conservation issues. Reclamation. Together we will write and right the narrative and reconnect ourselves.
Story story? Story come!
iGrow
We love this word as much as we love the name Risto za Nai. Much of our brand is in making connections. You already know that Risto represents both stories and restoration…
Likewise, there is a duality in iGrow. In Kiswahili iGrow means ‘let it (nature) grow’ and I grow in English signifying individual growth. We are not apart from nature. We grow and flourish together. This is also well illustrated in our very cool logo.
Overall, igrow refers to the regreening activities around the project. In being true to decolonization, this process will not be done by select individuals who “know” but instead a diverse group of residents including artists, informal sector workers, urban planners, pedestrians, ecologists and others. Basically, you.
From forests to riparian lands to residential spaces,
Running hashing here is #LazimaIgrow – it/I must grow.
Human Centered Design
In Nairobi City’s fast-changing urban landscape where concrete often replaces green spaces, reclaiming nature is no longer just an environmental act—it is a cultural, linguistic, and political one. At the heart of this reclamation lies the intersection between Risto za Nai and Human-Centered Design (HCD), a people centred approach to problem-solving.
These frameworks offer a bold new way to reconnect Nairobians with nature on their own terms. Aided by our Mantras, I Remember, I Deserve and I Desire, the people will design their own spaces and actively participate in a process of building and growing until the vision comes to life. Ultimately, we hope to create a sense and reality of ownership and belonging.
