Our Planet, Our Health award: Complex Urban Systems for Sustainability and Health (360G-Wellcome-209387_Z_17_A)

Three work streams will address participatory local action (outcomes 1-3), national media (outcome 4), and global communication (outcome 5). After two years, we will have stimulated local discussion and co-designed and implemented public engagement interventions for urban environmental sustainability and health – centred on waste management - with residents of informal settlements in Kisumu, will have equipped Kenyan journalists to increase and improve scientific reporting, and will have shared case studies and interactive models as the foundation of an ambitious web presence. Outcome 1: Both quantity and quality of public discussion of urban health and environmental sustainability will have increased, led by residents of informal settlements, with mutual learning through visits by representatives of other partner cities. Outcome 2: Local waste management solutions – benchmarked against scientific evidence and simulations - will have been co-developed by residents of informal settlements, community-based organisations, and researchers. Outcome 3: Visual, audio, and text materials documenting activities and solutions will have been developed through participatory processes led by Kenyan researchers and creatives, and will be available to decision-makers and local and global publics as attractive, intelligible knowledge products. Outcome 4: Media coverage around environment and health will have increased in quantity and verified scientific quality as a result of engagement with journalists. Outcome 5: As a springboard for work in other cities, a set of case studies including art, narratives, infographics, and interactive simulations will be available and accessed through our website. The package will be a model for public engagement in other cities.