The Water as Leverage Nakuru program represents a transformative approach to water management, pioneering innovative and multidisciplinary models that lay the groundwork for resilient urban growth. This project advocates for integrating Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) within a cohesive framework known as the Nature-Based Sponge System (NBSS), harmonizing urban development with natural water cycles. By doing so, we aim to enhance resilience against climate change and mitigate water scarcity. Reversing the norm from draining to retaining emphasizes the need to challenge existing and traditional water management systems, shifting towards future-oriented approaches and establishing new relationships between water and territory. This shift emphasizes the need to leverage not only water but also the inherent potential of natural systems within the city and its surroundings.

The project emphasizes context, inclusivity, and community engagement, integrating Indigenous knowledge and holistic perspectives. This commitment will enable us to reimagine a symbiotic relationship between Lake Nakuru and the urban environment, cultivating adaptive solutions that strengthen the vital connections between ecological systems and urban development.

Bantu’s role focuses on participatory planning, social inclusion, and urban/landscape design. Specifically, Bantu has developed a Stakeholder Engagement and Impact Strategy. The impact strategy establishes a comprehensive set of goals and priorities aimed at maximizing positive social, economic, cultural, and environmental outcomes tailored to the project context and deeply rooted in local traditional knowledge and cultural values. This includes developing socio-economic strategies and proposing effective planning and design interventions for Nakuru's resilient urban development, tackling inter-related aspects like housing, informal settlements, economic development and climate change mitigation and adaptation.