Sort Your Kitchen Garbage for a Decent Income: Turning Waste into Wealth

Have you ever stopped to wonder what happens to all the garbage from your kitchen? Or how much money do you spend every month paying garbage collectors to dispose of it?

Red wigglers

For three smart and ambitious ladies—Millicent Mwihaki, Eunice Wambura, and Fidelis Wangechi—kitchen waste is not trash. It’s a source of income. While most people throw it away, they’ve found a creative way to turn it into gold—literally, in the form of vermicompost and vermijuice used in organic farming.

The Hidden Gold in Kitchen Waste

Today, lifestyle diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart conditions are on the rise—and experts keep repeating one simple truth: “You are what you eat.”

The solution? Go organic.
Organic foods are free from harmful fertilizers and pesticide residues that find their way into our bodies through conventional farming.

This global demand for organic produce has created a booming industry with opportunities at every step of the value chain—from soil tillage and bio-fertilizer production to organic pesticide formulation and marketing.

That’s where Millicent, Eunice, and Fidelis stepped in.

Plastic bin

Meet the Young Mkulima Self-Help Group

The trio formed the Young Mkulima Self Help Group, an innovative venture that breeds red wigglers (red earthworms). These worms produce vermicompost, a natural fertilizer rich in nutrients, and vermi juice, a liquid biofertilizer used for top dressing crops.

And the profits? They’re impressive.

• 1 kilogram of red worms sells for about Ksh 2,500, and they multiply rapidly — in just four weeks!

• 1 liter of vermi juice goes for Ksh 500, and demand from organic farmers keeps growing.

By recycling kitchen waste, these ladies are not only earning a steady income but also promoting a cleaner environment and sustainable farming practices.

Kitchen waste

Agriculture is Not All Dirt

When you first meet Millicent Mwihaki, the team leader, you wouldn’t guess she’s a farmer. Her manicured nails, flawless makeup, and stylish outfit give off the vibe of a corporate professional.

But make no mistake—she and her partners do the real work themselves. No farmhands. No shortcuts. Just passion, discipline, and a clear vision for sustainable agribusiness.

They source their worms from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and breed them in carefully prepared worm bins using simple materials—ballast, moist organic waste, a gunny bag, and dry grass for mulching.

How to Breed Red Wigglers (Step-by-Step)

Want to try it yourself? Here’s how the Young Mkulima team does it:

1. Prepare the bin: Drill a small hole at the bottom of a plastic bin and fix a small pipe to drain excess water (this becomes your vermi juice).

2. Add ballast: Place ballast at the bottom to allow drainage and filtration.

3. Lay the base: Spread a gunny bag on top of the ballast.

4. Introduce the worms: Start small—1 kg of worms is enough for beginners.

5. Feed them: Add your kitchen waste—vegetable peels, fruit scraps, and other organic leftovers.

6. Keep it moist: Use greywater (like dishwashing water) to maintain moisture.

7. Mulch the bin: Cover with dry grass to protect from sunlight—worms prefer darkness.

8. Maintain regularly: Add waste daily and ensure the bin stays moist.

In a few weeks, you’ll have nutrient-rich vermicompost and vermi juice ready for harvest.

Turning Waste into Opportunity

The group’s main customers are organic farmers who value the quality and sustainability of their products. Their vermicompost enriches the soil, while the vermi juice acts as a natural top dressing for crops.

Through determination and creativity, these three women have transformed what others see as waste into a thriving green business.

Final Thoughts: Your Trash Could Be Your Treasure

What started as a simple idea—sorting kitchen garbage—has turned into a sustainable source of income and environmental impact.

If every household viewed waste differently, we could reduce pollution, create jobs, and support organic farming all at once.

So next time you throw away your kitchen waste, remember Millicent, Eunice, and Fidelis—three ladies who proved that agriculture can be clean, profitable, and empowering.

Want to start your own vermiculture venture?
Begin by sorting your kitchen garbage today—your journey to a decent income might just start from your trash bin.