THE HERI COMMUNITY EDUCATION & AWARENESS FORUMS
Structured spaces for dialogue, learning, and collective action on health, environment, and sustainability
The HERI Community Forums are a flagship engagement platform of HERI-Kenya designed to bring communities, practitioners, institutions, and partners together to address pressing health, environmental, and sustainability challenges.
The forums translate research and policy into practical, locally relevant conversations that support informed decision-making and community-led action.
For communities, the forums provide access to reliable information, practical knowledge, and a platform to voice concerns and ideas.
Participants gain clarity on health and environmental risks, learn about available solutions, and build confidence to adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives.
The forums also strengthen social cohesion by encouraging collective responsibility and shared action.
Why Community Forums Matter
Many sustainability and public health challenges persist not because of a lack of solutions, but because communities often lack access to accurate information, trusted dialogue spaces, and opportunities to engage meaningfully with experts and decision-makers.
At the same time, research findings, policy frameworks, and technical solutions frequently remain disconnected from everyday realities. This gap limits adoption, trust, and long-term impact.
HERI Community Forums exist to close this gap by creating inclusive, evidence-informed spaces where knowledge is shared, concerns are heard, and solutions are shaped collectively.
What the Forums Address
The Community Forums focus on issues that directly affect community wellbeing and environmental sustainability, including:
Public and environmental health risks
Organic waste management and circular economy practices
Climate and environmental resilience
Community livelihoods and sustainability skills
Youth and women participation in local solutions
Research findings and policy implications
Topics are selected based on local relevance and emerging needs.
How the Forums Work
HERI Community Forums are designed as facilitated, participatory sessions rather than lectures.
Each forum brings together community members, local leaders, practitioners, researchers, and partners in a structured setting that encourages dialogue, learning, and shared problem-solving.
Discussions are guided by evidence and local experience, ensuring that conversations lead to practical insights and realistic action pathways.
From Dialogue to Action
Community Forums are not one-off events. Insights and priorities emerging from discussions inform follow-up activities such as trainings, pilot projects, research, and community initiatives.
This ensures that dialogue leads to tangible outcomes and sustained impact. HERI welcomes collaboration to strengthen and expand Community Forums through:
Co-hosting and sponsorship of forums
Support for community learning and facilitation
Integration of research and evidence into dialogue
Linkages to follow-up projects and pilots