Posts

Showing posts from June, 2011

REACH OUT PROGRAM, EXPRESSING LOVE DIFFERENTLY

Image
This is a program that was adopted by Africa Youth Initiative on Climate Change-Kenya in 2010 and is meant to give back to the society. In this program, we realised that in as much as we are a group working predominantly on environmental issues, there are some socio-economic aspects that we cannot isolate ourselves from. Based on our weekly voluntary contributions, we are able to stand with the vulnerable in the society. Kenya is currently facing high level of inflation and like many other households, Watoto Wema Children centre has in the recent past been struggling with their feeding program. They made an emergency call to the well wishers to come to their aid in this had economic times. Africa Youth Initiative on Climate Change-Kenya wishes here to congratulate Harambee Stars under the guidance of Dennis Oliech for heeding to the emergency call and giving food donations to the centre. God bless you as you strive to represent the country in Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Barely on

AYICC RWANDA: Pubic lecture and open discussion on climate change

Image
Story by: J.F Regis NISENGWE On this Friday July 22 nd, 2011 at 2h: 45, KIST Environmental Conservation Club (KECC) and African Youth Initiative on Climate Change Rwanda (AYICC Rwanda) held a public lecture and open discussion on climate change. The event, supported by both the Head of Department of Chemistry and the Dean of faculty of science, took place at KIST, Muhabura block, room P016. The presenter was Dr. Landry Ndriko MAYIGANE, AYICC (East Africa Cordinator), who was joined in the effort by other special environment activists Shawel MULATU (AYICC Ethiopia), Jordi MUSONI (JVE Rwanda) and Claude and another guest from international student organization, Beatrice ONYANGO (AISEC). It all kicked off with the presentation on “climate change and youth involvement” made by Dr. Landry Driko MAYIGANE, and after we heard from other special guests of the day starting with Shawel MULATU and then Jordi Michel MUSONI. They all emphasized the importance of youth involvement in fighti

Environmental Genocide

Environmental Genocide is what I see Toxic gases are what I breathe Murder of trees Witnessing execution of rivers, lakes, air etc Stop decapitating the environment please This ignorance has to seize This existing arrogance has to exiiiiit We need plants, water,air and land to live Like Adam needed air to breathe Like Eve needed Adams rib Every waste you inject in water and seize Some people take it back and drink The water you drink might be your urine That's why people get sick Environmental genocide is what I see Blowing hot poisonous gases from chimneys And car engines, Lack of will, To let the environment heal Thus people get ill Shaking like twigs Bodies getting weak Like a malnutritioned Sub-Saharan kid who has not eaten for weeks Coughing four hundred days per year, eight days a week Thin air difficult to breathe People being artificially asthmatic Environmental genocide is all I see Injustice vicious cycle is all I see A human pricks the environment The environment stubs t

Grave threat to Lake Turkana: Gilgel Gibe 3 dam!

Image
StopGibe3 campaign- Save Lake Turkana Save Humanity  http://www.stopgibe3.org/ Sign the petition. Our rights, Our waters, Our people. By Grace Wanjuki We have all seen it in the news and we all know from history that Northern Kenya is a fragile and vulnerable Ecosystem faced with many a challenges occasioned by climate change, poverty, malnutrition, bad politics and tribal conflicts to mention but a few. Allow me to bring to your attention another of the many afflictions facing our people in the Lake Turkana basin communities; Gibe 3 dam. Lets put things into perspective: Kenya has many power/ electricity options: Geothermal, solar, hydro-power, wind energy (Ngong hills and the recently registered Lake Turkana Wind Power-LTWP) etc. Now, feasibility and in what percentages is a discussion on another level, what is of interest though, is that we don't have enough to sufficiently supply Kenya such that we are ready to buy Electricity from our neighbour Ethiopia; who is in the

FAITH LEADERS ISSUE STRONG STATEMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND COP 17 IN DURBAN

‘‘Earth is God’s handiwork-a sacred gift, a seamless cloth, woven from many connecting threads.’’ Eco-Congregation Programme of SAFCEI (www.safcei.org.za) In an unprecedented occurrence, 132 faith leaders from over 32 African countries representing Muslim, Christian, Hindu, African traditional,  Bahá'í  and Buddhist communities gathered on Kenyan soil to talk about Climate Justice and Sustainable peace in Africa for two whole days. The Venue was UNEP, Nairobi perhaps in a symbolic show of the gravity of the situation and in recognition of the transboundary nature of the issue at hand., UNEP Director, Achim Steiner in his opening remarks said that, ''The Faith Community has a duty, legitimacy and the power to bring back a sense of responsibility to the Climate talks'' . We (Africa) are part of the solution (to the climate change crisis) echoed Rev. Dr André  Karamaga, General Secretary, All Africa Council of churches(AACC).According to Sheikh Ibrahim Asmani Lethome

The World Environment Day - A day worth its purpose:

As I walked into the grounds of the YMCA-Nairobi, I knew this would be no ordinary day. The conviction was beyond the strained voices of the Christian choirs as they worshipped, something beyond the chirping sounds of the early morning birds; it transcended the deep faith of the congregation that gathered in churches and yet it was the same magic envelope that bound all these forces together, it was the outcry of Mother Nature. I could feel the joy of a day set aside to commemorate the importance of our environment, a day set aside to give back to nature. The rigorous planning and anticipation were soon to become a reality. A number of guests had already arrived and more were streaming in. The anxiety on people’s faces was not difficult to spot. At the back yard something wonderful was being created. The strength with which the tough ground was being broken and turned up was a sure sign of the solid readiness to offer something back to Mother Nature. The warmth and cheer that was eas

REVISITING BACK TO EDEN - NOT JUST A MERE TERM BUT A REALITY

Image
The Kenyan youth under the umbrella of Kenya Climate Youth Network, KYCN have this time made it perfect! For long, we have been undertaking many activities. But the question, "what have you done?" remained almost constant amongst many people. I think this has been the case partly because for a long time, we have been in advocacy which is equally important as it serves to instigate many others to start and run physical activities. Last year, 2010, we as have now become a routine responsibilty of the network; we organized one of the most successful annual national youth conferences on climate change. Unlike the previous ones, this one culminated to another initiative which referred to as “Back to Eden”. In this initiative, we had planned to plant ten thousand trees in Eastern province in partnership with Muli Children’s Family, MCF. Unfortunately, we managed to plant 4500 trees. On Saturday May 28, 2011, Thanks to St Johns Community, four of us had an opportunity to tra

World Environment Day

Image
World Environment Day ( WED ) is a day that stimulates awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and public action. It is on 5 June. It was the day that United Nations Conference on the Human Environment began. The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was from 5–16 June 1972. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972. The first World Environment Day was on 1973. World Environment Day is hosted every year by a different city with a different theme and is commemorated with an international exposition in the week of 5 June. Theme 2011: Forests-Nature At Your Service - Forests cover one third of the earth’s land mass, performing vital functions and services around the world which make our planet alive with possibilities. In fact, 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods. They play a key role in our battle against climate change, releasing oxygen into the atmosphere while storing carbon dioxide. I