Getting to Work:AYICC Kenya Member at the Eastern African Youth Media Training- Kampala, Uganda

We all have our own ways of getting involved with climate change work. Most of us are working with organizations focusing on youth and climate chnage. Others are on advicay and socila justice.
AYICC Kenya has a diversity of these groups. They range from university students movements to rural development youth groups, to young professional networks, medics associations, and urban based advocacy youth movements. One such group is the Imani Youth Group, which is led by Richard Omondi. Richard was introduced to me in 2009 by one of our partners David Noble of 2degreesC as a youth leader who was interested in being involved in climate change work.
At the moment, the AYICC Kenya movement was growing, and i had to take a lot of time to grow with him as well. Now he has grown and brought in other members from his group into the movement.
Last month, Richard was attending the Eastern African Youth Media training in Kampala, which he was selected based on his work with young people in Kenya.
Keeping in touch with me over emails, and sms, i learnt how he passionately shared with the participants the facts about climate change in Africa and what action needed to be taken.
What inspired me most was the presentation he made at the training on youth responses to climate change. His appearance on the photos below just demonstrate how confident and passionate he has been in his growth.
More so, Richard's article was among the top five best articles and it was read to all the participants. He talks about how to Get to Work with the 350.org Campaign.
What touches me deeply, is that Richard has learnt all this while at AYICC Kenya, he has grown with us, participated in our events, seminars, workshops and meeting, and now can comfortable write an article on Climate Change Action!
Read his short article below and help him realize the dream!
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GETTING TO WORK:
KENYA AND CLIMATE
By Richard Omondi

According to 350.org, an international team of organizers and young climate leaders from around the world, 350 is the most important number that scientists agreed upon to be the safe upper limit of Carbon (iv) oxide concentration in the atmosphere. October 10th twenty ten, 10/10/10, will be a global party day of practical action to cut Carbon that the world has ever seen, a day to celebrate Climate solutions.

WHY SHOULD YOU GET TO WORK?
Carbon in the atmosphere is the major cause of climate change. Actions must be taken towards its reduction. “If we can get to work, so can our lawmakers” said the 350.org founder and environmental author, Bill McKibben. Therefore we as young people who have the most at stake we need to get to work. Report realised by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighted the impacts of climate change some of which were: Scarcity of fresh water, weather related disasters, competition for scarce resources, migration and displacement among others. And just to bring these closer, think how water levels in Lake Victoria and other water bodies have been constantly decreasing. Don’t forget how our dear pastoralists in the northern Kenya have been fighting for less available pastures. The effects of tsunami will most probably stay long in our minds. As human beings, we are not immune to these impacts because we are part of nature, hence the need for action from young people.

WHAT YOU CAN DO.
1. Register a local work party. In every corner of the world, 350.org will be implementing solutions to climate crisis: from solar panels to community gardens, wind turbines to bike workshops, telling leaders that its time to start working. For easy access and registration, go to www.350.org/oct10 and get things moving.
2. Organize a tree planting. Planting trees is fun, friendly and a great way to engage the community. Each tree you plant will be of great help in reducing the level of Carbon in the atmosphere.
3. Go solar. Working on a solar project is a great way to demonstrate a clean energy future right in your community. It is also a way of working with planet, not against it. Think about installing solar panels to generate electricity.
4. Trash clean up. Knowing how to manage our waste products helps in reducing green house gases in the atmosphere. If we do this, then we are going to be able to leave the place a better way than we found it.
5. Go for a ride. Biking is a great way to get out and be visible in your community. It also helps in demonstrating the need for improving the infrastructure for alternative means of transportation. Tell people to stop using fuel guzzlers where not necessary.
6. Start a transition town. This is a design which equips communities for dual challenges of climate change. By raising awareness on sustainable living and building local resilience in the near future. There already exists a network working on this. To see how others are doing it else where, visit, www.transitiontowns.org.

While others can do it in other parts of the world, we can do it for ourselves in our communities. Let us rise up to the occasion, come out together on the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of millennium to address climate change.