Girls and Young Women in the riparian zones of the River Nile in Jinja suffer the biggest brunt of not only climate change but also water injustices. Water pollution is at its peak due to improper industrial wastewater management / handling that is discharged into different water streams; Naava and Misiri streams that have for years and historically been the big source of water for communities in Njeru. Companies have resorted to using the streams as part of their discharge points/channels which puts the lives of many women and girls at a high risk because of their daily use of the water for farming and domestic use.
Women smallholder farmers, Women and girls’ that are not only facing difficulties in looking for clean water for domestic use but also the effects to their reproductive health making them susceptible to diseases. Women cannot even harvest water because there are black particles which makes it unsafe for consumption. Access to safe and clean water is a human right and a right to a clean and healthy environment as provided for by the National Environmental Act 2019 section 39.
Men have dominated decision making in the area and women and girls are left powerless. Less than 5% of young women and girls have been given an opportunity to lead.
It is on this note that Girls for Climate Action (G4CA), a movement of young women and girls advocating for climate justice in marginalized communities would like to accelerate the representation of young women and girls in climate leadership in the riparian zones through their Climate Corps Fellowship.
Our goal is to have 50 young women engaged in the decision-making processes at the local, national and international level.
Why does it matter: We cannot have climate justice without gender justice, understanding that young women in all their different diversities live the reality and can change the status quo in decision making towards the climate crisis only if they are given the necessary skills and knowledge and positions to take up on decision making tables and meaningfully engaged. The fellowship is the beginning of system change and shifting power to the girls and young women at the frontlines.
What are we doing: We bring together young women and girls to a 5-month climate leadership fellowship to enhance their skills in policy advocacy, climate justice, environmental policies and they come up with projects at the end of the program that enables them influence communities towards the fight for climate justice. (2 weeks in person, and 4 months virtual mentorship)
Our impact: We believe in the power of young women and girls to cause system change! By empowering these climate corps, we're not just creating a huge movement of climate activists across the country but we're fostering a generation of changemakers who will shape gender sensitive local policies, hold leaders accountable and drive transformative change.
How you can help: It costs us 800 USD to fully support and mentor one climate Corp for 5 months. This enables a Girls Climate Corp to access materials, mentors, attend the residential training and further support their project that they will start after the fellowship.
We have had exciting results in the past! The Climate Corps in the past have led to the restoration of local public forests, advocated for the stopping of mining in southwestern Uganda, stopped pollution of River Nyamwamba, created solutions in water and organic pesticides for small holder farmers, promoted plastic recycling, attended Conferences of parties with manifestos and taken up positions in their local environmental sub-committees!
We are glad this change happens because of the support of everyone who believes in climate action and the power that girls and young women can have in changing the status quo. Your support will accelerate the impact at the local and national level.
Support a Climate Corp and join us on the transformative journey with young women and girls to build a resilient and equitable future. There is no climate justice without gender justice.
