Sikiliza Sauti Yetu

Context

Kenya faces significant environmental and climate-related challenges. A country-wide context assessment reveals that, despite a growing awareness (53%) of climate change, 83% of Kenyans who are aware believe the situation is worsening. Yet, meaningful community engagement in climate action remains limited. Kenya's National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) aims to address these issues, but there are gaps in community inclusion, particularly at the grassroots level. Issues such as high youth unemployment, limited educational access to climate knowledge, and barriers to effective waste management in urban and rural areas exacerbate these challenges.

Youth, women, and local communities in rural (Isiolo), coastal (Kwale), and urban (Nairobi) areas are especially affected. These regions experience adverse climate impacts like drought and erosion, impacting economic activities and food security. Youth-led civil society organizations (CSOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) in these areas are limited by inadequate funding, technical capacity, and access to policy dialogues.

Beneficiaries

The project targets multiple groups:

1. 45 Kenyan CSOs: These will undergo training to enhance their technical skills in addressing climate change and policy advocacy, with a focus on youth and women’s inclusion.
2. 60 Local Authority Representatives: Involved in climate-related governance, these officials will receive training on resilience strategies to improve policy implementation.
3. 6000 Youths: Engaged in climate advocacy and awareness activities, especially in informal urban areas and rural counties.
4. 2040 Children: Recruited from 28 schools, they will form environmental clubs, encouraging early environmental stewardship.
5. 84 School Staff: Teachers and headteachers from these schools will champion climate education within communities.
6. Three Youth Forums/Platforms: These platforms will facilitate youth advocacy at local and national levels.
7. 3000 Citizens: Media campaigns will target these individuals for awareness on climate issues.

Our Intervention

The project, led by WeWorld-GVC (WWGVC) in collaboration with local organizations, employs a triad-pronged intervention strategy:

1. Strengthening Capacity: Through technical training, the project will equip CSOs, teachers, and local authority representatives with the skills needed to address climate change and advocate for policy change. Schools will integrate climate education, and grassroots training will promote practical waste management techniques among youth groups, with a special focus on women in urban informal settlements.
3. Amplifying Voices: CSOs will engage with community stakeholders, facilitating dialogues around climate adaptation and ecological protection. Youth-led initiatives like tree planting and clean-up events aim to connect communities with sustainable practices. The project will also support a sub-grant mechanism, allowing CSOs to implement small-scale projects that promote climate resilience.
4. Building Influence: Youth will participate in participatory research, case studies, and policy advocacy campaigns. Toolkits co-designed with youth and media campaigns will raise awareness across multiple platforms, while events like youth forums and climate summits will amplify Kenyan voices internationally.

Key Partners

Key partners include WWGVC, Crawn Trust, and Barnfonden. The project is funded by the European Union