it is a new dawn
Today is the time we have, making it count and doing the work are worthy the effort. Happy 2022!
2022 is here with us!
A year to continue the regional work, and the on-the ground work. And most importantly, a year to continue inspiring the world, from the lenses of our diverse and sparkling Afrika.
This month, we come to you from our experiences, our connections, and our actions for climate and nature, using our landscapes. Take a moment, read and join in spreading the positive messages of Afrika, and lead the world one photo a month. All this brought to you by the energies of our amazing Afrika global ambassadors. (By the way, check them out on their social media handles below, and connect to learn more about them and their on-the-ground works).
Here we go:
Zuhura Shaweji, Tanzania
Running Waters
Zuhura starts us off with the running waters in a river at Iringa Highlands in Tanzania. In her own words, “We need to sustain the beauty of nature, individual to collective action from local,national, regional and global level for climate and environmental conservation for the benefit of people and our good planet”. Indeed, we need to protect, restore and sustainably manage our invaluable natural resources, for the betterment of mankind and the planet.
Connect with Zuhura via: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Orieny Japheth, Kenya
The Kenyan Rift Valley
Fancy the world’s geography? Bet you do. Orieny brings us closer to one of earth’s interesting places, The Kenyan Rift Valley.
It forms part of the Great Rift Valley. It was formed through the process of faulting and folding.
Among other attributes, it is unique, wild, wide, beautiful, captivating and above all intriguing. Travelling on the road from Kisumu to Nairobi, (I) managed to stay awake and take some few shots of the beautiful scenery of some of the areas in The Rift valley. From the cold, green, forested and tea covered landscapes of Kericho, the hilly and wild lands of Nakuru to the acacia filled Naivasha…”Enjoying such views is one of the reasons why I love travelling by road”.
Connect with Orieny via: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Nnamaka Sarah, Nigeria
Nature Dose
Sarah exposes us to the different weather uncommon in Afrika, in her current environments as a global environmental leader in Europe. For her, every moment with nature is a treasure we must embrace and guard.
"Share a space with nature, connect with your roots, turn a new leaf and maintain the growth. Keep a green area, keep the next generation!”
Connect with Sarah via: Facebook
Bulimo Peter, Kenya
The beauty of Nam Lolwe
Zebras graze on a bale of hay next to boat docking zone at L.Victoria, inside the Kisumu Impala sanctuary.
Enthusiastic about fun with Nature, the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary is your go-to destination. Seated just at the shores of Lake Victoria (Nam Lolwe), the 38ha piece of nature is characterized by wildlife diversity, about 3Km of nature trail, and a selection of picnic sites. The park contains a mix of indigenous plant species, hippos, impala, zebras, the big cats including lions, leopards and cheetahs and an adjacent aquatic ecosystem. It is also endowed with unique sceneries and landscapes. Yet these resources continuously face an imminent threat of either extinction, loss or pollution.
As an eco-park, the Kisumu Impala Park is strictly eco-conscious. Single-use plastics are prohibited from the site while littering, burning or any other form of environmental irresponsibility are considered a taboo here. Even yet, the adjacent lake continues to suffer the wrath of pollution. This not only threatens the aquatic life in the Lake, it directly affects the sanctuary’s biodiversity which is fully dependent on the lake. Even though the park strives to raise its voice on this menace, seemingly, much still needs to be done in terms of awareness and capacity building of both visitors and the local community.
Some of the initiatives the park supports include: the Kisumu Impala Conservation Boat Race meant to raise awareness on the significance of the environment and wildlife, especially the endangered Sitatunga antelope and the #LetLakeVictoriaBreathAgain campaign-conducted through partnership with local Non-profits. Recently, the park also collaborated with #ClimateLiveKenya where they leveraged performance arts to raise more awareness on the significance of nature and climate action, including the complexity of their interconnectivity. The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary demonstrates beyond doubt that conversation, restoration and climate crisis are global challenges which cannot be addressed by a single individual or entity- to change everything, we will literally need everyone!
Image 1: Beautiful view of L.Victoria from the forest. Image 2: Men at work on the beach front, plastics and organic waste throng the waters
Connect with Bulimo via: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Leonard Iyamuremye, Rwanda
Leonard invites us to a preview on agroforestry trees that they used to distribute to localities around Rwanda, prepared by One acre fund,Rwanda Agriculture Board in partnership with local government. Every year One acre Fund gives more than 20million agroforestry trees to farmers. It's an amazing project Leonard worked with in greening Rwanda and for climate resilience. We hope many more initiatives will continue to increase more trees, because planting a tree saves the planet.
On the other hand, Leonard visited a forest around his home. It's Called Mushubati and Kanyarira, where people used to go for prayers.” On one side we still have forest cover but on the other, it looks like a desert. So sad, illegal tree cutting has increased….” Leonard adds.
Connect with Leonard via: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn
Ibrahim Inusa, Nigeria
“If you can observe all the pictures, what we can see in common which is, vulnerability, Loss and Damage that affects all the living being on this landscape as a result of this consequences of nature and climate degradation happening simultaneously at the same time” Inusa states
The children seen #OrphansOfTheSahara are the future generations of our local communities and hence they go out in search for tiger nuts which usually grow during the rainy season. Children observed digging the ground to pinch out the nuts to their bowl in search of nutritious food.
According to the World Health Organization’s report, one in three children in northern Sahelian region of Yobe state in northeastern Nigeria is susceptible to severe malnutrition and hunger due food insecurity as a result of continual disappearance of the rain on sub-Saharan Africa.
Apart from the already existing alarming rate of deforestation [attributed to high demand for fuel wood for cooking and heating], another intriguing/triggering issue is that there are other actions that warrant cutting down of trees on this landscape. This is mostly done by the headers to feed the animals during drought seasons and make the dry-land dryer again - they have no grass available to feed them. Unavoidably, herders have to feed their animals at all costs. At the same time it affects access to quality drinking water for them and their animals as well.
Connect with Ibrahim via: Facebook, Instagram
Ronald Odhiambo, Kenya
How about some juicy and tantalising landscape reflection on a fruity touch? Odhiambo brings us to the sweetness of the season.
“The season of sweetness is finally coming to an end. Sad, but we pray for sweeter seasons ahead. The harvest has been bumper, sweet juices dripping everywhere while the aroma of myriad variety is feeling the air. Ooh! What a beautiful sight to see Apamaku expertly indulging on a ripe yellow dodo, his hands dripping with wild flavours. (No knives are not used here). He can't help but smile. The honey makers, the fruit flies, the butterflies are all buzzy, seems like nobody can withstand the sweetness mother earth has delivered. If we take care of the earth, the earth will take care of us. When mother earth is happy, everyone is happy.
Editor’s note:
Our landscapes are telling us much and very loudly so. If only we can see and hear their language, we could swiftly make amends and restore them for posterity. 2022 must be a year for better action. A year to look back to nature and work on the solutions. A year to make every effort count. The challenge is on us all. Let us do the work, and let us take pride in the strides we made one year down the line. Viva Afrika.
Connect with the editor: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Follow Youth4Nature: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Blog contributors - Y4N Afrika Global Ambassadors :
Leonard Iyamuremye, Sarah Nnamaka, Peter Bulimo, Ibrahim Inusa, Japheth Orieny, Zuhura Shaweji.
Curated by:
Kaluki Paul Mutuku