Women rights organisations in Siaya County have embarked on a journey to inspire women in the area to adopt practices that will help mitigate negative effects of climate change.
Through the Siaya Muungano Network, the and other like-minded groups, the organisations are encouraging women to share their success stories on farming and environment conservation geared towards addressing climate change.
Speaking during an exhibition dubbed Voices on Climate Action (VCA), a programme office with Siaya Muungano Network, Rose Akinyi said that the programme also empowers women through civic education so that they can understand the interconnection between gender and climate justice.
“We also train them on advocacy and policy influence to enable them address leaders with an aim of influencing responsive policies,” said Akinyi during the event held at Awelo chief’s camp in the outskirts of Siaya town.
She said that the programme is a partnership between Siaya Mungano and Lamu Women Alliance, Crown trust and Women Empowerment Link.
Lamu Women Alliance’s programme officer, Jacinta Omulama said the programme has seen women join the war against negative effects of climate change by adopting sustainable agriculture.
“Women have come together to make energy saving stoves (jiko) that use few firewood and emit little or no smoke to the atmosphere hence saving the environment,” said Omulama who led a team from Lamu County.
She called on more women to join the war against climate change by venturing into sustainable activities such as bee keeping and tree planting.
Some of the beneficiaries of the programme, led by Rita Opondo and Monica Auma Okumu hailed the initiative, saying it has enable them engage in climate smart agriculture alongside other climate change adaptation activities including weaving.
By Philip Onyango
