An Overview Of Our Solution
- Population Impacted:
- Continent: Africa
Adresse
P.O Box 179
Kisumu
40123
Kenya
Population impactée
Size
2560 sqm
Principaux métiers
Ressources locales dont dépend la communauté et dans quel but
Menaces locales sur les ressources
Aléas climatiques
Niveau de sensibilité
Niveau de capacité d'adaptation
Ecofinder Kenya implements alternative solutions through a multifaceted approach under its thematic motto of environmental entrepreneurship for sustainable communities. Our interventions have involved; a) Promotion of ecological sanitation which is flood resistant and reduces over ground and underground water contamination hence adaptation to floods. b) Green energy technologies including solar lamps, energy saving cook stoves and biogas. The establishment of solar lamp entrepreneurs through a micro credit scheme has enabled job creation and ownership clean energy at household levels. c) Conservation education and public awareness on climate change, adaptation and mitigation using applied drama and puppetry. d) Community Capacity building trainings of sustainable farming techniques including weather resistant crops. e) Undertaking of participatory habitat restoration of buffer zones including papyrus replanting and bamboo planting at wetland areas and river banks. f) Promotion of Group Savings and Loaning
Coûts écologiques
Bénéfice écologique
Indicateurs économiques utilisés pour mesurer les avantages
Area of wetland Area of shorelines restored/protected.
Coût économique
Training costs Transportation costs Facilitation of community meetings Construction costs
Avantage économique
Job Creation Improved disposable income at household level Reduced over dependence on Government Aids.
Indicateurs écologiques utilisés pour mesurer les avantages
Number of people employed through the enterprises created. Community resources survey
What were/are the challenges your community faced in implementing this solution?
The main challenge was sceptism from the community due to lack of knowledge o why we introduced the interventions. We managed to overcome these through a series of public education, awareness creation using applied theatre, community trainings and the establishment of village environment committees to spearhead the local interventions. We risk not meeting the demand within these communities. For instance, a bigger percentage of the communities still rely on traditional energy sources and so far what we have provided in terms of solar lamps, hybrid biogas, etc does not reach out to the entire populace. However, we believe that through continued partnerships and sourcing for support, it is still achievable.
Décrire le processus communautaire utilisé pour développer la solution, y compris les outils et les processus utilisés
Ecofinder Kenya through partnership with the centre for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law & policy-University of Nairobi, Kenya carried out a study entitled ?Adaptation to climate change through disaster risk reduction in Nyando River Basin? using the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methodology. The various assessment tools used included; Climatic Hazard mapping, climatic hazard trend analysis, climatic hazard ranking, climatic hazard impact assessment, livelihood resources assessment, livelihood resources vulnerability assessment, assessment of climatic hazard impacts on livelihoods, vulnerability assessment, vulnerability matrix and assessment of the coping and adaptation strategies. After the study, the findings were disseminated back to the community among other stakeholders including Non Governmental organizations, Government institutions, and private institutions. The level of vulnerability to climatic hazards was noted to be very high particularly among children, women and the elderly within the communities. Livelihoods were also extremely threatened and most people would only cope through migrations to other places in search for casual jobs. Ecofinder Kenya therefore promoted the establishment of Village Environmental Committees (VECs) which comprise of the various Common Interest and social Groups within the communities such as the fishermen, farmers, women groups, craftsmen, teachers, youth groups and businessmen among others. The committees are in charge of decision making and spearheading various interventions to solve the climatic hazard
Aléa climatique préoccupant
Comment votre solution réduit-elle l'exposition et protège-t-elle l'écosystème affecté ?
Wetlands act as natural buffer zones to control flooding. Therefore, our solution for undertaking habitat restoration exercises by replanting papyrus and planting bamboos help in restoring the degraded sites in order to protect these ecosystems. This also helps in maintaining the endemic biodiversity within these ecosystems.
How has your solution increased the capacity of the ecosystem to adapt to potential climate changes?
Our intervention of carrying out wetlands and river banks restoration have enabled the ecosystems to adapt to the climatic changes. This has also been integrated with training of local communities on sustainable papyrus harvesting techniques in order to allow for faster regeneration.
Comment votre solution réduit-elle l'exposition et protège-t-elle les communautés affectées ?
Our solution of establishing ecosan toilets have helped reduce the risk of water borne diseases during flooding. Sustainable organic farming techniques and small scale water irrigation have been able to improve food security at household level.
Comment votre solution réduit-elle la sensibilité des communautés affectées ?
Through the promotion of alternative livelihoods such as solar lamps entrepreneurs, ecotourism, and Group Savings and loaning practices, the sensitivity of the communities to climate change impacts is reduced since they are able to have disposable income.
Comment votre solution a-t-elle augmenté la capacité des communautés locales à s'adapter aux changements climatiques potentiels ?
The solution of promoting environmental enterprises such as green energy have increased the adaptive capacity of these communities to high temperatures are they are able to use the available natural resource e.g. energy from the sun to get their incomes and hence acquire food. Moreover, sustainable farming techniques using minimal land space as well as small scale irrigation techniques have strengthened their capacity. Group savings and loaning initiatives among the various resource user groups such as farmers, fishermen, etc have enabled strong social capital among community members and also serve as an adaptation to climatic changes as members can access their savings and loans for refuge during disasters.
Cette solution peut-elle être reproduite ailleurs ?
Yes. These solutions can be replicated. We have been able to replicate them to other various Districts within our geographic coverage areas. Other organizations and institutions having learnt from us, have also managed to replicate these interventions in their areas of jurisdiction. Factors for success include; finding the real need to be addressed through community involvement, designing an affordable product or service, working with the right team members and also important creating partnerships and synergies.