TAKING THE LEAD INFLUENCING OTHERS FOR A STRONGER VOICE TOWARDS CLIMATE JUSTICE

  

                                Explaining the Climate Change and other terminologies

What comes into your mind when called upon to give a presentation especially on an issue that needs urgent action? Worse still the issue might be urgent yet the populace might not be aware of its urgency...On Monday

the 30^th of April 2013, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change was invited to give a presentation to the Mercy Corps regional directors who were taking part in an in house conference. This conference brought together all the directors including the country director and the assistant. This was a very interesting and challenging presentation first because I was dealing with an audience which did not have an understanding of what climate change is but was interested in taking part and playing a role in its mitigation and secondly because I had to use 20minutes to make them understand and convince them that it is worth playing a major role in its mitigation and adaptation. It is worth noting that I was taking part in the capacity of the Chief Coordinator for Africa Youth Initiative on Climate Change and was accompanied by Njeri Nancy who participated in the capacity not only as a member of the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change,but also as a communication intern at the Kenya School of Government. The conference was geared towards fostering cordial relations with young people from the Kenyan Climate Movement and possible future engagements on tackling climate change from the youth perspectives.

                                      A section of the participants during the presentation

Just to bring you up to speed with this organization, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change –Kenyan chapter is an umbrella organization which provides a platform for young people to engage in various activities for personal growth and also towards initiating sustainable developments and environmental conservation.

We hear about it, other times see it and in extreme circumstances, have first-hand experience on the adverse effects that come along with it. However; most of us have dry knowledge when it comes to climate change. This is attributed to the thought many possess concerning the same. However, climate change remains the greatest threat to humanity in modern times. The African continent is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and science affirms that if the emissions aren’t curbed, droughts and floods will be more common and agricultural yields which form the backbone of most of Africa’s economy will decline dramatically. The result will be starvation, migration, resource wars and tremendous suffering.

Mercy Corps works with youth to address the root of conflict and empower them to champion peace. In addition, they promote sustainable change by supporting initiatives that are community-led, market-driven and promote good governance, a goal which we as the young people uphold. For this purpose therefore, youth and climate change is one of the areas the organization endeavors to engage in and the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change is best suited to provide the needed platform for young people already in the who are already involved in sustainable initiatives across the country.

Mercy Corps was founded in 1979 as Save the Refugees Fund, a task force organized by Dan O’Neill in response to the plight of Cambodian refugees fleeing the famine, war and genocide of the “killing fields.” Its mission is to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.  

With this partnership and if you and I play their role, we are more certain that the world we will leave behind for our children and grandchildren will be a sustainable one.