An environment day celebration with refugees, host communities and humanitarian workers
Northern Uganda- It had been such a long time since I last danced to the melodious brass band until I did it again at the World Environment Day celebrations in Lamwo district. This time, I didn’t do it for only fun but for a global social cause too- creating awareness for environment conservation. I vigorously marched with glee because I knew I was advocating for a better climate and environment for not only my little niece and nephew but for the current and future generation at large.
With young and old, female and male people from the host community, refugees, local district leaders and fellow humanitarian staff, we marched from Palabek Ogili sub county headquarters for over 2 kilometres, with some participants holding banners with environment related messages.
“The march through our communities is a way of creating awareness about the environment and its conservation. Through it, we are also mobilising the community people to join us for the event at the sub county headquarters,” said Henry Mukiibi, the Lutheran World Federation environment focal person.
For over an hour we marched along the smartly dressed brass instrumentalists dressed in navy blue suits with us in green t-shirts and others white with the day’s theme at the back ‘Connecting people to nature’ The green match coupled with beautiful music did us justice as we managed to get a large following back to our celebration venue to join the rest who had already camped there for the day’s festivity.
Advocating for environment conservation through exhibitions
While humanitarian organizations like LWF displayed and gave out publications on environment to the celebration participants, people from the district communities displayed environment friendly products like eco-friendly stoves and solar energy panels for lighting.
“The eco-friendly stoves use both charcoal and firewood fuel. However, their consumption is minimal compared to the open three stove,” said Raymond Kalowera, leader of an eco-stove artisan a host community group called Mama Stove. Mukiibi added that the eco-friendly stoves save up to 40% of the charcoal and firewood used in the open three stone stove hence reducing deforestation for fuel.
Kalowera continued to explain that the eco-stoves release minimal dangerous gases in form of smoke to the environment. “When released to the atmosphere, dangerous gases increase the concetration of greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere hence global warming layer and also pollute the fresh air we inhale hence posing healthy risks to us-humans,” Mukiibi added.
During the exhibitions, the Mama Stove group explained to participants the process of constructing an eco-friendly stove and the raw materials needed in hope of teaching them how to construct household stoves.
“An eco-stove construction only requires mud, sawdust and rice ash and it will only take you a few hours to construct your household stove,” Richard Ochola said. Ochola explained the environment would be saved a big deal if everyone at the event would shift from using the three stone stove to the eco-friendly ones.
Solar energy was another product showcased at the event by Barefoot Power Uganda. Mukiibi explained despite being cheap, solar energy is also clean, natural and doesn’t produce harmful emissions to the environment unlike conventional energy.
Environment themed entertainment and tree planting were part of the celebrations
School eco-clubs entertained the event participants with environment themed poems, drama and music. These were also joined by community groups with original drama compositions. Through a poem, Franka Aciro a P.7 student at Akango primary school reminded the crowds of how beautiful a green environment can be. “A green environment is a source of healthy living and can also be a tourist attraction,” Aciro said.
Lynett Lagat, a Community Service Officer with UNHCR lauded Aciro’s message reminding parents that environment conservation activities like tree planting can be a source of income. “Invest in tree planting to secure school fees for your children’s education,” Lagat told the crowds. “Green businesses are the way to go for both poverty alienation and environment conservation,” Mukiibi added, telling the attentive crowds.
Lagat lived by example as she led the refugees in the tree planting session of the celebration. She brought forward two refugees to plant a tree on behalf of the refugee community while the local district leaders planted on behalf of their districts and communities. “Trees have been cut to create space for our shelters and we are trying to replace them by planting more whenever we get the opportunity,” said Evelyn Lanyero, a 30-year-old refugee in Palabek settlement who planted a tree on behalf of the refugee community.
Rewards for winners
The celebrations were rounded up with a prize giving session to the green marathon finalists and the best school eco-club participants. While the pupils received solar lanterns, each of the green marathoners received an eco-stove, a t-shirt and a cap for their excellence in the marathon.
Many thanks to the European Union and UNHCR for funding the World Environment Day celebrations organized by the Local District Council and LWF in Lamwo district.
#EnvironmentProtectionFromDay1.
