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The work of Ivorian musicians Yodé and Siro, has inspired their young fanbase to join them in a remote reforestation project. Ange Kumassi, bird story agency As the sun rises over Tiassalé, located in the southern part of Côte d'Ivoire, a convoy of buses carrying hundreds of volunteers, artists and influencers converges on a 25-hectare forest reserve near the town. The atmosphere is lively as as the buses pull up near an empty field close to a densely forested area and the young volunteers alight. A chant breaks out: "The forest is our heritage. We must protect it". The chant is led by two of the country's top artists, Yodé and Siro. This "musical caravan" has come to revive the forest by planting trees. With thousands of holes dug in preparation for the event, volutneers are soon carrying tree seedlings to different planting sites. Everyone is eager to contribute. "Planting fewer than 50 seedlings per person when visiting the forest is considered a crime. I believe you are capable of planting the required amount. Let's do our part in preserving our environment," one of the organisers urges. Yodé and Siro, who, through their YeS Foundation, have embarked on what they call 'The national reforestation caravan'. The artists specialise in Zouglou, a popular and urban music genre originating in Côte d'Ivoire. Their music touches on the social realities that Ivorian youths face and their lyrics convey humorous, political, and awareness-raising messages. The group, founded in 1996, has more than 20 musical titles to their name and has always been committed to defending the environment, mainly through their foundation. "What's important for us is to leave a legacy and remind people that our forest is more important than anything else because this land is the most precious thing we have, and it's what we will pass on to our children. Our cars may spoil, our houses may fall into ruin, but the land will remain, and that's what our children will inherit," said Yodé. In 2022, the Ivorian government released data indicating that Côte d'Ivoire had over 16.5 million hectares of forest when it gained independence in 1960. However, by 1970, this had decreased to 12 million hectares; today, the country only has 4 million hectares of tree cover. The country has lost nearly 90% of its forest cover in the last 60 years. The reforestation caravan, which began its tour in May 2022, has already travelled to 13 towns in various regions of Côte d'Ivoire, successfully reforesting a total of 345 hectares. "We have temporarily paused our artistic activities to contribute to an environmental cause in our country. We believe serving our country is more fulfilling than individual pursuits", explained the artists. The pair had initially become involved in reforestation in 2021, when, with the help of Sodefor, a state-owned company in charge of protecting the Ivorian forest, they reforested 182 hectares of forest. That experience encouraged them to go nation-wide with their caravan. "Given the exorbitant cost of seedlings, our first partner was Sodefor, a forestry company, which has provided us with tree plans since the reforestation project began", explained Siro. Sodefor closely collaborates with the villagers to supervise activities in the reforested areas and monitor the trees' progress for three to four years. "Two years ago, these artists came to see us to tell us about their project, and now over 300 hectares have been reforested. At this rate, there's no reason why Côte d'Ivoire shouldn't be able to reverse the trend of degradation that we're seeing today, and this is our great satisfaction during these two years of collaboration with them," explained Colonel Major Sangaré Mamadou, Managing Director of Sodefor. "Côte d'Ivoire has lost 90% of its forest cover. That's why, every year, we launch a massive appeal to all citizens and initiate the popular reforestation caravan to instil reforestation values in the younger generations", said the musical duo. In addition to reforestation, they also promote awareness about the dangers of bushfires during the dry season and the impacts of global warming. "What we do is not about Yodé and Siro, Sodefor, or the Ministry of Water and Forests. This is not our story, it's everyone's story, it's a responsibility that concerns us all", Siro said during the event. For Yodé and Siro, the challenge during the early days of the reforestation caravan was financial, as the exercise was expensive. "At the outset, we did it with our own funds, and when you do a caravan with over 30 people in a coach, and you have to travel to different towns every day, you have to pay for the hotels and the people who prepare the terrain. We often end up with 2,000 or even 5,000 people, and we have to feed and transport them, so we do our best," said the artists. Thanks to their efforts to protect and preserve the forest, various organisations have stepped up to provide financial support and equipment. "We've signed partnerships with banking companies and agricultural product manufacturers, and this shows their commitment to supporting us in this fight we're waging, and we're delighted to have them on our side," said Yode. "We supported this action without hesitation because we believe it will help strengthen our roots for the future. In African tradition, the tree holds great significance, which is why we chose to support Yodé and Siro.", said a Mansa Bank representative. The country's Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of National Education have also enabled the participation of schoolchildren and university students in the reforestation program. "Our country needs to recover its forest, and as a student, I had to be here to make my contribution and show that our future depends on it", said Roxanne Kouamé, a Bachelor's student at one of the country's universities. The artist duo doesn't plan on limiting themselves to only 13 towns. They've contacted the association of town councils to inquire about the amount of reserve forest land in each town that could host their caravan. "We intend to keep up the momentum next year and reforest the other towns. But we also intend to carry out these actions not only in Côte d'Ivoire but also in other African countries", declared Yodé and Siro. bird story agency

Mauro Lourenco has successfully created the first-ever map of the peatlands in the Angolan Highlands. Africa's peat, he explains, is a massive, unrecognised, carbon sink, with the potential to store more carbon than forests. bird story agency Peatland ecosystems create almost mystical environments. Spongy, water-logged peat shifts as one moves across the surface, threatening to swallow an individual moving through vegetation above the unstable ground. Surplus water from the saturated peat forms small, meandering streams that flow towards larger accumulations of water. Beyond their unique physical attributes, peatlands, as it turns out, also serve a vital ecological function. They are filled with deep accumulations of slowly decomposing plants and other organic, which over time become known as the flammable, energy-dense material known as peat. The resulting peatlands are huge carbon sinks, absorbing more carbon than they release into the atmosphere, and have been crucial in slowing planetary warming. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that peatlands store more carbon than all the world's forests combined. Peatlands also conserve biodiversity, purify water and reduce flooding and soil erosion. And Africa, it turns out, is home to many peatland areas, including the world's largest tropical peatland, identified beneath the Congo Basin forests, and spanning 145,000 km². With so much carbon at stake, the danger arises when peatlands are burned or drained. Their peat is exposed to air and releases its carbon in the form of carbon dioxide - which heats the planet. About 5% of global emissions are attributed to damaged peatlands, thus the underlying need to preserve them. However, mapping and inventory gaps have stood in the way of preserving these areas, especially those in Africa. Mauro Lourenco, a PHD student at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, set out to change that. He has developed the first map of peatlands in the Angolan Highlands, an ecologically rich area. Working alongside his supervisors, Professor Jennifer Fitchett and Professor Stephan Woodborne, he utilised Google Earth Engine and remote sensing technology to estimate the extent of peatlands in the Angolan Highlands. With similar skills in wetland monitoring and soil carbon quantification in his masters and undergraduate projects, Lourenco notes the project “aligns with my passion for conservation.” Lourenco believes academic knowledge can be used to provide practical solutions to boost climate action and biodiversity conservation in Africa. He spoke with bird story agency about his experience in the Angolan Highlands and the relevance of his study in climate action. How did you get involved in this project? I was initially invited by my two supervisors working on the Okavango Wildness project under the Wild Bird Trust and National Geographic. During their first expedition in 2015, they discovered peatland deposits and peat soils around some source lakes and some close to the Okavango Delta. So I was offered the opportunity to be part of the larger quantification of these peats as part of my PhD. I just completed the programme; all my revisions have been accepted. I haven't graduated yet, but I will receive my PhD from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, SA. **Why is it important to save and educate people about the peatlands?** In Angola, most farming areas have Kalahari sand. These are not mineral-rich, so people target the peatlands for agricultural practices. Due to drainage issues, some farmers dry the peat before planting, while others burn surface vegetation for planting. These practices are currently at a subsistence level and should be maintained as such to prevent damage to the peatlands. In Southeast Asia, peatlands have been converted into land and exposed to burning, releasing carbon into the atmosphere. We want to avoid that in African peatlands. **How much peatlands did you map in your study?** Our estimate of peatland covered is 1634 km square kilometres, 2.65% of a mapped area spanning approximately 61590 square kilometres. This represents just about 16% of the Angolan Highlands and 4% of Angola. I limited my study area to only 16% because I limited myself to sites that the people I relied on had visited and looked into now that I didn't have early access to. We, however, need to have the entire Highlands mapped so that peatland areas are known before we can move into the preservation phase. **What needs to be done so that mapping is done on the remaining areas for total preservation?** We will have to go into areas we haven't and extend our estimates by collecting more samples. We also need to do more to quantify the amount of carbon stored or sequestered annually to do more accurate monitoring going forward. With these, we can then extrapolate the results to the whole area. These details will be helpful to paint a larger and more compelling picture not only for Angola but for other regions such as east Zambia and the Congo. However, all these will need a lot more scientists and logistical support, but it is attainable. **The trade-off between conservation and economic development is usually a problem. Other than farming, did you witness any scenarios that could potentially pose such conflicts in the future?** There seemed to have been some small-scale artisanal mining attempts for diamonds, but the mines were abandoned. This could be because they did not get what they were looking for. This lack of whatever they were searching for was good for the lands because they would have exploited the peatlands exposing carbon. However, the use of peatlands to boost the agricultural value of the local communities can be allowed. We noted that small-scale farming activities build the peatlands rather than destroy them. **How will the research findings inform policy and decision-making on peatland conservation in Africa and beyond?** We found some interesting results. Firstly although the peatland quantity is huge, as we reported, it can be greater. Policies should facilitate more mapping to discover the rest. Also, we did study how peatlands respond to fire and drought. The study covered about 40 years of rainfall and at least 20 years of fire. We used historical satellite images to check whether the peatlands responded in a good or wrong way to the two. It was essential to assess the two because water table drops and peats are exposed to the atmosphere when we have droughts. Fire, in much the same way, damages the peats themselves. Results show that the ecosystem is highly buffered against both events. So there are natural mechanisms within peats that protects them against these extremes. Therefore, there shouldn't be many external efforts focusing on protecting peats in these scenarios. **What do you see as the next steps that other researchers need to focus on?** The accuracy of defining peatlands and peat ecosystems is the major gap. In Africa, there is a lack of good data and maps. This is for researchers to find out more and accurately map peatlands in the continent. We can then ask more detailed questions, for instance, if they are actively growing, how much carbon they store if they are degraded, among others. After all these, we can begin pushing for action around conservation. bird story agency

Lower rainfall in parts of East Africa over the past few years has hit smallholder farmers hard. But innovative service companies, farmers and government have all busied themselves to find solutions to the challenge. Thuku Kariuki, bird story agency When Jackline Kwaga left Uganda three years ago to look for greener pastures in Kenya, she initially took up work on a strawberry farm. She worked hard... hard enough to not only learn the ropes but also diversify into her own farming operation, where she now grows maize and strawberries, and raises chickens. The big breakthrough, as she sees it, however, was the arrival of irrigation. “I was using a watering can to water the plants, before. I started using water cans with three nursery beds and it was helpful. I continued increasing the nursery beds until IrriHub came and installed drip irrigation,” Kwaga related. The farm services company set Kwaga up with a drip irrigation scheme that ensures that water is distributed efficiently. Water is collected during the rainy season to ensure that crops can be irrigated year-round. Irrihub is a young company specialising in irrigation tailored to fruit and vegetable farming in East Africa. Its products help smallholder farmers increase yields beyond subsistence farming, to help farmers sell their produce at local markets. “Strawberry farming has helped me a lot because I have been able to educate my children and cater for their basic needs,” said Kwaga, who has gone from harvesting 20 plants a week before irrigation was installed, to 200 since. The system does not come cheap. But with providers like Irrihub helping farmers substantially increase their yields, they are able to pay off their investment. “The assumption is, after two years the client will have like recouped his investment, plus at least 5% on top of it,” explained Samuel Misiko, lead technician at Irrihub. “When we are doing the overall cost for their system, we do take care of the crop to be grown and then the size of the farm and then the financial level of the client. So that our quote factors all three into our system. We don’t overcharge our clients, and then we don’t underquote them,” he added. Providers servicing smallholder farmers have an interest in ensuring their customers do well. So Misiko not only educates his clients on how to use and take care of the system, he goes a step further. “We also do what you call ‘academic services’. We advise the clients on the best crops to grow, the best practices to do when they have grown, and then also try to enlighten our clients on the best market opportunities for their product. So, we don’t just install and leave clients. We help them maintain their soil fertility levels, and also help them find markets for their product,” he said. Evelyn Waithira Njuguna, who works in communications and marketing for Irrihub, stressed that Irrihub is an innovations company, and offers much more than just irrigation solutions. “Another benefit that our solutions have given to farmers is that they can be able to grow and sell their perishable crops or produce to the market by using our products such as the solar dryers which removes moisture from the crop. So, for example a farmer that is in an arid region such as Marsabit, they can be able to bring their crops to, for example, an area like Nairobi, and sell when their products are still fresh,” she explained. “They can also be able to do exportations. Another benefit of our products are the solar pumps which have helped farmers to save on the cost of electricity, since it uses solar (energy) to be able to pump the water,” the communications specialist said. Njuguna has seen the company grow substantially over the last four years. It is now servicing over 1500 farmers in Kenya and has extended operations to Tanzania and Uganda. Nor is the Kenyan government sitting on its hands when it comes to supporting emerging farmers. A recent drought, together with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – which impacted grain imports – had the government worried enough that it has taken action. In an effort to promote climate-smart farming, it created a department within Kenya’s Agriculture Ministry that focuses on mitigating and adapting to the effects of global warming. Veronica Ndetu, who leads the unit, said it has two main goals. “Agriculture that achieves two pillars: increased productivity, increased resilience against climate change, and also does not cause greenhouse gas emissions that are responsible for climate changes” she explained. The ministry has identified a number of opportunities to support farmers, including supporting research, seeking out sources of funding and providing advice. “You may find that a certain crop type is needed by the farmer, to change from what they have been doing, and they want to adopt a certain type of crop. You may not find clean, certified seeds for those crops. So sometimes farmers have to struggle. So, the answer here is twofold. Some practices are easy, because maybe it’s just a matter of changing operations within your farm, maybe changing from one type of crop to another. After all, it’s what is adaptable in the area. But then when it comes to certain practices and technologies, then you have to access them from outside,” Ndetu explained. Kenya’s signature “Silicon Savannah”, which describes the dynamic startup ecosystem in the country, has seen the country blessed with innovators like those behind Irrihub. But there is widespread recognition that farmers need access to financial services and capital to best take advantage of these new opportunities. The government is now working to get more financiers involved in agriculture. “I see a bright future because there are many players that have come on board to support agriculture in terms of climate smart agriculture. And these include not just the government, but also, they are CSOs, there is the private sector. Because mainly what farmers require are finances," Ndetu said. "And I see that if we actually coordinate the kind of support we give to the farmers, we have a bright future for agriculture, and we are going to deliver what needs to be delivered by agriculture, even with the impacts of climate change.” With around 7.5 million smallholder farmers in Kenya, providers like Irrihub have only begun to scratch the surface of the potential market. It’s a market that is too large to service alone. “Our future projects entail partnering, increasing our network by partnering with the government, the NGO’s that support farmers, especially the smallholder farmers, so that they can be able to access the climate smart irrigation solutions, even those ones that are in very arid and semi-arid regions,” Njuguna said. For Kwaga on her farm in Muguga, Kiambu County. the impact of access to irrigation is obvious in her daily life. She now gathers fruit from her strawberry bushes on Mondays and Fridays. That means more sweet treats for her family but more importantly, a steadily growing income. For her, the combination of private sector technology initiatives, government support and farmers willing to try new things, is really bearing fruit. bird story agency

Young entrepreneurs like beekeeper Blessing Hallie are finding a future in green jobs. by Caitlin Flynn Along a rocky dirt road in Lofa County, Liberia, past a field of pineapples, through a forest of rubber trees and up a winding path, sits a wooden beehive, humming quietly in a thicket. The bee box is rectangular, about three feet long, with a corrugated roof. The hive’s bees can be seen squishing in and out of three small holes in the structure. A few circle the box. Beekeeper Blessing Hallie, who has come to check on the hive’s activity, is unmoved as the buzz intensifies. “I was scared the first time I worked with the bees because I thought when you went around them, they would sting you. But getting to know them, bees are our friends,” she said, smiling for a photo. “Bees teach us many things. They teach every human being to be productive. To do something for yourself.” That’s a lesson that the young beekeeper seems to have taken to heart. Hallie hopes to use her harvest profits to pay her way to becoming an eye doctor. Having dropped out of school after grade 11, her beekeeping income has already helped her finish school. Now, waiting for her results, she hopes to use her income from her honey business to study further. Hallie and her family are returnees to the area, which was hit hard by Liberia’s two civil wars, the first from 1989-1996 and the second from 1999-2003. A highly fertile area, farming now provides incomes to many residents in the area, ensuring a ready market for the honey and also plenty of pollen for the bees, which farmers in turn need to pollinate their crops. “To work with bees is very important, I will tell you this. The honey from bees can be used for medicine and food. Even the waste product from bees is medicine. The beeswax can be reused in the bee box to attract more bees to come into the box… So, it’s not just important for the honey but to produce other things we need,” the beekeeper explained. While studying is important to her, Hallie now has the potential to grow her small business and help others in the area become beekeepers too, by sharing her knowledge of beekeeping and the building of hives. “If you make your farm, the bees will come,” she explained. Hallie’s success is important to Youth Advance, the organisation that assisted Hallie and which offers opportunities for youths in the area who, like Hallie, had to leave school early. The organisation provides training, starting with basic literacy and numeracy skills. It then teaches youths life skills, like how to find a job – and how to keep it. Participants are encouraged to start their own small businesses or to learn a skill from businesses in the community. Recently, the project has prioritised helping youths land “blue” or “green” jobs – jobs that mitigate or respond to climate change. In the area where Hallie operates her beekeeping business, annual rainfall has decreased on average and rain patterns have become less predictable and more intense. Crops yields are decreasing too, a particularly worrisome trend for the 70% of Liberians who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, according to Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency. While the challenges are many, there are also opportunities for young Liberians to adapt and innovate, as shown by Hallie. Successes like hers are crucially important to Youth Advance, which is funded by USAID and implemented by the Education Development Center (EDC). Example like Hallie are also important to a continent that is quickly recognising that investment in young people – especially those most impacted by climate change – needs to be prioritised. While Hallie has seen honey become a lucrative product in Lofa County, with the market for honey growing rapidly in the last two years alone, the boom has also led to a growth in informal honey harvesting. Informal harvesters regularly use burning sticks inserted into a tree to recover honey, killing many bees, or even destroying the hive and damaging the tree. Hallie explained that wild honey was easy to spot in the market. “The real honey looks perfectly clean,” she explained, “but when you harvest with ash, it looks a little bit black. The best way to harvest bees and have bees grow is to make your farm. No need to go into a tree with ash.” According to Hallie, a gallon of honey - roughly the amount of honey from the harvest one of her three bee boxes - can sell for the equivalent of nearly US$30. That represents significant savings towards her future university fees. Programs like Youth Advance are equipping young people - especially those most affected by climate change - to contribute to a growing green and blue economy that will require their talents, perspectives and assets. But additional investments are needed. Whether through established green businesses or starting a new one, young people – part of the biggest generation ever - are the future of the green economy. In the meantime, Hallie and others are widening the expectations of what youths – and particularly women - are capable of. “There are many things here that men do that women don’t do,” Hallie said. “Men are the ones who harvest honey. Now, people are getting to know that women can do what men can do. I have younger sisters and a niece, and they see what I’m doing, and they’re impressed. They want to be like me.” bird story agency

Olufunke Ojukwu's art encourages people to rethink about their relationship with waste and have conversations about sustainability By Humphrey Njoku, bird story agency The TOPAS hub In the bustling neighbourhood of Surulere in Lagos is one of a wave of tech hubs opening across Africa and the energy and bustle in the co-working spaces and tech companies is similar to many others in Nigeria's biggest city - home to over 400 startups. But other tech hubs don't have the works of Olufunke Ojukwu to inspire and encourage an environmental focus amongst the hub's startups. "During this space's design and decoration process, our goal was to create a memorable experience for every visitor and encourage them to be mindful of our ecosystem and environment. We aimed to encourage responsible waste disposal and remind everyone to do their part in preserving our planet," said Lola Olukuewu, the CEO and founder of TOPAS. To achieve her goal, she reached out to Olufunke Esekhalu Ojukwu, an artist specialising in creating art from recycled materials. Born in 1981 and raised in Lagos State, the artist and mother of three has spent years using her art to help keep the environment clean. "I am actually a painter, trained at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. By doing this unique art, I show another side of what I do. I intend to explore this art further by using bottle covers of drinks to produce art," Ojukwu said. "I see the discarded bottle covers simply as pure art material... It gives multiple colours and has given my signature sort of uniqueness only peculiar to me. The colours of discarded plastic bottle covers make my art appear like a mosaic." According to art researcher and curator, Oludamola Adebowale, Okujwu's art is not only unique, it also offers a transformative experience for the viewer. "This is the magic of art in general - it transforms and enlightens us. When you look at a piece of art, you can see various interpretations.," he said. "The process of creating her artwork is not as simple as it may seem. It requires a lot of effort and time. She begins by collecting materials from the waste centre, carefully selecting each item. Then she washes and dries them, which is quite a process. However, at the end of the day, it's amazing to see the beauty that comes out of what was once considered rubbish," he said of Okujwu's work. The TOPAS CEO concurred. "Every time people see them, they always have this excitement written on their faces," she said. "Seeing how people's demeanour changes when they come across some of her works is fantastic. Even the most serious-looking individuals light up when they spot it and start asking questions. 'Are those bottle tops? Let me have a closer look. Can I touch it? Can I take a picture with it?' It has become one of the most captivating pieces we use to break the ice during our client tours." Ojukwu, who took years to develop the technique she uses, is unaware of anyone else working with discarded plastic materials in quite the same way as her. "To create my works, I carefully assemble and string together the bottle covers. Through techniques such as coupling, joining, and welding, I can achieve the desired outcome." "It's not as if I had seen anyone using discarded bottle covers to create artwork in the same manner I do it now, so the inspiration is mine," she said. The artist's pieces typically sell for around 500,000 Nigerian Naira (637 USD) and are purchased at exhibitions, festivals, and through art collectors. Her goal is to become a household name both within and outside of Nigeria, and she sees this as the ultimate sign of success. "I want my art to be projected worldwide not just the bottle covers but the name – Olufunke Esekhalu." "I take pride in using recycled materials, such as discarded bottle plastic covers and pure water sachets, because it helps to maintain a clean and safe environment," the artist concluded. bird story agency

Deeply affected by a cholera outbreak in 2008, Odilo Linzi vowed to find a solution to waste management. Today, his company collects garbage throughout Harare. His story offers a lesson in fortitude. By Virginia Zifesho, bird story agency During the Zimbabwean cholera outbreak of 2008, Odilo Linzi lost four of his loved ones. "The cholera outbreak spread to Budiriro where l lived. People drank water from contaminated sources and there were no proper waste management services during that time and in the end water born diseases arose. Unfortunately l lost my Uncle and 3 of my closest friends," said Linzi. This outbreak took place between August 2008 and June 2009, resulting in the loss of over 4000 lives. It inspired Linzi, who was in his late teens at the time, to vow that he would contribute to finding a solution for waste management. It would be years before he could finally act. Graduating with a degree in philosophy from the University of Zimbabwe, Linzi decided to start a waste management company in 2018. "I've always had a strong passion for maintaining a clean environment. When I noticed the significant amount of unattended waste in Zimbabwe, I saw an opportunity to address the issue of cholera and dysentery caused by inadequate service delivery from the municipality," he said. Funding his company with a family loan, an early service request came to his rescue. "I started Oleans Waste Management Services by using my personal funds. Actually, I only had 5 (US) dollars , and I had to borrow 50 (US) dollars from a relative in order to register the company. I got my first client through marketing on Facebook; the lady saw the advert there and got interested in our services and contacted me," Linzi explained. Only two years into running his business, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. He was forced to shut down and look for new premises. "I began working in Budiriro 1, where we collected recyclables for sale in an open area. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the City of Harare closed down our location. However, I was able to meet the director of Zimbabwe Sunshine Group, who connected me with our current location at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society in Belvedere." Running a business can be challenging, but for Linzi, a hearing disability has made it even more difficult. This presented a challenge, particularly when it came to communicating with clients. "I lost my hearing when I was young, due to malaria. The injection that I was given to cure it affected my hearing. I used to wear hearing aids but realised they could not help me much. I mostly rely on reading and writing. Therefore, I had to hire an administrative assistant to help communicate with clients. Currently, the company is involved in city-wide, door-to-door waste collection for households, cooperates and other diverse clientele base. "We operate in most parts of Harare, such as Borrowdale, Mt Pleasant, Avondale, Belvedere, Warren Park, Hatfield, Highfield, Malborough, Msasa and Cranborne," said Linzi. The company deals with an average of 15 tons of garbage from its monthly collection activities. In addition to this, the company also purchases and resells recyclables from informal waste pickers within and around Harare. Once the waste is collected, the workers focus on separating recyclables - mainly plastic bottles, plastic papers, cans, and other materials - from non-recyclables, which are organic and then composted. The recyclable plastics are then sold to plastic manufacturers for items such as buckets, cups, plates, and tanks. The company is also exploring the possibility of converting waste into biogas, which can be used as an energy source. Lina Gwenzi, a resident of Avondale, said she grateful for Olean's services as the City of Harare has failed to collect garbage from her neighbourhood. "Before we started using Oleans, we encountered many challenges due to the city council's failure to collect garbage. This resulted in potential dangers for children who could rummage through the piled bins and individuals who could dispose of waste in illegal areas. However, thanks to Oleans, we now receive weekly garbage collection services, resulting in clean environments. Additionally, we no longer face the risk of disease outbreaks such as cholera and malaria," she said. Batsirai Sibanda, the officer in charge of environmental education and publicity at the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), has recognised the significance of the work being carried out by Linzi and other waste companies in Harare. "As EMA, we value the efforts made by those in the recycling sector, waste is now being seen as a resource, and many are making a living from collecting recycling materials. Overall this has reduced the amount of waste in the environment, which aligns with our vision of a clean, safe and healthy environment. The agency is in the process of identifying incentives that we can give to those in the recycling sector and those who need assistance starting up their waste enterprises," she said. Linzi has encountered numerous challenges while operating the waste management business, making it far from smooth sailing. "One of the biggest challenges I face in this business is the lack of equipment, especially reliable transportation. When I started, I had to rely on hiring other people's vehicles, which proved unreliable and caused me to lose some customers. I then agreed with someone who owns a vehicle, which has been more dependable for us. However, this arrangement has challenges since we are not making as much profit. I am currently seeking donations to purchase a bigger truck and even offer shares to potential investors. Our goal is to have our vehicle and a spacious facility that can handle all aspects of waste collection, segregation, and composting," said Linzi. "Staff turnover is a significant concern. Waste management is not a field that many people aspire to work in, which results in some of the staff only staying for 2 to 3 months," he added. However, his current staff are grateful for the opportunity to work at Oleans. The company serves as an employment platform for the youth, women, and individuals with disabilities and has created over 100 jobs directly and indirectly through informal waste pickers and middlemen in the recyclables market. "Being unemployed can force one to do things that are bad. For me, I took drugs because I wanted to forget the pain and stress of not having a job. I had a group of boys that I chilled with, and nothing meaningful came out of that group. When this employment opportunity came around, I took it and left that life behind," said a 22-year-old staff (name withheld). Kudzai Chiyangwa, the company's administration assistant and a social worker by profession, said the opportunity to work with Linzi came after she had lost hope finding a job. It also opened her eyes to other ways to help the community. "it is hard to find social work jobs in Zimbabwe because there are few NGOs, so I've been working with Oleans since last year, and it made me see another side of waste management which other social workers are not aware of; I am really grateful of this opportunity," she said. "The opportunity to work with Oleans came when I needed it most, especially as an accounts student who needed practical experience about accounting. It also gave me an insight into the struggles and also challenges that SMEs face in the industry. I use my salary to cater for my school fees and day-to-day needs, and l have also realised that l have relieved my guardians from pressure," said 23-year-old Junior Hokonya, the company's accountant. Linzi's five-year plan involves expanding his company both within Zimbabwe and beyond. Additionally, he aims to establish a fully operational recycling centre to promote the adoption of a circular economy in Zimbabwe. bird story agency

A recycling organization is prioritizing the reuse, recycling, and repurposing of digital gadgets to combat Africa's growing e-waste crisis. They also ensure the safe destruction of e-waste that cannot be reused. Bonface Orucho, bird story agency In 2002, Tom Musili and his partners established Computer for Schools Kenya, a charitable organization. Its mission: equipping as many schools as possible with computers. But the success of the venture resulted in a new problem: as time passed, it became evident that there was a growing issue with the disposal of old computers. "Due to first-time use inexperience and genuine breakdowns, we were having hundreds of computers lying in schools dead and obsolete," Musili explained. The issue of e-waste is prevalent throughout Kenya and in many other African countries. Due to a rapidly growing youth population, the region is developing a fast-growing demand for and consumption of, electronic devices. The International Data Corporation's Worldwide Quarterly Smart Home Device Tracker reveals that Kenya's smart home devices market experienced a remarkable year-on-year increase of over 15% in 2022. However, this surge in technological advancement comes with a significant downside - the mounting challenge of e-waste. These circumstances led Musili to start an initiative in 2012 that has now grown into the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Centre (WEEE Center), a social enterprise dedicated to e-waste management. Located in Utawala Area, just 6km outside the capital city of Nairobi, the centre stands out for its focused approach to reusing, recycling, and safely disposing of electronic waste. "The centre does safe disposal of electronic wastes, secure data destruction, comprehensive training and awareness among other relative functions," Musili explained. The facility, built from configured shipping containers, houses offices, workshops, and storage spaces, is all geared towards handling the vast quantities of electrical waste that pass through its doors. With expertise in managing small IT waste, equipment of varying sizes, lamps, screens, and other related electronic equipment, the WEEE Center has become a vital hub for responsible e-waste management in the region. As Musili explains, the facility takes pride in its well-established systems for transferring e-waste from households to the facility. Collaborations with private companies Safaricom, Total Energies gas stations, and Carrefour stores have enabled the establishment of over 100 drop-off points across the country. Furthermore, roaming trucks actively engage with communities, collecting e-waste and spreading awareness. The centre also actively seeks out schools, corporates, and organizations harbouring electronic waste, aiming to alleviate the health hazards and environmental damage caused by improperly handling outdated electronics. A visit to the WEEE Center workshop offers a firsthand glimpse into the intricate processes that electronic waste undergoes. The centre's team of experts, predominantly youthful technicians, dismantle electronics with meticulous care, distinguishing each unique component. Prioritizing reuse whenever possible, the WEEE Center ensures that any salvageable parts are channelled into the reuse value chain. This commitment to refurbishment and reuse extends to the centre's lithium battery facility, where thousands of solar batteries are expertly refurbished and recharged before being reintroduced to the market. Through collaborative efforts with partners, the WEEE Center has transformed stripped cables and CRTs into sustainable building blocks and fencing poles, showcasing its commitment to innovation and environmentally conscious practices. "We have recycled more than 12000 tonnes of e-waste saving the world in our small way from the adverse health and environmental risks associated with this type of waste," Musili explains. Amidst the clamour of roaring machines and meticulous e-waste dismantling, a different yet equally vital program thrives—a transformative education initiative. Nestled within the facility's core, an in-house resource centre becomes a haven of knowledge, transcending waste management. Here, computer literacy programs flourish, empowering individuals with the technological prowess to shape a brighter future. "We have trained more than 3000 young people on computer literacy and minor IT skills with the primary goal of imparting knowledge so that we increase electronic use, especially computer efficiency," Musili explained. But the centre's dedication to education knows no bounds. Beyond its walls, the DigiTruck, a mobile unit teeming with computer systems, takes computer lessons into the streets and residential areas. For the dedicated staff of over 1,000 individuals, many of them young and passionate about their work, the WEEE Center has become not only a source of livelihood but also a platform for personal growth and expertise. Johnson Makau, a 27-year-old beneficiary of the facility, now oversees technical activities and offers consultancy services in e-waste management in neighbouring Tanzania and Uganda. "Sometimes we receive the newest items in the market that have broken down… in the process of interacting with such items, you stay ahead knowledge-wise," Makau explained. Recognizing the need for a collective approach, the WEEE Center has established country-level hubs and forged partnerships with 14 other African countries, enabling the sharing of technical support and knowledge. The WEEE Center's outstanding contributions to e-waste management have garnered international recognition, including ISO certification and more than ten prestigious awards. Purity Muthuita, the director of business and strategy, explained that the facility's plan was to repurpose and reverse engineering to put more waste to use instead of destroying it. "The waste we cannot destroy locally we ship to our partners for safe disposal; the plan is to ensure we can handle all that here locally," she explained. "With more partners, we can tap fresh talent from universities who can help with urban mining such that we handle everything in-house… this will cut costs and increase capacity to collect more," she concluded. bird story agency

In the 1960s, fishermen from Ayetoro in southern Nigeria used to express their frustration about how far the sea was from their homes. Today, the situation has changed drastically, with the sea advancing across the land by up to 65 meters yearly. Only six of the original 21 streets remain. Fortunately, a local scientist has gathered data and has developed solutions as to how to rescue the town. But does the government want his help? Kate Okorie, bird story agency As Mayokun Iyaomolere wove his way between large puddles lining the walkway known as Broad Street in the southern Nigerian community of Ayetoro one day in late June, he couldn't help but feel a sense of astonishment. He found it incredible how quickly the sea had moved into the area. As he progressed on his mission to gather data, he was eventually forced to use pieces of wood — the last remains of wooden-stilt homes felled by April storms — as stepping stones to traverse the waterlogged broadwalk. Ayetoro is a low-lying coastal community in Ondo State, southern Nigeria. It is bordered to the north by the sprawling shore of the Atlantic Ocean and to the south by serene lagoons. "I grew up about an hour from here, and even then, I heard stories of the ocean frequently wreaking havoc. I always wondered how this community experienced such a dramatic shift in its fortunes. In its early days, Ayetoro was renowned for its flourishing fishing industry, which brought prosperity to the region," Iyaomolere explained, offering his local knowledge as background to what is becoming a major problem for this area: like a magical tale from a Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel, it is being devoured by the sea. Driven by curiosity and a desire to learn more about this phenomenon, Iyaomolere pursued a two-year master's program in Environmental Control and Management at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria. When the time came to choose a research topic for his thesis, there was no question about what he wanted to explore. "I knew I would investigate the flood vulnerability of coastal communities within the Ilaje region, of which Ayetoro was among them," the 29-year-old researcher said. In 2017, Iyaomolere made his first trip to collect data for his research. At that time, Ayetoro was a kilometre from the shoreline. Anecdotal evidence from community leaders suggested that the community used to be farther from the ocean. "In the 60s, the sea was very far from where the people lived. Ironically, it was the major problem fishermen were facing," said Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi, the community's traditional ruler. "But at the moment, boats can no longer berth here," he added. Before the discovery of oil in Ayetoro's waters, the local economy thrived on fishing, an activity that employed more than half of the population. "In the past, a fisherman could earn up to 500,000 Nigerian naira (US$656) in one day during the peak of the fishing season," said Pa Lawrence Lemamu, the chairman of the fishermen's association in the community. "With this income, fishermen were able to live well, build houses and train their children in good schools," he said. However, the devastating impact of oil spills on the rich marine habitat and the advancing ocean that has inundated the fishermen's riverside homes forced many of those who earned a living from the sea to migrate to other communities where the shores could still support fishing activities. An economic analysis of artisanal fisheries in Ayetoro and three other Ilaje fishing communities projects a profit of 158.9 naira (US$0.21) for every naira invested in fishing activities. But the study's authors have called for the coastal waters to be properly managed to ensure the "sustainability of fisheries resources." "This has always been a pain point for me and inspired me to learn more about coastal flooding," Iyaomolere said. As the principal investigator, Iyaomolere made several more trips to the community. "I had to go and observe again and again. At some point, I had to travel down to Lagos to visit the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, but the institute's library did not have recent data to support my research. It took a year to get all the data I needed," Iyaomolere said. He completed his data-gathering by the second half of 2018 and began his analysis. One significant discovery was that the community was losing its land to the sea at a rate of 65 metres per year. Values above 15 metres generally indicate "very high vulnerability" to coastal flooding. Supported by the evidence from his research, Iyaomolere sought ways to engage influential stakeholders to raise awareness. He attempted to bring the state government on board, but his efforts to get across to the commissioner of environment proved futile. He re-strategised and turned his attention to more receptive community leaders. During this period, he met Emmanuel Aralu, then the secretary of the Ayetoro Youth Congress, who helped him establish connections with key decision-makers in the community. He also discovered that in 1995, two Nigerian researchers had published a study which suggested that Ayetoro and Awoye (an adjacent community) were at risk of being lost "even with a 0.2-meter rise in sea level." Due to global warming, the global mean sea level has already risen 22-24 centimetres since 1880 (over 0.2 meters), and it could reach two metres by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are not controlled, according to a 2023 assessment report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Coastal areas with low elevation, typically ranging from one meter to 20 meters above sea level, are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of rising sea levels. During his data collection for the research, Iyaomolere had estimated Ayetoro's elevation to be two meters above sea level. But when he repeated the analysis this year, he found the community's elevation level to be zero. "This means the community is at the same level as the sea, which is why the ocean attacks have increased," he said. "At the moment, we have lost two-thirds of the community," said Aralu, unveiling a pencil-drawn map of the community on yellow cardboard. The map portrays a clear division of the community into two similar sections, east and west, with the prominent Broad Street positioned at the centre. Aralu explained that the eastern region has suffered the most damage from the sea's incursions. It once boasted twenty-one streets, including fishermen's riverside homes, but only six remain today. While part of the area is protected by a makeshift levee, the advancing ocean now laps the edges of Broad Street. Surging seawater crashes over the walkway's raised borders during high tides, flooding the western section and streets at both ends of the walkway are rapidly disappearing. Based on interviews with locals, Iyaomolere found that seawater intrusion in Ayetoro and neighbouring communities coincided with the beginning of offshore oil exploration in surrounding waters. "Oil exploration tampers with the nature of the soil beneath and leads to land subsidence, and when the land in an area is sinking, it is more exposed to sea level rise," he explained. Although no official measurements have been carried out, various Nigerian researchers have cited land subsidence rates ranging from 25 to 125 mm per year in oil-producing coastal communities. Iyaomolere attempted to conduct measurements to support the qualitative evidence he gathered but could not access the necessary tools. "Many feasibility studies have been done," stated Ojagbohunmi, the community's traditional ruler. "But what is left is the political will to synergise efforts of various bodies." In Ayetoro, there have been two unsuccessful shoreline protection projects. The Nigerian government awarded the first contract to Gallet Nigeria Limited in 2004, but the contractor could not carry out the work, resulting in the termination of the contract. In 2009, a new contract was awarded to Dredging Atlantic Limited to build an embankment along the shore and reclaim the land lost to the encroaching Atlantic Ocean. "They came with engineers, workers and sophisticated equipment," said Ojagbohunmi. According to him, it looked promising until they encountered difficulties sourcing sand to support the construction. "Eventually, they left too." Since then, no new projects have been implemented to resolve the issue. "It shows their lack of preparation," said Iyaomolere. In his research, he found that strategies deployed by the government to manage coastal flooding do not always match the coping strategies employed by local residents. Iyaomolere has developed solutions to Ayetoro's disappearing streets that could see the land recovered by harnessing local knowledge and a strategy called Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). ICZM is a strategy to plan and manage coastal regions. It emphasises the need for public and private agencies to utilise scientific and transdisciplinary knowledge and to collaborate with researchers to manage coastal flood risks and support adaptation efforts. Scientific knowledge has been recognised as an important pillar to motivate adaptation, especially in the global south, where scientific evidence has been inadequate for a long time. Iyaomolere is one of a handful of environmental scientists whose research is helping to generate evidence around areas like Ayetoro becoming increasingly prone to coastal flooding. His thesis has been included in Springer's handbook on Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience, which provides information and strategies to reduce disasters and associated losses as proposed in the Sendai Framework—a United Nations-adopted framework for disaster risk reduction. However, when asked if the government has ever contacted him to contribute his coastal management expertise, Iyaomolere's response was an emphatic "No." bird story agency

After serving time in prison, Patrick Kibati returned to his village with valuable farming skills. Today the community's members are successful farmers. Caroline Kamau, bird story agency You can tell Patrick Kibati's home from a ways away. Despite the dry, dusty road leading up to his homestead, the property is a green oasis in an otherwise barren-looking landscape in Machakos, east of Nairobi. "It's not always been like this," said the 70-year-old before starting his story at the small farm where he grows food crops and maintains a fish pond and beehives. A trained pharmacist, Kibati was employed by the government of Kenya in the 1980s and worked in the prison department, where he helped recruit health officers. "I was very successful in my career and later opened up a private practice. Life was looking up for me and my family until it all came crumbling down," he said. Convicted of fraud, Kibati once again returned to prison, this time as a prisoner rather than a health officer. "In 2012, I received a three-year prison sentence after being implicated in fraud. I served my time at Nairobi West Prison, and the experience was extremely difficult. During the first six months, I felt like I had been taken away from my life. I couldn't hold my children, be with my wife or spend time with my relatives. It was the toughest period of my life," he said. Kibati, who maintains his innocence and claims it was a case of mistaken identity, admits that the experience almost caused him to fall into depression. However, an experience at the prison saved him. "One day, after five months in prison, I was approached by an officer in charge who knew of my previous involvement with the prison system. He asked if I would be interested in leading the prison school. After considering it, I agreed to take on the position," said Kibati. Kenya's correctional facilities provide all inmates with primary and secondary education and vocational training. "This role gave me purpose. I met young people in a worse place than I was. They needed encouragement and hope. I could encourage them while they, too, encouraged me". While leading the prison school, Kibati met people from Resource Oriented Development Initiative (RODI), an organisation that works with prisoners in Kenya. Currently, the organisation is working with 33 prisons across the country. "During my time in prison, RODI provided me with extensive training opportunities. I learned about organic farming, and soap making and even received certification in counselling. Later on, I became certified as a trainer of trainees," says Kibati. Moses Mbiri, an official at RODI Kenya, says the organisation has worked with Kenyan prisons for over a decade. "We work with prisoners while in prison, and when they finally leave prison, we help them look at what is left instead of looking at what is lost. RODI helps them to reintegrate back into society," said Mbiri. Kibati considers himself fortunate, as he was shown a more positive way of life and on his release from prison, he resolved to pursue farming. "I vowed when I come out, I will not open a clinic, a chemist or anything. I felt when I go out, I'm going to teach people how to farm well. How to make soaps and other little things," he said. Moses Wanjala, the Inspector of Prisons at Nairobi West, says rehabilitation programs are crucial as they give prisoners a sense of purpose when they leave prison. "Prisoners undergo counselling and then participate in rehabilitation programs to acquire additional skills and knowledge beyond what they had before entering prison. This training has a significant impact once they are released, as they focus on their progress rather than the time they spent incarcerated," said Wanjala. Luckily for Kibati, he only served two of his three-year jail term as he was given a one-year remission, and so in 2014, equipped with new skills, he went back to his village and soon afterwards helped form a self-help group called the New Kiimani Self-Help group. "As an ex-prisoner, it's not easy to reintegrate into society. But I thank God my family was very receptive; once the family stands with you, you don't need anyone else. I was able to share my prison-acquired knowledge of organic farming with the group, and thankfully, it bore fruit, this made it a bit easier for me to be accepted back," he said. Marrieta Kanini, a member of the New Kiimani group, says she has learnt a lot from Kibati. "When we started this group, Kibati was one of the founding members and he taught us a lot of things. He taught us about farming, how to plant crops and trees and about organic farming. Today I have embraced organic farming and also learnt foods that can do well in this dry region". Marrieta says she harvested over ten bags of maize and cowpeas in the last harvest in her half-acre piece of land and sold the excess produce to pay for her child's school fees. The group has more than a dozen members who have benefited from farming activities, ensuring their food security. Kibati said he does not shy away from telling members of his community he was in jail. "I don't tell them for them, just so they can know, no. I tell them for me, for my healing. Through my story I want them to know a man and woman can go through a pit and come out of it". bird story agency

Stella and Winnie Mutai are twins with a five-minute age difference. Inseparable from birth, they took different career paths. Climate change brought them back together. Lucy Githugo, bird story agency Stella and Winnie Mutai were virtually inseparable after being born a mere five minutes apart and that is how it stayed, all the way until university. Then came their first big shock. "Being twins goes beyond being born together and at the same time. It is a purposeful thing that can only be witnessed rather than explained," said Stella Mutai, who is today a specialist at the World Food Programme. Born and raised in Nakuru, they attended all the same schools. But then came university. For the first time, the future for the twins began to diverge, when they chose different career paths. "I was so used to being with her for 18 years, and it was hard for me when we had to join different universities and live separate lives in different towns. I did not think we would ever reconnect again or be together most of the time," said Winnie Mutai. Stella chose to study for a Bachelor of Science in Geospatial Information Science at the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology in Nyeri, while Winnie opted for a Bachelor in Development Studies at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Juja. Once graduated, and as they pursued their different careers, however, a similar interest meant their new orbits began to re-align. "We discovered we were both dealing with climate change matters in our different roles when we would get invites and attend the same conferences and meetings," Stella explained. Stella is now a Geospatial and Remote Sensing analyst at the Emergencies Operations at the World Food Programme (WFP), and Winnie is a Climate Change Finance expert at the Africa Development Bank (AfDB). As a Geospatial analyst, Stella was the WFP's specialist providing support during the 2022 Madagascar floods, which impacted its capital, destroying infrastructure, and causing loss of life. "My role in the unfortunate incident was to assess the impact of the floods, mapping out and identifying possible rescue sites," Stella explained. Winnie is a professional who advises and teaches Finance Ministers in Africa about obtaining grants for their countries. She has established a robust network of government officials and NGOs to provide climate finance for her employer. "We did not plan to be in this space we are in right now but things just aligned," said Stella. "While Stella is a married woman, we still meet often to discuss job matters and I call her almost ten times daily. I love exchanging ideas with my sister because she offers sound advice and understands climate change issues at a level that connects us as adults," said Winnie. The duo has been recognised locally and internationally, with Stella recently acknowledged as one of the top 40 women under 40 in Kenya, as well as one of the Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars. Winnie is an accomplished speaker who has addressed international meetings and important events like the 38th graduation ceremony of JKUAT, where she was named Alumni of the Year. She spoke to 5,836 graduates about the pressing issue of Climate Change. In their different capacities, they both agree and believe that Africa has the potential to emerge as a trailblazing global hub of climate action and are animated by a shared vision of giving back to society, drawing inspiration from their international travels and encounters with influential world leaders. Their fame has prompted other well know figures to reach out and offer advice and encouragement, both in person and through social media. "Low and middle-income countries tend to only come up in the context of adaptation, adjusting to the effects of climate change, or financing to help them recover from loss and damage. My challenge to the twins is to think of innovative ways Africa can support its own transformation while helping the world avoid climate disaster," said Lizz Ntonjira, current Communications and Engagement Director at WomenLift Health and former AMREF Global Communications Director. "I would advise the twins to continue to horn their skills in specific areas of expertise, and at the same time try to develop leadership skills that will enable them to grow and lead organisations where they are working. There are very few women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and they have a good opportunity to grow their talents and passions on environmental issues," advised Dr Philip Osano, Stockholm Environment Institute Africa Center Director. The twins have said they intend to continue to work in their individual areas of expertise to aid the continent's fight against climate change. bird story agency

In Kenya, small and medium-sized farmers - and even upmarket households - are adopting biodigesters to turn their animal waste into biogas, which they use for cooking fuel and lighting. By Gitonga Njeru, bird story agency Thirty-three-year-old Kelvin Maina Njuguna considers himself a 'full-time farmer'. He rears cows, pigs, goats, and chickens on his one-and-a-half-acre farm in Kiambu County, about 25 kilometres from Nairobi, selling meat products through three butcheries, while also growing avocados and passion fruit. Njuguna prides himself on being an 'innovative farmer who thinks outside the box'. That extends to his power consumption. "I produce electricity from animal wastes in large quantities daily and save lots of money on monthly power bills. Besides saving money, I rely one hundred per cent on green energy," said Njuguna. "I rarely experience issues like power blackouts in my home. I pay my child" s tuition fees comfortably, and I have another child on the way as my wife is pregnant", he added. Solomon Kamau, manager of Sistema Bio in Kiambu County, a company that sells biodigesters to small and medium-sized farmers, explained that animal excrement is increasingly becoming a game-changer for farmers in the area, with his company providing services to around 20 new farmers every month. "If you want to produce electricity from chicken poop and droppings from other livestock, you first convert it to biogas, then into electricity. That is the process and it's very easy", he explained, adding that at least 40 litres of animal waste is needed each day to produce biogas. "We collect faeces from chickens, cows, and pigs. It is sometimes mixed, and that is very effective. Chicken poop is very effective, but one has to be careful when collecting it as it gets contaminated with sawdust", he said. "Chicken farmers who use the cage system produce pure droppings, resulting in good quality biogas." According to Kamau the prices for the systems he provides can range from just US800 to as much as US$10,000. The process involves a specific bacteria - known as syntrophic acetogenic bacteria - being produced. This bacteria breaks down the biodegradable components for microbes to convert into methane through fermentation. In this process, oxygen is absent; this process (which takes place in an airtight chamber) is called anaerobic digestion. And it is not just farmers who are purchasing the system; it has also become increasingly popular with larger homeowners in some of Nairobi's upmarket neighbourhoods, according to Kamau. The Kenyan government is also exploring the possibility of implementing this technology to add extra megawatts to the national grid, which is currently run almost entirely on renewable energy. The government is currently searching for suitable land to construct a 45 MW facility. The project will involve collaboration between Kenya's Ministry of Environment and the Energy Ministry. "Our ambition is that we merge this technology into our national grid. Or we look at an alternative of buying off the green electricity from farmers regularly", said Soipan Tuya, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Sanitation. Data from Energy Capital and Power, an Africa-focused global investment platform for the energy sector, shows that Kenya — which leads in biogas policies and investments in Africa and which has made the most progress towards establishing viable biodigester markets — has 17,000 household biogas digesters and 8,000 biogas plants. Currently, over 75% of energy in Kenya is generated from renewable sources, primarily geothermal power and hydropower. bird story agency

Windhoek's Zero Waste Store aims to provide a more natural and up-to-the-minute shopping experience - and eradicate all packaging and food waste at the same time. Vitalio Angula, bird story agency At a street corner in an affluent Windhoek suburb stands a store painted in earthy tones, its name printed bold on a large sign. Situated next to a trendy-looking restaurant and on the intersection of two main roads - one of which is named after Namibia's independence struggle hero Sam Nujoma - the Zero Waste Store aims to bring its own quiet revolution to retail practices in the country. The smell as one walks in - a heady combination of spices and natural scents - is unlike any other shopping experience. One is immediately put on notice that this is a retail store where all items are sold without packaging. Choosing from among lines of brightly coloured glass jars and (recyclable) plastic dispensers, patrons bring their containers, bottles and jars to fill up on most household products, including foodstuffs, detergents, and oils. Shop owner Brigitte Reissner explained that she was inspired by Bea Johnson, an American environmental activist who champions Zero Waste Living. "Bea was here in June 2018, and she gave a talk that was just mind-blowing. She lives with a family of four and produces at most only five hundred millilitres of waste in a year! I wanted to know if that would be possible, if I could do the same," Reissner said during a tour of the store. "So I began to research zero waste stores online, and I visited a few in South Africa because I wanted to embark upon my own zero waste journey by opening a similar shop and doing my part in safeguarding the environment for future generations," she said. After extensive research and planning, Reissner opened the Zero Waste store in July 2019. Today she has at least fifty walk-in clients a day - suggesting that the store's ethos is gaining a loyal local following. Zero waste lifestyle is a concept that includes producing as little waste as possible to protect the environment. A display below the colourful glass spice dispensers encourages the use of Bokashi Food Waste Recycling Bins. "The buckets are used to make compost. You collect your organic waste daily and throw it into the bucket. The bucket contains a mixture of bran, wood chips and molasses (a dark syrup that is a by-product of sugar production) and enzymes. The organic waste is layered together with the inputs and left for at least three weeks and creates a liquid concentrate that is mixed with water to create plant fertilizer and the solids are used as compost for plants," Reissner explained. Emilia Christian has worked at the Zero Waste shop since its inception. She explained that one of the advantages of shopping there is that customers purchase only what they require. "Our shopping experience is based on the elimination of waste. If I go to a regular retail market I might have to buy seasoning or vinegar in quantities that I don't really need but with Zero Waste Shopping I can buy only that quantity which I desire. The flour or spices that I need are weighed, I fill up my container, I pay and then I leave. This is the unique shopping experience we afford our clients and this does not only cut down on waste but also saves our customers money to pay for other goods", she explained. During the tour, Karola Redecker, a regular customer at the Zero Waste Shop, arrived with her two teenage daughters for some Saturday morning shopping. She has been a patron of the Zero Waste Shop for the past three years. "It's not an easy lifestyle to adopt, but I have to set an example for my daughters to do what they can to protect the environment," she said. One of the more popular products in the shop is its bio-degradable soaps which are locally manufactured. Reissner says using bio-degradable soaps made from organic products mitigates the contamination of underground water caused by chemical-based soaps and detergents. "Look at the bigger picture, how many households do we have in the city, and how many chemical products like Jik enter our sewage system on a daily basis? These chemicals slip into our groundwater and cause contamination so even though we are just one shop if more people become conscious of this we can do more to safeguard our environment for future generations", she said. Running the shop has come with its fair share of challenges. One of the biggest hurdles has been convincing manufacturers to adopt sustainable packaging and delivery methods. Encouraging suppliers to onboard the "zero-waste train" has been particularly difficult as some suppliers insist on using plastic packaging. Reissner says education is essential in sensitising people about the need to safeguard the environment sustainably, and even though a zero-waste lifestyle is difficult and sometimes inconvenient to adopt, it does have a positive impact on changing attitudes and making people more environmentally conscious. "I do embark upon social outreaches and last week we had a kindergarten class pay us a visit. If we can educate the young ones they will be informed as they grow older of how they can drive positive change within their families and communities and the importance of minimizing waste", she said. bird story agency