By Kwale Press Club
Two youth groups in Kwale County have been unveiled by Samba Sports Youth Agenda after winning Fazil Chinoy fellowship for Climate Justice.
Wahapahapa Waste Management Group and Green Minds Youth Initiative will get funding for three years to lead in climate change mitigation campaigns in Waa/Ng’ombeni ward.
The groups were selected after a five-day zero plastic festival that aimed at sensitizing residents on how to prevent environmental and ocean pollution.
Wahapahapa Waste Management Group founder Nsema Hoka said the festival provided them an opportunity to showcase their efforts in keeping the beach clean for marine life.
“We exhibited our town and beach clean-up programs during the festivals and together with Green Minds Youth Initiative we emerged top three out of six groups” said Nsema.
The three groups were then subjected to rigorous selection interviews at Fazil Chinoy fellowship where Green Minds topped followed by Wahapahapa.
“We are now sensitizing the community about waste segregation to avoid litter spilling over. The garbage that is littered in our towns eventually finds its way to the ocean which is harmful to marine life and human life” Nsema added.
Nsema’s dream is to have Kombani town be like other towns in the western countries where waste management is taken seriously.
She says organizing the garbage into different categories is essential to ensure there is order in waste management.
“We want in the future when you walk in Kombani, you cannot see any litter on the ground” she said.
Wahapahapa Waste Management Group founder Nsema Hoka
Green Minds Youth Initiative team leader Alice Loiton was upbeat that the fellowship is going to transform how the youth are involving themselves in mitigating climate change.
“Our main objective is to inspire and influence young learners in schools to be environmentally cautious because it is easier to inculcate a positive perception to young people” said Loiton.
Loiton’s youth group is involved in training you people on best ways of starting maintaining kitchen gardens.
“The kitchen gardens are all about growing vegetables and fruits. Apart from training them, we also want them to take the knowledge they gain to go and practice it at home and also let their parents adapt to the idea” said Loiton.
Green Minds Youth Initiative team leader Alice Loiton
Loitons says that the kitchen gardens are effective in managing living standards by having healthy meals and cutting costs on buying food items.
“The kitchen garden program is also creating an opportunity for inter school exchange programs since the schools plant different vegetables” she noted.
Samba Sports Youth Agenda executive director Mohammed Mwachausa lauded the groups for winning the fellowship terming it as a milestone for the youth who are eager to bring change in climate action.
He said that the programs they run are a mirror of what the society should emulate in mitigating climate change.
“We will give stipends for three years as well as train them on how to best build their organizations” he noted.
Samba Sports Youth Agenda Executive Director Mohammed Mwachausa
Fazil Chinoy Fellowship is a program funded by the Fazil Chinoy family from the U.S.A.
The unveiling of the new fellows comes as Samba Sports gears up for Mr Miss Samba that is slated for December this year.
The event will showcase youth efforts in spearheading Climate Justice, Sexual Reproductive Health Rights, Peace Building and Mental Health.
