Thank you!
At Wild Heart Kenya, our mission is anchored in community empowerment, nature regeneration, and wildlife conservation, and this year has been no exception. We persistently pursue our objectives by placing a particular emphasis on nature regeneration within communities impacted by the climate crisis, alongside climate education initiatives.
In 2023, our focus extended to supporting women adversely affected by climate change. We have actively engaged in policy formulation for climate justice in collaboration with UN Women, contributing to broader efforts aimed at addressing the challenges posed by climate change. Be sure to scroll down to see what a busy year we have had!
Meanwhile, here’s our impact in numbers:
4,100 mangrove and indigenous trees planted
Over 60 community members benefitted
8 climate education workshops
3 sets of beehives installed to support women
Over 500 girls benefitted from our sanitary towels
1 accolade recognition as Woman in Environment Awards
Nominated best Climate Action in People Environment Action Awards
Regenerating nature whilst ensuring communities benefit is our core principle and we are thrilled to have supported reforestation of over 4,000 mangroves in Kenya’s coastal area with Blue Earth. All our seedlings are sourced from the indigenous fishing community who have been affected by climate change. By sourcing seedlings from them, we encouraging a green economy, supporting the community with income, school fees and a healthier living space.
Mangroves act as climate mitigators as they protect islands from tough storms which are now becoming more frequent, support biodiversity acting as homes for endangered species and act as carbon sinks.
Kenya stands as one of the nations most susceptible to the impacts of climate change, and the communities we engage with mirror this vulnerability, grappling with tangible effects. The erratic weather patterns have subjected them to challenges ranging from desiccated crops to heightened conflicts with wildlife. Consequently, this has resulted in a substantial loss of income, particularly affecting the youth, who now confront an uncertain future.
At Wild Heart Kenya, we are unwavering in our commitment to enlighten children about these adversities and empower them to become advocates for their communities on the global stage, fostering support for environmental initiatives. In the months of March and September 2023, we collaborated with Fridays For Future Kenya to facilitate the participation of climate-affected children in climate strikes alongside their peers worldwide. The primary objective was to amplify their voices and ensure their concerns reached a global audience.
We worked with a school, situated adjacent to Tsavo East National Park, where the attending children have directly felt the impacts of the climate crisis. Over 40 children actively engaged in the climate strike, complemented by a dedicated climate awareness session. During this session, they expressed their personal experiences with the climate crisis and channelled their thoughts into creating impactful artworks. This initiative aimed not only to raise awareness but also to provide a platform for these young voices to share their unique perspectives on how the climate crisis has affected them personally.
In addressing the profound impact of the climate crisis, our focus on women as pivotal agents of change and leaders in adaptation and mitigation strategies has become a cornerstone of our initiatives. We are excited to report the commencement of our new project aimed at supporting women who have endured the repercussions of a recent drought, which left their crops devastated.
Our strategy involves the implementation of bee hives, designed to offer multifaceted support to both women and the environment. This benefits the community through:
Income Generation through Honey Sales.
Conservation of Bee Populations.
Support for Local Indigenous Plants and Flowers
In March of this year, we were honored to participate in the opening of the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. Our focus during this event was on "Feminist Action for Climate Justice" within the Generation Equality forum. Drawing from our experiences as grassroots activists, we highlighted the tireless efforts of activists in promoting restoration, women's rights, and climate education.
These endeavours are an integral part of the Generation Equality Forum’s Feminist Action for Climate Justice Action Coalition, operating under the UN Women umbrella. This coalition has made commitments to empower women and girls to lead a just transition to a green economy.
Our active engagement extended to the Bonn Conference and the recently concluded COP28, where our organization, Wild Heart Kenya, played a significant role in the launch of UN Women's "Feminist Climate Justice: A Framework for Action." The framework, unveiled during COP28 in the UAE on December 3rd, addresses pressing issues faced by women, including dried-up crops, human-wildlife conflicts affecting women disproportionately, and period poverty, all exacerbated by the climate crisis.
We are delighted to announce that our efforts have been recognized through the receipt of the Woman in Environment Award by Pwani Awards. Additionally, we have been nominated for the Climate Action category by PEA (People Environment Action Awards) for our impactful work. These accolades serve as a tremendous source of encouragement, fuelling our motivation to further contribute to meaningful environmental and climate-related initiatives.
We thank you for your unwavering support! Be sure to follow us on our socials - Instagram, Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with our latest news.
Together we have made such a positive impact in 2023 and we will continue to do work toward transformational positive change in 2024 and beyond. Wishing you all a very happy wild year!
Gratefully,
Wild Heart Kenya Team.
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