Caravan Picture Speak - Bulawayo, Zimbabwe...A Spirited Dramatization of the Petition

This is Us

Here's How we Send Our Message

Here we go

Her Song, Their Song, Our Song

The above team is an award winning group that dramatizes messages. This time the group dramatized the Trans African Caravan of Hope Petition that is being presented to the incoming COP17 president, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in South Africa.

The song they did stirred a number of emotions. At first, it was anger of what Africa is being subjected to and a little while later, eyes across the hall were getting teary and hands were reaching for handkerchiefs or Kleenex, It was moving.

Uganda's Vice President Flags Off Caravan of Hope ahead of COP17

By Maria Wanza

Uganda Vice President, Hon Ssekandi Edward Speaking During the Flag Off

Early this afternoon, His Excellency the Vice President of Uganda, Hon Edward Ssekandi graced the official flag off of the Trans African Caravan of Hope in Uganda which was held at the Makerere University. ‘The significance of the Caravan’s visit underscores the important position Uganda occupies in the promotion of environmental issues,” noted Hon Ssekandi in his opening remarks while speaking at the well attended activity organized by CAN Uganda.

The vice president, who is  a former two-term House Speaker and Lawyer, added that even though the government of Uganda had demonstrated a significant progress in issues of environmental management, more still needed to be done. The Vice president then handed the Ugandan flag to the Caravanites from Uganda trusting that the decisions to be made for Uganda would be for a good cause.

Loud and Clear Message

The meeting also saw Climate Action Network, CAN Uganda and Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, PACJA, present a joint statement where they urged governments at the COP17 end years of unacceptable uncertainty and   meet their moral historical, legal obligations, and commitment for action on climate change in accordance with the requirements of science and equity. Other demands included developed countries providing financial resources to address their climate debts, that global warming be kept well below the 1.5degrees Celsius point and that they halve their emissions by 2017. The Uganda government was particularly urged to take nationally appropriate mitigation actions.

This is what we want

During the meeting, Hon Mutebi, a former member of parliament sort to draw a picture of how dire the situation of climate change is. He said, 'Even if Africa planted trees and covered all its land, we will still not be able to handle the carbon emissions if the west doesn't stop polluting.' An even grimer picture was when he pointed out that the North Pole was in the next 10 years, in danger of losing a significant amount of ice. Mountains Rwenzori, Kenya, Kilimanjaro and Everest are already losing their ice caped figures.

Representing PACJA continental coordinator was John Bideri, who is one of the coalition’s steering committee members. During his speech he pointed out that the impacts of climate change in Africa are compounded by low adaptive capacity which he attached to inadequate finance and technical resources. Adding other issues compounding impacts of climate change were, ‘High levels of poverty, lack of awareness on the impacts, vulnerability and risks associated with climate change among others.’

Yes Sir, We Shall Be Heard

Mr Bideri urged that international action on climate change must address among others inter-related actions which include the need for a paradigm shift that supports strategies for achieving equitable development and the releasing of up to $30billion already committed by developed countries.

The Caravan now sets off for Kenya after kicking off in Burundi and later in Rwanda. Uganda was the third country on the list on its way to Durban, South Africa.

FACT SHEET - TRANS AFRICAN CARAVAN OF HOPE

What is the Trans African Caravan of Hope?

The Trans African Climate Caravan of Hope is a road show that will seek to galvanize the cross country stakeholder voices, with an ultimate aim of telling the African story while making known the demand of Africa among its inhabitants and the rest of the world. The Caravan is a huge mobilization and awareness creation opportunity for African civil society to highlight the challenges climate change poses to Africa’s efforts to extricate herself from poverty and attainment of Millennium Development Goals.

   What are the Main Objectives of the Caravan?

   ·    To mobilize and rally together African civil society towards a common advocacy and campaign demands on climate change and climate justice towards United Nations Framework Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) – Conference of Parties (COP) 17;

·         To create awareness and build momentum towards UNFCCC- COP17 among African people and the rest of the world;

·         To lobby and pressurize African leaders/policy makers to work together in support of an international climate change treaty that is responsive to the continent’s realities and reality to science;

·         To drum up support for pro-people and just responses to climate change;

·         To share civil society (and African People’s Protocol) perspectives and positions on climate justice with influential political actors, including the African Heads of State.

Zambia - A Beehive of Activity as Caravan Flag Off Nears

The Zambia Climate Change Network, ZCCN, has been a beehive of activity as the Caravan nears its flag off in Bujumbura, Burundi in the next fortnight.  The activities have mostly dual expected outcomes; to create awareness about the caravan of Hope and secondly, to garner support through signatures of the Africa People’s Petition.  The following are just a few interesting activities they have been carrying out and others that are yet to happen. Read on...

Participation in the Regional Social Forum

The team participated in the regional social forum for Southern Africa which was held in Lusaka. During this forum, ZCCN, exhibited the concept and work of the caravan. They also launched  the signing of the peoples petition where  over 500 signatures were secured

Country Exchange among Caravan of Hope Participants

ZCCN representatives visited Malawi to share lessons and plans on the readiness of the Caravan activity. Chomba Machaya and Henry Malumo represented the ZCCN and Action Aid respectively and touched base with the status of caravan preparations in Malawi with a call for enhanced collaboration and unified approach.

Media Engagement

The team has also been doing interviews with a number of radio and television programs. The radio and TV stations include: Radio Phoenix, ZNBC, Radio 2, Christian voice and Radio 1. The interview’s key objective has been to increase country awareness of the Caravan activities. Resource persons from the caravan country committee have shared the aspirations and plans of the caravan.
The team has also held media workshops where they have not only highlighted the caravan and its objectives but also discussed climate justice.

Community Awareness Workshop

This workshop will be carried out in Chipata and Livingstone. These areas are critical since they will serve as entry and exit points for the Caravan in Zambia respectively. The date of the workshop is 31^st October, 2011.

                                 

Country Negotiators Involved

The group, recognizing the importance of wider consultation and involvement, has shared the peoples message with the Zambian negotiators and country drafting teams. The drafting of the country position will be carried out from 26^th to 29^th October, 2011.

For More information Contact:

Noah Zimba @:

Tel: +260 211 257 115

Email - gbnaturals@gmail.com

A Rural CBO Tells the Story of the Caravan and Climate Justice

Accessing the Planting Area

They heard about it, got interested and got involved. Now, they are telling the Trans African Caravan of Hope story. That is the story of Ibuka a community based organization situated in Meru County, Igembe south district, Ndia location.

Ibuka and the Trans African Caravan of Hope

This CBO is creating awareness on the caravan of hope and in the process, helping its community to better understand climate change and climate justice. They are also garnering for 50, 000 signatures for the Africa People’s Petition by the end of the fortnight. The group’s chairman, Jediel Akula Miori, adds emphatically, “As group leaders we know our team can do this.” Probably it is because of the membership numbers that this group has.  Ibuka, which means arise, was registered in 2008 and is a CBO that has a membership of 13 constituency groups and pulls in slightly over 800 members who meet with executive on a weekly basis.

Petition Signing in A Rainy Kenya

Map of Kenya

On a rainy Monday in Nairobi, Kenya, some youth who are working with the Trans African Caravan of Hope task force are hitting the streets and bringing in petition signatures.

So far, there has been addition of slightly over 7,000 signatures, just in the last 7 days. In just a few days, the 30,000 mark will be reached.Shortly afterwards a new mark will be hit. The young people on this say they have worked with all kinds of teams to ensure that they bring in signatures. Mickey says he has been working with secondary schools and colleges. His strategy is first meeting with the principal and the head of the environmental or wildlife clubs. After which he leaves the petition with them and collects them a few days later. The primary schools he tells me, 'We have to wait for them to finish their exams especially for the public primary schools."Adding that they have had to go through the Nairobi City Council for official requests.

Shiro, who is a university student, has been recruiting her friends to help her rally the signatures.She says she has had to sell the idea to her friends for them to understand what it is they are asking people to sign against. It is also helping her friends explain what the petition is all about. Not bad for a team of youth who are spreading the word on climate justice.

The networks are now reaching most of Kenya which is encouraging seeing that some of these areas are Arid and Semi-Arid Lands. To all those participating, we say,Kudos, keep going.

By Maria Wanza