Africa Climate Action Initiative

Sarah Kamau is a 40-year-old educationist and community leader with extensive experience in emergency and community development sectors. While working in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps and with other INGOs, Sarah witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of climate change, including the 2011 famine in Somalia which killed 250,000 people and led to forced migrations, conflicts, loss of livelihoods, and human rights abuses therefore reversing gains made towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Sarah champions climate change awareness and action in Canada, Africa and globally, currently as the Coordinator of the Africa Climate Action Initiative, a project under the Canada Africa Partnership Network.  

Sarah has a track record of mobilizing people and communities from all walks of life to address issues like HIV/ TB and malaria treatment, climate change and climate justice and gender equality, as she has developed a holistic understanding of its physical, emotional and spiritual impacts

Lack of awareness on impact of climate change in Africa 

Inadequate alternative energy resource to address food security in Africa

Inadequate resources in researching alternative energy and livelihoods 

2.Proposed projects 

-Awareness creation in Canada, America, Europe and Africa on reduction of carbon footprints and impact of climate change in Africa by strengthening and linking network of organizations and individuals tackling climate change by providing platform for sharing information and organizational learning and developing and monitoring climate-smart projects.

-Solar irrigation and combined with digital education platform to enhance food security, increase access to education and empower communities on alternative livelihood 

-Support individuals and groups on climate smart, environmental conservation and alternative energy  research and development initiatives 

3. Elevate humanity: 

Individuals resilience and proactive effort in reducing carbon footprints and environmental conservation 

Increased access to education, livelihood and food security to curb displacements and human rights violations caused by climate change

Climate change presents a massive threat to human security and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally. Africa is the least contributor of carbon emission yet bears the greatest impacts of climate change. Increased droughts and flooding combined with other factors  like locust invasion, Covid-19 lock-down cause food insecurity, displacements, loss of lives and livelihoods. 70% of the total African population depends on agriculture, with 95% relying on rainfall. Erratic weather patterns are increasing poverty. According to Reliefweb, over 14 million people in East Africa and the Horn of Africa are food insecure and 1.5 million displaced. A further 7.2 million in West Africa are food insecure. In South Sudan alone, 7.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. The Global Harvest Initiative warned that, by 2050, Sub-Saharan Africa may only be able to fulfill 13 percent of its total food needs if status quo remains. Climate change is a complex problem requiring integrated solutions driven by and for people on the front lines in hard-to-reach communities. ACAI builds the capacity and helps to secure resources for collective action to reduce forced migration, food insecurity and loss of livelihoods. 

https://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/east-horn-africa-ipc-food-security-phase-classification-desert-locusts-covid-19-19 https://reliefweb.int/report/burkina-faso/more-7-million-are-risk-food-crisis-june-2020-sahel.  

 FAO on http://www.fao.org/3/a-i6583e.pdf 

ACAI works directly with grassroots partners across Africa through a platform that supports project development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; resource mobilization through identification and support with funding proposals and engagement in collective fundraising for partners; knowledge sharing, training and capacity building; undertaking joint initiatives as a consortium; and creating linkages with technical and funding partners for the mainstreaming of climate, support of climate-smart projects, and implementation and development of climate policy in Africa. 

ACAI seeks to identify and promote best practices in locally-led climate-responsive program design. This includes nature-based solutions to stemming environmental degradation such as afforestation, water resource management and regenerative agriculture; and the rapid scale-up of innovative technologies such as solar-powered irrigation combined with digital education resources, which promotes food security, resilient livelihoods, poverty reduction, and access to education. 

ACAI seeks to boost the capacity of grassroots in the fight against climate change while mobilizing the Canadian and global public in support of these efforts through public outreach and educational initiatives (including in partnership with ClimateFast’s Kitchen Table Climate Conversations initiative), and empowering individuals to advocate for strong global climate change action and mainstreaming of climate change in all SDGs.

ACAI currently has partnered with eight organizations in nine countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, Gabon, Congo Brazaville,  Cameroon. The organizations work with local communities in their respective countries who are mainly small scale farmers, fishermen, traders and local communities who are adversely affected by climate change.

ACAI has undertaken organizational capacity assessment of individual organizations and needs assessment of beneficiaries supported by the partner organizations, ACAI has conducted training  on the organizations to develop project builders, kitchen climate conversations  and supported them in developing proposals for their projects.  

ACAI conducted capacity building for its partners, helped raise funds  to address climate change during the covid-19 lockdown at bikeathon fundraising event, recruited volunteers to support the organizations, 

ACAI creates awareness and drives individuals and organizations to be cautious in reducing own carbon footprints and advocating the same to peers and Governments on taking action on climate change. 

ACAI provides a networking platform for resource mobilization, monitoring of climate change adaptations and information sharing between various sectors  

ACAI seek to build it's partners capacities to proactively be innovative and  resilient in taking climate smart actions like water conservation, smart Agricultural practice, environmental management and provide access to solar irrigation combined with digital education and support initiatives that promote research,  development of climate smart projects and social enterprise 

I worked in Dadaab refugee camp during the 2011 famine that caused  over 250,000 deaths in Somali and displaced millions of people ravaged livelihoods. I have also witnessed firsthand my sister going through physical and psychological stress as a farmer due to repeated erratic weather patterns in Kenya.  Year in year out Kenya and other countries  experience recurrent droughts and floods and now locust invasions devastating livelihoods and  food security, farmers getting frustrated and cutting down cash crops to convert arable land into real estates therefore food prices soaring. I have seen families displaced, marriages broken children dropping out of school and absenteeism during the natural calamities and gender based violence increasing due to effects of climate change on livelihoods.  As an environmentalist, I started a project dubbed ''gas pap'' to provide livelihoods for youths in supplying LPG gas fast to reduce usage of charcoal at household and business levels.   I met Paul Stevers the CEO of Think Renewables who is passionate about renewable energy and education for girls and later joined by Katie a director of Rainmaker Enterprise based in South Sudan and initiated ACAI.

I am passionate about environment and nature.  I desire a legacy of leaving a better world than I found it therefore the drive behind my passion.  I have counseled and prayed with some farmers who have not only given up on farming but on life for considering themselves failures due to a  repeated erratic weather pattern. These are unspoken non- tangible adverse effects of climate change I have supported family members financially due to loss of livelihoods and donated money for Turkana residents who are greatly affected by droughts in Kenya  repeatedly. The memories of 2011 Somali refugee influx to Kenya remained engraved in the fiber of my being at the sight of malnourished children and the horrifying stories of leaving their weak children behind to die in the wilderness during the trek to Dadaab refugee camp.  I have also seen the resilience and traditional methods where the locals use nature based solution to address climate change but cannot scale up their methods due to lack of financial and technical support. I have also seen a population repeatedly displaced due to floods and landslides with little or no preventive measures taken by the government  year in, year out.

My passion and drive to leave the world a better place than I found it drives me to champion for the rights of the less fortunate. The drive for alleviating suffering  has led me to undertake various medical research like  Covid-19 antibodies study.   I have vast experience in humanitarian organizations, supporting treatment of HIV/ TB and Malaria and spearheaded the research on Solar disinfection of water (SODIS), worked with IDPs,  refugees and supported projects for children and youths from poor families rehabilitation of prisoners and support various feeding programmes.   

As an educationist and Program coordinator, I believe in working with and for the people hence communities need to be empowered if they are to take matters in their hands and to have sustainable projects by training and building their capacity and involving them from project needs identification, design, implementation monitoring and evaluation. I have worked with communities of different nationalities, race, religion, sexual orientation, geographical location hence easily adapt.  I have managed various grants and donor relations ensuring accountability, efficiency and effectiveness of availed resources

I have excellent networking and partnership skills, demonstrated by ACAI membership with CAP Network, OCIC which enables us to assess resources and information.  I have led various inter-agency working groups and consortium,  networked with government, learning institutions, both private and public sector bring a blend of private public partnership (PPP).  I am also volunteering with Results Canada and support advocacy in increasing funding for TB, HIV, Malaria, Covid-19 and climate change to Canada Government.

We had planned to launch ACAI early in December but failed as we awaited to register with CAP network and eventually we planned to launch in March upon registration but still failed due to Covid-19 and only managed to launch on May 7th 2020. Two weeks before the launch, I developed flu like symptom  and was diagnosed with Covid-19   I never gave up on the launch yet i went ahead despite the cough and fever I had.  

I have worked in Dadaab which was quite dangerous due to increase in terrorism, banditry attack and kidnappings of humanitarian aid workers.  During 2011-2013,  three aid workers from other organizations were kidnapped by terrorist and taken to Somalia.  As a Program coordinator, I was tasked with delivering good quality job, ensuring effective and efficient use of resources and accountability to beneficiaries, stakeholders and donors while I had duty of care for my staff to provide safe work environment. Some projects entailed travelling to remote areas with limited network near the Kenyan- Somalia border. I executed my job and even managed to increase donor and financial base and ensured staff were psychologically debriefed. I collaborated well with all partners to ensure  projects success

Having worked in Dadaab in 2011- 2013 during the refugee influx, there was an increase in terrorism within Dadaab and in North Eastern. Where people lost lives and about 11 bombing incidents.  I was the program coordinator and the acting area manager of Danish Refugee Council and therefore had over 50 staff under me with 6 donor projects. I made a decision on remote management of projects in hot spot areas using the local community members  and appropriate technology as opposed to physical monitoring as it was too dangerous to expose my staff. 

Also we had to balance the local host community needs, the project beneficiaries refugee needs  and the organization policies as the host communities were quite hostile towards the refugees and humanitarian aid workers and in-fights  among-st different clans kept on making different demands like; employment, procurement and proposed own families to be project beneficiaries  they rioted and attacked aid workers but they did not attack my organization as I had a good working relationship with them, I had incorporated them in my projects at the onset, conducted bi-weekly meetings to update them and involved them in needs assessments hence had a good working relationship with them

Canada Africa Partnership (CAP) Network is a registered charity organization operating in Canada and facilitate partnership between Canadian and African communities by providing capacity building and resource mobilization and administration to advance local community development efforts. CAP Network facilitate Canadian charity organizations  with projects in Africa  

ACAI is an organization registered under CAP network and has eight partners organizations which include ChildFund Kenya,  Neloshan International- Kenya, Zanzibar- Canadian diaspora association (ZACADIA)- Tanzania,  Afrah orphanage- Somalia,  Winpartners- Gabon and Congo Brazaville, Rainmaker Enterprise- South sudan, Pan Africa Center for Climate Policy (PACC Policy)- Ghana and Cameroon and Social Action -Nigeria, 

ACAI seeks to combine solar irrigation combined with digital education by using the excess energy from solar irrigation to power  TVET institutions that the community members can access to gain education material for students and information on weather patterns and agricultural information and available markets for produce by integrating technical, vocational educational training (TVET) institutions 

ACAI seek to promote social enterprise by collaborating with other microfinance institutions to charge subsidized costs as incentives to beneficiaries in project ownership and sustainability

ACAI seeks to fund and support innovations ,research and development based on alternative energy, water management and climate smart projects by individuals, groups and companies that address climate action mitigation 

ACAI bring partners together in one platform to learn and share resources based on organizational learning, access climate finance and advocate on reduction of carbon emissions in developed nations and Africa 

The project seeks to prevent, mitigate and rehabilitate projects before, during and after climate disasters e,g. Support water conservation, alternative energy , support those displaced and rehabilitate development of land 

ACAI project seeks to involve the communities in climate change adaptation process in planning, designing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and make corrective actions for sustainability and project ownership.

Overall Goal : Enhance the capacity of ACAI Africa partners to successfully mainstream and cope with climate change, by incorporating climate change adaptation concerns and strategies into ongoing agricultural, environmental and education initiatives 

Component 1: Increase climatically-resilient and improved agricultural, environmental and education practices: 

a- develop a climate change adaptation approach based on good agricultural practices environmental conservation practices combined with indigenous knowledge;

i)Develop country specific Community driven rehabilitation development guidelines

b-Support access of solar irrigation kits combined with digital education platform for groups and individuals

i) Solar irrigation kits distributed 

ii) TVET institutions equipped with solar powered and digital education platform 

c-Develop training materials, community driven rehabilitation development guidelines on climate change adaptation 

i)ACAI develop training curriculum on climate change adaptation training, CDRD guideline

d - identify and disseminate short-cycle seed varieties that are tolerant to climatic variations. 

1)Distribute to partner registered farmers appropriate seeds

Component 2: Strengthen capacities and expand improved agricultural practices and environmental conservation practices through the capacity building approach:

a)- train trainers of trainers (ToTs) facilitators in climate change adaptation;

b) - facilitate trained TOTs in cascading trainings to farmers, traders and communities in the 8 countries 

c) - establish a climate adaptation fund and support local initiatives 

d) Facilitate and support local research and development of climate smart initiatives 

Component 3: Integrate climate change aspects and/or issues into programmes and policies in all sectors: 

- strengthen inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms 

- strengthen institutional capacity in climate change adaptation 

 - integration of Climate change adaptation in policies and programming in the agricultural and education sector and advocate for carbon tax in the respective governments 

- Create awareness on reducing carbon footprints amongst individuals and companies

Component 4: Monitoring and management of the project: 

- create a cross-sectoral Steering Committee country specific for the follow-up of the project;

- create a project management unit for the implementation of the project; 

- set-up a monitoring and evaluation system.

Current year: 200 people supported directly during Climate change and Covid lock-down and 800 indirectly

Year One: 4,000

Year Five: 10,000

More people empowered to take climate action in their hands and consciously putting effort in reducing their own carbon footprints

• More farmers able to irrigate their land and access climate smart agriculture practice through  increase access of information 

• Women, girls and youths able to access digital education and life skills training

• Increased opportunities for alternative livelihoods for community members 

• Increased access of market information, value chain and digital education 

• Support innovations, research and development and scaling up of viable  climate smart, projects 

• More trees planted by all our beneficiaries as part of community contribution and environmental conservation methods

• Increase participation in environmental conservation, climate change adaptation by private public partners 

• Increase knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) in climate change adaptation strategies by the communities  

• Increase water conservation methods adapted and increased food production due to water conservation strategies. 

Financial constraints to conduct capacity building and training on climate change adaptations and to mitigate during natural disasters and rehabilitation of communities affected by natural disasters.  

Ignorance and lack of adequate information on the masses on reducing carbon footprints and affordable alternative environmental conservation and  on adapting to alternative sources of energy.  

Lack of political goodwill  and local governance to endorse the community driven recovery development plan, enacting carbon taxes and enforcing climate change adaptation strategies and lack of accountability by manufacturing, transport and production companies in reducing carbon emission

Insecurity or individual conflicting interests and lack of accountability by partner organizations

Limited support to finance research, development and innovations from youths and individuals supporting climate change action

Unwillingness by the community members, governments, private and public organizations in providing community contributions

No displacement will take place due to insecurity or natural disaster

Identify other fundraising opportunities like grants,donor government matching funds and community contribution of in-kind or financial resources 

Conduct training and awareness creation in community, using mass media,  conduct outreaches in learning, religious institutions and kitchen table climate conversations to educate the masses on reducing carbon footprint and advocate with governments to enact climate change adaptation strategies as a cross sector.  

Align civil societies, local community groups/ leaders, line ministries in advocating for climate change and throughout the project management cycle  and adaptation of alternative energy and conduct stakeholders review meetings.

Involve community gatekeepers and conduct situational analysis to assess the political, security, environmental situation 

Advertise and support TVET and individual, groups research and climate smart innovations

involve community leaders in needs assessments, and project cycle management, conduct community meetings and communicate clearly on expectations  in a transparent and accountability manner.  organize feedback forums where community members concerns are addressed and practice an open door policy and design whistle blower, code of conduct policies which are shared with the communities and posted in walls and used as Information Education and Communication materials

Set aside a kitty for mitigating on climate shocks in case of natural disasters.

Partnering with other like minded organizations in advocacy to the government on carbon taxes and strict measures and accountability in reducing carbon emission to 1.5

Bringing together organizations to speak with one mind and share lessons on advocacy, awareness creation and empowering their members on environmental conversations and mitigating the impacts of climate shocks.

In Canada: 

Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC) 

ClimateFast

ClimateSAN/Think renewables 

CAP Network

Africa 

Winpartners

Pan African Centre for Climate Policy (PACC) Policy 

Rainmaker Enterprise 

Neloshan International 

ChildFund Kenya

Zanzibar-Canadian Diaspora Association (Zacadia) 

Social Action International 

Afrah Orphanage 

Prospective Partners

Sun Culture

Rumie Initiative 

Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN)/Rocky Mountain Institute

Regeneration International 

To increase access on solar irrigation kits combined with digital education platform, ACAI seeks to provide solar pump, pipe and drip irrigation kits at subsidized price through partnership with sun culture and/ or microfinance that will be provided at subsidized cost and flexi repayment methods to increase uptake.  

TVET institutions to be provided solar power  for digital education will be provided with refurbished computers at a fee that will be passed down to beneficiaries who use the computers and solar power for maintenance of the equipment.

ACAI will partner with other organizations like seed companies, Agrovets and fertilizer companies, microfinance and agro smart input companies to support farmers for easier access 

Training will be free of charge but the communities will avail community halls and their own snacks.  ACAI will provide transport and training facilitation for the ToTs

Since farmers can access market information and value chain information, more livelihoods opportunities will increase like transportation, markets of produce and processors of the same

Due to strong networks with various stakeholders communities will be able to access products like agro pharmaceuticals, smart agriculture support, increase harvest of rainwater runoff and be conscious of carbon emission

ACAI plans to increase funding through grants development  and donations.

ACAI will design and establish agreements with the partners and communities and the respective government line ministries on community contribution and matching funds

ACAI will also charge a subsidized fee for solar irrigation kits that is metered and rechargeable within a certain duration and installation of solar power to support the TVET digital education platform.  upon completion of payments

Registered members will be expected to contribute a certain fee that will be plowed back into the project to scale up or address the kitty

On supporting grants on research and development, ACAI will give a grant on a credit basis that will be agreed upon with the beneficiaries. 

All grants and financial resources will be administered through microfinance or other financial institutions in the country and agreed upon with the community to encouraged to repayments of the funds

ACAI will not pay salaries rather it will facilitate training, transportation and other administrative costs for the activities which will be accounted before administration 

ACAI fund-raised through bike-a-thon and during the launch of its projects and raise 5500 USD

Fund to conduct capacity building and training on climate change adaptations and to mitigate during natural disasters and rehabilitation of communities affected by natural disasters.  

Involve climate scientist and develop country specific informational education communication materials and fund mass media like radios and TV on effects of climate change and reducing individual carbon footprints and fund and organize competitions for innovations of alternative environmental conservation and  on adapting to alternative sources of energy with monetary and travel to other countries for lessons sharing 

Elevate can commit to supporting ACAI and the country line ministries on adaptation and advocacy of climate report card monitoring and working together with UNFCCC and UNEP  to demand for support from the government  of the day on implementation of climate change adaptation strategies 

ELevate can support in linking ACAI with strategic partners like IOM, UNHCR, UNEP and UNFCC and UNDSS on addressing conflicts and and insecurity concerns

Elevate can link ACAI with other donors that support innovations and climate smart research and development or develop a full kitty within its framework to support such projects in education, funding and capacity building of climate smart research and development. 

Elevate can set aside kitty and funds for rehabilitation and emergency relief during natural disasters

My partnership goal is three prong; Upward where I plan to get mentors and coaches, increased access to funding and increase my capacity as an individual and the Africa Climate Action Initiative.  Horizontal or peer to peer, learn from other individuals and organizations and downwards to cascade the funds raised, trainings and capacity acquired to the grassroots organizations and beneficiaries to raise future champions and pass the mantles to others and replicate the same to other countries and with other people.

Governments and International Financiers to support Climate change adaptation strategies

Climate smart and alternative energy research and development projects or companies to learn new upcoming or proposed projects to promote ACAI to be an early adopter and for information sharing

Climate change, smart agricultural  and environmental related organizations for information sharing and to access funding

Alternative and renewable energy organizations  including companies that implement solar irrigation, solar cars and other climate smart agricultural companies and environmental conservation companies 

Oil and gas companies on discussing on accessing carbon taxes and develop environment friendly alternative energy sources