Kenya

 

2 09, 2026

An amicus brief on climate justice for the Ogiek women and girls in East Africa

2026-10-30T15:45:50-04:00Tags: , |

The Mau Forest, located across Kenya and Tanzania, is East Africa’s largest Indigenous montane forest, Kenya’s largest water tower, and home to 30,000 Indigenous Ogiek. However, climate-driven degradation over the last 20 years has led to the loss of 20% of the forest’s trees. Without these trees, the Ogiek people's livelihoods, food, medicine, and culture are threatened. All of this particularly harms women and girls. For example, women and girls are responsible for collecting water 70% of the time. Today, in Kenya, this journey is up to three times as far as it used to be—up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles). The Kenyan government has blamed the Ogiek for illegal logging and encroachment and used this as the basis for evicting them from the Mau Forest. However, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights ruled in 2017 that Kenya had violated the Ogiek's rights. This didn’t stop the government from evicting another 700 Ogiek in 2023. In response, Women’s Link is bringing an amicus brief to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights so that the Ogiek women’s land and resource rights are directly recognized. In their own words, “The Ogiek Women are caretakers of Nature. The forest is food and medicine for our bodies. We want to protect the forest the same way it protects us. Ogiek is the forest, and the forest is Ogiek.”

14 06, 2025

Renewable Energy Projects Are Uplifting Maasai Women

2025-12-04T01:08:47-05:00Tags: , |

For years, many remote Maasai villages did not have access to reliable electricity. Recently, through the use of renewable energy, women in these villages have brought sustainable power to their communities. By utilizing solar panels and energy-efficient stoves, they have also gained new opportunities to take on roles outside the traditional gender norms present in Maasai society. The Maasai Stoves and Solar Project introduced solar energy stoves, with women leading the efforts to integrate these renewable energy sources into their communities. Esupat Loseku, a 29-year-old mother of six from the Enuigiki village, and Leah Laiza of the Ngarsash village have served as leaders, educating others about solar energy while helping others implement these projects in their villages. The organization plans to invest roughly $200,000 into the project annually and expand its reach in the coming years. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

10 05, 2025

Building Care Economies

2026-05-10T12:40:17-04:00Tags: |

The unpaid and undervalued labor of women has long restricted their potential economic opportunities. Through building care economies in line with the “5 R’s” — recognition, reduction, redistribution, representation, and reward — Kidogo, a social enterprise organization, is working to address gender inequality by improving access to affordable childcare and supporting women’s entrepreneurship. By training “Mamapreneurs” to run childcare businesses, Kidogo enables women to earn stable incomes and help other women participate more fully in the workforce. This directly equips individual entrepreneurs and uplifts communities at large while increasing overall economic mobility and well-being.

27 04, 2025

Mary Afan’s Personal Struggle That Ignited Africa’s Movement for Women’s Land Ownership

2026-05-27T21:53:22-04:00Tags: , |

In October 2016, Mary Afan made history by leading 400 rural women farmers up Mount Kilimanjaro in what became the world's largest women’s land rights assembly ever organized. More than a symbolic climb, the action marked the culmination of years of grassroots mobilization to demand secure land rights for women across the continent. As President of the Small-Scale Women Farmers’ Organization, Mary sought to force governments to confront the policies and legal systems that continue to exclude women from owning and inheriting land. Her message was clear: without land rights, women farmers remain locked out of economic power, decision-making, and long-term security, despite sustaining much of Africa’s agricultural production. A year later, Mary and fellow advocates brought their demands to the UN Commission on the Status of Women, where they addressed representatives from African governments and farmers’ associations. There, they highlighted their grassroots efforts to defend women’s land rights, remove barriers to land ownership, and expand women’s access to agricultural resources. The stakes are high: in rural Africa, smallholder farmers produce most of the continent’s food, and women make up the majority of this workforce. Yet, according to UN Women, women produce 70-80 percent of Africa’s food while owning less than 10 percent of its land. Globally, women comprise nearly half of the agricultural labor force, but fewer than one in five landholders are women. This disparity is a matter of inequality as well as a structural challenge to food security, economic growth, and climate resilience. The Kilimanjaro Initiative continues to endure as both a movement and a symbol of the lengths women are forced to go to secure fundamental rights, while inspiring advocacy for economic independence and legal recognition across Africa. Building on this momentum, Mary’s organization, the African Kilimanjaro Women Farmers Forum, launched the Gender Influencing Brief in Nairobi in partnership with Oxfam, FEMNET, the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, and ActionAid. Contributing to the Roadmap Towards Gender Transformation in Africa’s New Agri-Food Systems Strategy, the brief advances a framework for embedding gender equity into agricultural policy. The roadmap calls for measurable, gender-sensitive indicators to track women’s access to education, technology, productive resources, and leadership, while addressing the cultural and structural barriers that continue to marginalize women in agriculture. Through this work, Mary and her organization are advancing women’s land rights while helping reshape the future of African agriculture.

25 04, 2025

Transforming Kenyan Agriculture Through ‘Agroecology’

2026-03-29T17:59:47-04:00Tags: |

Mary Muthoni Wangari is an activist, community leader, and innovative reformer whose work advances food, gender, and climate justice in Kenya and throughout Africa. Through her efforts, she is strengthening community resilience and long-term stability. Her youth and community mobilization initiatives foster dialogue that encourages greater self-sufficiency and collective action. In particular, her focus on agroecological education and entrepreneurship equips individuals with practical skills and knowledge, offering a form of ability that “goes beyond nurturing our land, our people, and our planet.” Ultimately, her goal is to design and implement sustainable systems that deepen the relationship between people and the environment, enabling individuals to become more informed, capable, and active agents in shaping their own futures.

20 03, 2025

Climate Challenges and Adaptation Strategies of the Rendille Community in Kenya

2025-12-09T22:11:49-05:00Tags: |

In February of 2025, Cultural Survival held a gathering in Nakura, Kenya and met with Margaret Super. She is an advocate for pastoralist communities' livelihoods and women’s rights in the Marsabit County, of northeastern Kenya, as well as the founder and executive director of the Pastoralist Peoples’ Initiative (PPI). She dedicated her life to amplifying the voices of pastoralist women, promoting their ancestral knowledge and equipping communities to navigate contemporary issues like climate change, while preserving their cultures and livelihoods. Super is from the Rendille Indigenous community, a Cushitic-speaking ethnic group that inhabits northern Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands. Women in the community play a vital role in climate adaptation through water collection, food preservation, and family resource management. Super spoke with Cultural Survival about the impacts of the climate crisis on the Rendille community and their strategies for adaptation. She explained that climate change has significantly affected their livestock practices, biodiversity, and water access, and has disrupted their use of Indigenous methods of weather forecasting. They engage with traditional farming and land care strategies, traditional ecological knowledge, and collective decision-making on land use to manage natural resources. Elders also play a pivotal role in preventing the exploitation of resources. Super emphasized expanding water conservation projects, strengthening alternative livelihoods, and integrating Indigenous knowledge into climate policies, education, and sustainable development as the most effective solutions for strengthening the community’s climate resilience.

12 03, 2025

Celebrating Women’s Leadership In Environmental Justice

2025-12-09T23:32:14-05:00Tags: , |

Across the United States and beyond, women have long been at the forefront of the environmental justice movement, transforming personal concerns into powerful collective action. In 1978, Lois Gibbs exposed the toxic waste buried beneath her neighborhood. Her activism resulted in the evacuation of 800 families and the establishment of the federal Superfund program. In Chicago, Hazel M. Johnson, praised as the 'mother of environmental justice', founded People for Community Recovery in 1979, exposing environmental racism and inspiring President Clinton’s 1994 Executive Order on Environmental Justice. In Harlem, Peggy Shepard co-founded WE ACT for Environmental Justice to fight pollution and demand accountability for marginalized communities. More recently still, Linda Garcia in Vancouver, Washington, successfully stopped the construction of North America's largest proposed oil terminal. Meanwhile, in Kenya, Wangari Maathai united women to plant over 30 million trees. Together, these women embody resilience and leadership, proving that environmental justice and gender equity are intertwined goals for a sustainable and fair future.

20 11, 2024

Kenya’s Maasai Face Deepening Water Crisis

2025-12-04T01:26:19-05:00Tags: |

Climate change has impacted access to clean water among the Maasai, an Indigenous community domiciled in Mara, home to Maasai Mara Reserve which is internationally recognized for wildebeest migration. Despite the high revenue generated from tourism at the Reserve, challenges of water resource management persist. Their impacts are disproportionate, with women and girls bearing the brunt due to economic hardships and power imbalances that subject them to cultural prejudices. They are socialized for marriage, childbearing, and relegated domestic chores such as  searching for water—a long walk through the Maasai Mara Reserve that exposes them to attacks by wild animals and puts their education at peril due to poor academic performance, chronic absenteeism, and high dropout rates. The safety of the water is not guaranteed due to pollution from waste and agricultural runoff. While local community members have organized associations for water management, inadequate funding, limited resources, and fragmented approaches inhibit coordination, limiting their effectiveness. Privatization and commodification of common water points, alongside political interference, corruption, and weak enforcement of regulations by the county government further undermine the efficiency and equity of water access, distribution, and management. The sparse population in Mara also discourages private sector players due to delayed return on investment. Nevertheless, Marafiki, an NGO, has developed a water grid to facilitate access to a primary school for  locals near Ololamutia Gate. This installation has increased the participation of women and girls in education and other income-generating activities.

14 08, 2024

Indigenous women explore how to adapt to climate change in Asal regions

2025-04-09T17:47:08-04:00Tags: |

A group of women from Kenya, organized by the Samburu Women Trust and supported by the Defenders Coalition, gathered to discuss strategies for adapting to climate change. Arid and semi-arid regions have been especially hard hit by drought, and new challenges are emerging, including human rights violations and land tenure issues. These Indigenous women and human rights defenders are working to advance the rights of pastoralist communities, as well as Indigenous women and girls, with the goal of reducing harmful practices that deepen their marginalization. Many of the women have experienced forced evictions from ancestral lands and now face the threat of seizure of unregistered lands or disputes caused by overlapping title deeds. They also highlighted limited access to climate finance in the ASAL (Arid and Semi-Arid Lands) regions, along with the lack of resources, capacity, and information that grassroots communities need to leverage such financing. Additionally, women are often excluded from decisions about the use of natural resources. Jane Meriwas, executive director of the Samburu Women Trust, emphasized that women are frequently discouraged from speaking out due to cultural norms, making the collection of their voices and testimonies a milestone in itself. Kamau Ngugi, executive director of the Defenders Coalition, stressed the importance of this gathering to identify gaps and assess progress in the rights of Indigenous and pastoralist women, with the goal of developing unified, strategic responses. According to the participants, a coordinated and holistic approach is urgently needed—as they are already witnessing loss of life from climate-related disasters, compounded by a lack of government preparedness.

26 04, 2024

Building Gender-Inclusive Infrastructure for Climate Resilience in Africa

2025-06-11T23:00:12-04:00Tags: , , |

Emma Mayhew and Grace Muinga stress the need for incorporating a gendered perspective in climate-resilient infrastructure development to enhance effectiveness and avoid reinforcing inequalities. The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) integrates gender considerations into its projects, aiming to create infrastructure that serves everyone equitably amid the growing pressures of climate change. In Kenya, GCA’s climate risk analysis found that women are disproportionately affected by infrastructure disruptions from climate hazards like flooding and extreme heat. It also identified a gender-based digital divide and low female participation in decision-making. The analysis recommended collecting gender-disaggregated data, engaging stakeholders in gender-responsive ways, and implementing gender-responsive budgeting. In N’Djamena, Chad, GCA’s assessments highlighted the increased challenges women face during climate events given their primary responsibilities for childcare, water collection, and food gathering. Proposed solutions focused on reducing women’s burdens, improving access to resources, creating income opportunities, and boosting women’s roles in community decision-making. In Borana, Ethiopia, GCA’s gender action plan addressed the severe impact of water scarcity on women, who spend hours fetching water. Recommendations included forming gender-balanced management committees and addressing social norms that heighten vulnerabilities for women and girls during climate events.

2 01, 2024

‘This is a real look into our lives’: The Maasai women photographing their people

2025-03-09T23:50:26-04:00Tags: |

Two Maasai photographers, Claire Metito and Irene Naneu, document the increasing burden on pastoralist women in Kenya as the climate crisis intensifies their daily struggles. The women, including 69-year-old Pilale Rikoiyan and farmer Lenoi Mayiempe, face the harsh realities of prolonged drought and immense care work, which have become harder as climate change exacerbates poverty and resource scarcity. Despite these challenges, women in Maasai communities often lack control over resources like land, which remains in the hands of men. The photographers, who are part of a program by Lensational that trains women from underrepresented backgrounds, capture intimate glimpses into these women’s lives, emphasizing their resilience amidst adversity. They hope that their work will raise awareness about these struggles and advocate for solutions such as better infrastructure and social safety nets for women impacted by climate change.

30 11, 2023

The Forest People: How ‘Green Colonialism’ Is Hurting Indigenous Kenyan Women

2025-10-09T13:19:59-04:00Tags: |

The forceful evictions by Kenya’s Forest and Wildlife Service of the Indigenous Ogiek people from their homes in the Mau Forest of the Rift Valley present a stark example of a global trend of economic and environmental dominance in climate action. Despite rulings to recognize Indigenous rights, the government claims the Ogiek have encroached on the forest and evicted them to plant trees for a carbon credit scheme. These evictions are part of a broader push to mobilize climate finance by leveraging growing global carbon markets. While climate finance is a critical component of advancing climate action, particularly for highly vulnerable low-income countries that emit the least, the marketization of carbon sinks to generate these funds spurs green colonialism and perpetuates oppressive capitalist systems. Stripping the Ogiek of their traditional homes directly increases the community’s vulnerability to climate impacts. Yet, the Kenyan government conceded millions of hectares to a carbon trading company established by the UAE ruling family. Additionally, the country’s carbon legislation uses a dismissive definition of “communities”, objectifying them as mere hindrances to carbon trading business. Clare Rono, an Ogiek native and community leader from East Mau Forest, notes that for Indigenous women, the impact of displacement is two-fold, as Ogiek women are forest custodians who preserve their community’s resources, food security, and traditional medicines. Reports show that the threat runs even deeper, with instances of human rights abuses, sexual violence, and murder near a Tanzanian national park. According to Rono, realizing national climate goals while respecting the Ogiek people requires thorough consultation and recognition of their rights. The article closes with a clear call to action from Rono: “raise your voices internationally for our rights to be considered” - a simple request that we all have the power to act on.

11 11, 2023

Life Was Improving For ‘No Sex For Fish.’ Then Came The Flood

2024-09-16T10:44:24-04:00Tags: |

In Nduru Beach, Kenya, along the shores of Lake Victoria, Alice Akinyi Amonde and other women leaders fought against the exploitative practice of trading sex for fish in the fishing business. They formed the No Sex For Fish program, with grants from USAID and World Connect, supporting women to purchase their own boats and hire men to fish for them, reversing the power dynamic. However, the village faced catastrophic flooding due to climate change, destroying homes and livelihoods. Despite the challenges, the women demonstrated resilience, seeking alternative forms of income such as raising goats or growing rice. This program exemplifies solutions to adress sexual exploitation by supporting women, recognizing their rights, and supporting livelihoods in vulnerable communities. 

21 06, 2023

‘Women bear the biggest brunt of climate change,’ says climate scientist Susan Chomba

2025-03-27T16:25:36-04:00Tags: |

Susan Chomba is the director of the food, land, and water programs in Africa through the World Resources Institute. She stands alone. Around 12% of the world’s top climate scientists are women, and less than one percent are from Africa – a continent that is continuously berated by climate change. Chomba advocates hard for those most often overlooked: farmers, elders, and women. Climate science has taken on a masculine perspective – focusing heavily on new technologies and innovation, ignoring the perspectives of others; of women and of communities. Chomba notes there is an urgent need for community-driven innovation and specificity in climate plans, citing the Kenyan President’s plan to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, which fails to mention where, which species, for what purpose, and who will maintain them. Chomba’s background in poverty informs everything she does, how she leads her division, and how she practices climate science. Her hard work and underrepresented perspectives demonstrate why it is so important for women and diverse communities to be involved in climate leadership.

30 03, 2023

Meet nine women leading on climate action

2025-03-30T19:02:06-04:00Tags: , , , , |

In various regions around the world, nine influential women are leading the charge in addressing the climate crisis. These resilient leaders represent diverse geographies and organizations and address a range of climate struggles, from gender inequality in climate policy to Indigenous land protection and renewable energy deployment. Upholding a climate justice framework, they emphasize the rights of women, Indigenous communities, and nature, recognizing the unequal impacts of climate change and advocating for inclusive, genuine, and accessible solutions. Bridget Burns, the Director of the Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), advocates for integrating gender equality into climate change policy. Valérie Courtois, as the Executive Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, supports Indigenous communities in their crucial role of protecting lands and water in Canada. Wangari Muchiri, the Director of Africa WindPower, works with governments and businesses to expand wind power deployment across Africa. Desiree Fixler, an advocate for change in ESG investing and sustainability, blew the whistle on greenwashing practices by asset manager DWS Group. Helena Gualinga, an environmental and human rights activist from the Indigenous Kichwa Sarayaku community in Ecuador, champions Indigenous leadership in preserving biodiversity and protecting the Amazon. Bhavreen Kandhari, co-founder of Warrior Moms, campaigns for clean air in India to safeguard children's health. Ina-Maria Shikongo, part of Fridays For Future, fights against oil and gas exploration in the Kavango Basin, prioritizing the well-being of endangered species and local communities. Dr. Heather McMullen advocates for connections between sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) and climate justice. Osprey Orielle Lake, the founder of Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), collaborates with women leaders, policymakers, and coalitions globally for climate justice and a just transition to clean energy. Despite women, non-White communities, and Indigenous communities being the most heavily impacted by climate change, they have consistently been the ones rising up and working steadily for centuries to push for a safer, healthier, and more just future for all.

6 03, 2023

Women help to save Kenya’s last rainforest

2025-07-10T09:18:12-04:00Tags: |

Women living adjacent to the Kakamega Forest are spearheading initiatives to promote the reforestation and preservation of the rainforest. Maridah Khalawa, founder of the Muliru Farmers’ Conservation Group, uses ethical tree and honey harvesting methods to support their economic needs without harming the forest’s biodiversity. The Shamiloli Forest Conservation Green Growers, led by Agnes Mulimi, is another women’s group protecting the ecosystem. Mulimi’s group trains people how to earn money from the forest’s resources sustainably and regrow trees using seedlings. The Valonji Women Group is reducing the need for wood in local communities by exchanging open fires for clay ovens. These women-led initiatives are enabling communities near the Kakamega Forest to reduce their environmental impacts while developing safe and locally-based economies, contributing to their long-term financial upliftment.

3 02, 2023

Kenya’s youngest environmental ambassador: Q&A with 10-year-old Karen Kimani

2025-03-30T23:37:35-04:00Tags: |

Karen Kimani, a 10-year-old environmentalist from Kenya, serves as a role model for climate action and conservation. Inspired by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, Kimani has planted over 10,000 trees, focusing on greening Kenya and combating air pollution. She addresses plastic waste by designing clothing from recycled materials and establishing waste collection points at her school. Kimani's advocacy earned her recognition from high-profile leaders, including President William Ruto. Her initiatives align with climate justice principles, showcasing resilience and determination. While the text doesn't explicitly cover all criteria, Kimani's work highlights the power of youth-led sustainability efforts, promoting accessible solutions to environmental challenges.

17 11, 2022

Vanessa Nakate, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Wants to Center Climate Frontline Communities

2023-11-28T20:55:20-05:00Tags: , |

Vanessa Nakate, the founder of the Rise Up movement, emphasizes the importance of recognizing the ways that frontline communities are uniquely affected by the climate crisis. Her work in Kenya gave her first hand exposure to the impacts of the crisis on vulnerable communities. Many countries in the Horn of Africa, as well as developing nations around the world, bear the brunt of the damage from the crisis while contributing the least. In Fact, Africa accounts for less than 4% of historic carbon emissions, and yet Africans are among the worst affected by their consequences. Nakate focuses specifically on the impacts of malnutrition from drought, flood, and other climate disasters leading to food and water shortages. UNICEF’s Children Climate Risk Index found that nearly half of the world’s children live in 33 countries that face extreme existential threats from climate change, the top 10 all being African countries. Nakate stresses the importance of sharing stories and data even when it is difficult to hear, and the significance of ensuring that people of color, young people, and people in the developing world are included and heard in conversations around the crisis. Photo credit: Daylin Paul/UNICEF

18 11, 2021

Mother Mangrove: The Women Behind Kenya’s Mangrove Restoration

2025-05-24T21:37:03-04:00Tags: |

In Kenya's Lamu County, women from the Mtangawanda Women's Association are leading efforts to restore degraded mangrove forests. The community has transformed since 2018 when The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and partners initiated a project to secure and manage these vital ecosystems. Mangroves, known for preventing coastal erosion, acting as carbon sinks, and supporting biodiversity, are crucial in combating climate change. Under the leadership of Zulfa Hassan, known as "Mama Mikoko," the association has planted over 61,000 mangroves which have enhanced local fisheries and brought forth new economic opportunities. The project has fostered community engagement and sustainable practices, building a brighter future for the region by protecting and invigorating this stretch of coastal Kenya.

6 11, 2021

Elevating Women’s Voices in Climate Change Adaptation Through Visual Storytelling

2025-03-06T17:29:38-05:00Tags: , |

This educational video by the National Adaptation (NAP) Plan Global Network highlights how visual and creative communications play a key role in promoting locally-led and gender responsive climate adaptation. The NAP Global Network collaborated with the Lensational program to uplift women in Ghana and Kenya, teaching them to use photography and storytelling as a means of highlighting the impacts of climate change in their communities. Through photography workshops and exhibitions, these women were able to share their stories and perspectives on climate change adaptation, providing valuable insights that have been overlooked in traditional decision-making processes. Lensational CEO Lydia Wanjiku, who authored the curriculum on photography storytelling for climate action, describes how storytelling plays a vital role in visibility of the diverse impacts of climate change. By amplifying women's voices and experiences through creative communication, the initiative aims to promote gender-responsive and locally-led approaches to climate adaptation, ultimately leading to more effective and sustainable solutions.

7 03, 2021

How A Circular Bioeconomy Could Affect Women’s Livelihoods In Sub-Saharan Africa

2025-03-10T00:00:06-04:00Tags: |

Access to fuel resources is a gendered issue in sub-Saharan Africa, with the majority of cooking and heating activities being undertaken by women. Women source and transport wood to fuel their household activities, which can be an intensely laborious and time-consuming process. However, in Kenya, the women-led enterprise Eversave Briquettes repurposes byproducts from charcoal manufacturing and organic waste from crops and plantations to produce recycled charcoal briquettes for household use. A similar women-led organization, Eco-Charcoal, produces charcoal using sustainable harvesting techniques that preserve trees by utilizing only lower branches and foliage. Both organizations have provided employment opportunities to the local community, created alternative fuel products that are sustainable and accessible, and kickstarted local circular bio-economies. Key to this transformation is the inclusion of women in bio-manufacturing jobs and the diversification of what was once a male-dominated charcoal industry.

8 09, 2020

Solar Power Helps To Save The Lives of Mothers and Infants

2020-12-02T21:51:05-05:00Tags: |

Pregnant women in Kenya are at a high risk of maternal and infant mortality due to a lack of access to hospital care. Power outages in hospitals affect vaccine storage and prevent usage of the necessary technology to resuscitate newborns and provide other life-saving care that is tied to the grid. The Maternal and Newborn Improvement Project installed solar panels on 33 health care facilities to serve as backup power. Nurse Emily Wamalwa, in Bungoma County, is now able to use solar energy when the power goes out to keep incubators and fridges running, saving the lives of babies and mothers.  Photo Credit: Video Capture

6 07, 2018

The Elderly Kenyan Women Weaving Their Way To A More Sustainable Future

2020-10-05T20:25:33-04:00Tags: |

A group of elderly Kenyan women in Mathiga village, northeast of Nairobi, have become entrepreneurs by taking advantage of their basketry skills, in an area where they could barely manage to farm. By selling their baskets to tourists, as the demand increased, their livelihoods got better. Despite the challenges to the tourism sector brought about by attacks by Somali-linked Islamists, their goods still got attention, even beyond Kenya’s borders. Basketry has not only offered them a source of livelihood, but it has also opened doors for them in the world. Photo credit: Thomson Reuters Foundation/Caroline Wambui  

14 02, 2018

Kenya’s ‘Erin Brockovich’ Defies Harassment To Bring Anti-Pollution Case To Courts

2018-03-02T14:04:12-05:00Tags: |

Anti-pollution activist Phyllis Omido is finally receiving her day in court, after years at the forefront of a landmark class action suit demanding compensation and clean-up from a lead-smelting factory accused of poisoning residents of Owino Uhuru. The founder of the Centre for Justice, Governance, and Environmental Action, Omido has already successfully forced the closure of the factory and is now seeking reparations for community members. A co-winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015, Omido is paving the way for other environmental litigations – even in the face of constant intimidation and threats. However, for Omido, this is just the start, as there are 17 other communities fighting for compensation for lead poisoning with whom she plans to organize. Picture Credit: Jonathan Watts

1 12, 2017

“Even If They Want To Kill Us, Let Them Kill Us Here. We Must Continue To Stay.” Sengwer Women Cry For Help In The Embobut Forest, Kenya

2018-07-13T15:11:33-04:00Tags: |

Since the British colonial rule, the Sengwer people of the Embobut forest in Kenya have been continuously evicted from their ancestral land in the Cherangani Hills. Now under the guise of conservation and forest preservation, the Sengwer continue to live in constant fear of evictions, a process that leads to loss of cultural vitality, peace, and food security. The effects of the evictions are especially harmful to women, as they have led to loss of ability to take care of children, loss of household property, and an increase in sexual abuse, harassment, and psychological distress. In response to these gendered pressures, the Sengwer women have decided to voice their concerns to government officials, writing a “call for help” on the Forest Peoples Programme’s website. Written by Milka Chepkorir, a Sengwer community member, this call tells of their suffering, concerns, hopes, and their ties to their ancestral land. Photo Credit: Forest Peoples Programme

2 09, 2017

How Some African Farmers Are Responding To Climate Change—And What We Can Learn From Them

2017-10-16T18:03:55-04:00Tags: |

Mary Gichuki, a farmer in Kiambu County, is among many small-scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa advancing agricultural innovations to adapt to and mitigate climate change impacts on food security. With support from the World Agroforestry Centre, Gichuki not only plants drought-resistant, high-protein fodder trees as alternative animal feed, but also sells fodder seeds and teaches other farmers how to use them. She helps over 60 customers each month benefit from this hardy crop.

31 07, 2017

Snapshots From Kenya: Women Climate Defenders

2017-10-31T19:12:36-04:00Tags: |

Masaai women from the Enooretet community in Transmara, Kenya and the Naramam community of West Pokot, Kenya are combating deforestation and sustainably managing natural resources by growing tree nurseries and using energy-efficient stoves. MADRE and the Indigenous Information Network (IIN) brought the communities together to share knowledge and best practices of responding to climate change at a training with Lucy Mulenke (IIN) and Natalia Caruso (MADRE) in the summer of 2017. The women built skills in women's and human rights while building friendships and business smarts. Photo credit: MADRE

25 07, 2017

Helen And Sylvia: A Transformative Friendship

2020-10-06T23:38:51-04:00Tags: |

In partnership with the the Indigenous Information Network (IIN), the global feminist organization MADRE facilitated an exchange of farming knowledge between two indigeous Kenyan women, Hellen and Sylvia. Hellen is a mother of five living in Chepareria, Kenya. She is a member of the Pokot Indigenous People and sells crops from her one acre farm. Sylvia, a Maasai woman, lives 250 miles away in Ololulunga, Kenya. With her maize crops dying due to drought, Sylvia was struggling to support herself and her family. At a MADRE event, the two women met each other, and Helena showed Sylvia her small poultry farm. Inspired by Helena’s poultry farm, Sylvia started her own. She now sells chicken eggs at the local market and finds it easier to support her family. Photo Credit:madre.org

15 05, 2017

Lamu Woman Representative Shakila Abdalla To Move To High Court To Stop Proposed Coal Plant

2017-10-05T18:23:54-04:00Tags: |

Kenyan politician Shakila Abdalla is fighting to keep the proposed Sh200 billion coal plant out of Lamu, Kenya. Mobilizing residents and activist groups, Abdalla has spoken out about the deleterious impacts on human health, World Heritage Sites and tourism of the project. If the National Environment Tribunal does not consider the health hazard of this project, Abdalla said she will take the case to court. Photo credit: Alphonce Gari

8 03, 2017

Celebrating Women Farmers In Nyando: Transforming Lives Through Climate-Smart Agriculture

2017-08-20T09:39:15-04:00Tags: |

Nyando is an agricultural community near Lake Victoria, Kenya, where most households are both headed by women and food insecure. To combat frequent drought, women farmers like Catherine Akinyi, the chairwoman of Obinju Smart Farm Group, are employing sustainable agricultural practices and climate-smart interventions to improve their livelihoods. Now, female farmers are accessing improved crop varieties, creating greenhouses resistant to drought and flooding, raising livestock in a sustainable manner and starting small businesses. Photo credit: T.Muchaba (CCAFS)

25 01, 2017

Home-Grown Kenyan Solar Farm Powers Computers And Protects Girls

2017-09-29T19:11:13-04:00Tags: |

Ten years ago, residents of the village of Olosho-Oibor decided to install solar panels to meet their most basic energy needs, as they had no connection to the national power grid. They never thought that the solar farm project would grow to become an energy provider for computers used by women entrepreneurs for their businesses, children who need to study long hours, and a centre that protects girls from early marriage and female genital mutilation. Photo credit: TRF/Benson Rioba

19 10, 2016

Can This Woman Restore Kenya’s Faith In Solar Power?

2017-09-29T19:15:16-04:00Tags: |

As a competent solar engineer, Daphin Juma doesn’t forget her childhood in the Haruma slum of Nairobi without access to energy. Now she is determined to provide everyone with electricity and intends to do that with the help of sunshine. Daphin took part in a program developed by the Women in Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship in partnership with USAID and Strathmore University that trains women as solar engineers. The idea is to make the most of Kenya’s potential on solar power, with adequately trained solar engineers, while closing the gender gap in the sector. Photo credit: Daphin Juma/Facebook

8 09, 2016

Clay Stoves Help Reduce Carbon Pollution, Greenhouse Effect

2017-09-29T18:48:28-04:00Tags: |

Eunice was inspired by a simple homemade stove in her mother’s house to teach women in her community in Kenya how to build their own clay stoves. The stoves not only require less wood for burning but also reduce smoke, which is connected to the respiratory problems Eunice had witnessed as a health worker. Photo credit: Gichuru Mugira

22 08, 2016

Climate-Change-Friendly Milk That Empowers African Women: Camels Are The New Cows

2017-10-31T12:12:22-04:00Tags: |

In Isiolo, Kenya, the women-led work of cow and goat milk production has been under threat due to long and increasing droughts. However, women entrepreneurs like Maryam Osman are now leading a climate-resilient camel milk cooperative, empowering women in the region while adapting to climate change.

5 06, 2016

Grassroots Communities’ Conservation Practices In Kenya Receive Award On World Environment Day

2017-09-13T11:05:40-04:00Tags: |

For the 2016 World Environmental Day, the Global Forest Coalition and the Indigenous Environment Network recognized Indigenous women's groups and primary schools in Nairobi, Kenya, for their work on the conservation of biodiversity and climate change adaptation. Among the awardees was the Engongu Entim women's group and two primary schools from Kenya, Narosura and Ereteti. Both institutions worked on planting different species of trees in Narok County, Kenya, where the famous Maasai Mara National Park is located. The work of the primary schools and the Engongu Entim women's group goes beyond local conservation, tackling the issue of environmental education and awareness for young people, with future plans to engage more female organizations in their efforts.  Photo credit: Isis Alvarez

15 03, 2016

This Entrepreneur Is Helping Farmers In Kenya Create A Path Out Of Poverty

2017-07-19T21:33:14-04:00Tags: |

Female entrepreneur Jamil Abass founded M-Farm, a female-led information sharing platform that helps local Kenyan farmers sell their produce at a fair price. Close to 70 percent of Kenyans work in agriculture, but without information about the selling prices of their crops from day to day, they’re often exploited by middlemen. Photo credit: One.org  

22 09, 2015

Women Of Kenya Harvest Rainwater

2017-07-12T20:47:35-04:00Tags: |

Worldwide, 1.2 billion people live in water-scarce regions, where waterborne diseases like diarrhea spread easily and women spend hours per day collecting water. Rose Atieno and Catherine Ondele are bringing clean drinking water to rural villages in Kenya as part of a wider initiative to empower women by providing them with the skills to harvest rainwater. Photo credit: Karin Slater

3 06, 2015

Toting Panels On Donkeys, Maasai Women Lead A Solar Revolution

2017-07-17T17:38:10-04:00Tags: |

Jackline Naiputa, leader of the Osopuka Edonyinap women's solar energy group, is one of many incredible Maasai women on the frontline of Kenya’s solar revolution. More than 200 women have been trained in solar panel installation and are bringing clean, affordable energy to communities across the remote region. Photo credit: TRF/Leopold Obi

28 05, 2015

Ruth Nyambura: Protecting Rights Of Nature Front Line Defenders

2018-03-01T12:26:14-05:00Tags: |

Ruth Nyambura, from the African Biodiversity Network, pointed out during Paris International Rights of Nature Tribunal that we should deal with the rights of Mother Nature along with the protection of the people who defend her and the problem of their criminalization. First, it is important to build an understanding of the system which uses the criminalization of these defenders and focus on how to demand the rights of Indigenous defenders by States which have committed genocides. Furthermore, there is a need for a systems approach to the climate crisis: we need to talk more about racism, colonization, patriarchy and borrow ideas of climate justice for the protection Rights of Nature defenders. Photo credit: Rights4Nature

7 05, 2015

Phyllis Omido Shuts Down Dangerous Lead Smelter

2017-07-20T17:45:42-04:00Tags: |

Phyllis Omido, a single mother from Mombasa, Kenya took action to close a local lead smelter after finding out that her child was suffering from lead poisoning from her breast milk. She collected data in the form of local knowledge and hospital visits with patients suffering from lead poisoning, and founded the Center of Justice, Governance and Environmental Action. With proof of the plant’s impacts, Omido organized letter-writing campaigns and street protests, and in 2014 the smelter ceased operations. Throughout the duration of the protests, Omido was arrested and attacked by armed men. Today, Phyllis Omido continues to push for a clean and safe environment for all Kenyans. Photo Credit: Goldman Environmental Prize

24 04, 2014

Eunice Ngoki: The Queen of Arrow Roots

2018-01-24T18:45:52-05:00Tags: |

Eunice Ngoki of Ngurumo village, Ntakira, Kenya has made a name for herself cultivating Arrow Root and other traditional indigenous crops. As part of her work as a member of Meru Jitegemee group, and with the Institute of Culture and Ecology, she is sharing seeds and knowledge with her community members, and acting as an example for other small-scale farmers on how to meet family nutrition and economic needs in a sustainable way. Photo credit: African Biodiversity Network

1 01, 2014

Farmer: Eunice Wangari

2017-11-14T21:43:03-05:00Tags: |

Eunice Wangari is is an innovative farmer who puts her knowledge into practice. She has introduced Indigenous food crops on her farm and has multiplied Indigenous food crop seeds. She has also introduced an innovative live fence of castor oil plants that serves as a woodlot within the homestead. Photo credit: African Biodiversity Network

1 01, 2014

Vein Nyanduko Moranga: Growing Indigenous Crops

2017-11-14T21:43:12-05:00Tags: |

Vein Nyanduko Moranga grows indigenous crops and specialises in indigenous vegetables. In order to broaden her knowledge, she has consulted elderly famers on millet cultivation, harvesting, and recipe preparation. Now, vegetable vendors purchase vegetables from her farm. Vein is proud to be able to educate and pass her knowledge to her children through the growing and sale of vegetables.

6 10, 2013

Kenyan Women Become Champions For Climate Change Policy

2017-10-16T23:09:37-04:00Tags: |

Kenya’s rural women are undergoing serious challenges around the changing climate, especially in the area of food production. The Kenya Climate Justice Women Champions (KCJWC), a non-profit organization, is working tirelessly to not only offer a space for Kenyan women to understand better the issues around climate change, they are also engaging at the national policy level by recruiting Kenyan women parliamentarians to champion climate-related policies that will benefit Kenyan women. Photo credit: Isaiah Esipisu

11 03, 2013

Food Hero: Rose Karimi, Women Going Green

2017-10-31T12:12:44-04:00Tags: |

Growing up in rural Kenya, Rose Karimi witnessed the struggle of women coffee farmers. Now a doctoral student at Rutgers University, Rose developed an organization to help women in her community. Women Going Green is a five-year project allowing small-scale women farmers to adopt low-cost climate change adaptation strategies, such as solar-powered drip irrigation systems, and achieve food security. Photo credit: Food Tank

12 01, 2010

Wangari Maathai And The Green Belt Movement

2018-01-12T14:45:20-05:00Tags: |

Wangari Maathai, Nobel Prize Winner, Kenyan environmentalist and political activist founded Maathai Foundation in 1970s. Challenges like governance didn’t deter her. She started with changing and collaborating with decision making bodies to successful build the momentum of environmental conservation and reducing poverty. The Green Belt Movement she helped to develop trains rural women to grow tree seedlings for reforestation efforts. Gakanga Tree Planting site, Central Province, Kenya is one such example where the barren land was turned into lush green valley due to the efforts of the Green Belt Movement. Not only has this movement increased the amount of greenery and biodiversity, but it has also helped the people to generate income by planting and living in relationship with the trees. Photo Credit: Strides in Development

1 11, 2008

Taking Root The Vision Of Wangari Maathai

2017-11-01T03:24:13-04:00Tags: |

In this video by Taking Root, Wangari Maathai explains her inspiration to found the Green Belt movement in East Africa, in which women began to plant trees to promote their rights to the land, water security and local forests. Even after she faced political persecution and the President of Kenya Daniel Arap Moi made misogynistic comments about Maathai, the Green Belt movement succeeded in defending Kenya's democracy, promoting human rights, and advocating for gender equality. Photo credit: Nyumbani

Copyright © 2017-2026 Women's Earth and Climate Action Network, International. | All Rights Reserved
FacebookX
Go to Top