Telling the ECSA Story

Sister and her daughter Siyapula operating her biodigester powered cooker. Deforestation in Zimbabwe continues to spread at a high rate due to the over reliance on firewood in the rural areas. Indicators attribute this to be a key factor in some of the extreme weather change patterns that have affected several parts of the country. Climate change-induced drought has been traced in the southern parts of Zimbabwe like Mwenezi where people are inevitably forced to rely on wood for both cooking and selling to earn an income. This has several negative impacts not only on the environment but also on the health and safety of women and girls.     The time-consuming responsibility of fetching firewood is assigned to girls leaving them vulnerable to abuse and at a disadvantage when it comes to studying as they have less time.   Indoor pollution from open fires exposes women and children to smoke and soot leading to respiratory diseases.   Use o f wood as a source of ene...

  Khadija Ahmed at the water point at Ashabito, in Mandera. Prior to the drilling of the borehole and operationalization of the pump, the community would have to access water from a waterpan that was also used by cattle and other animals. this exposed them to waterborne diseases like typhoid and cholera. (CARE/ David Mutua) Mandera County is one of the most water insecure counties in Kenya as indicated in the County Government’s 2021 fiscal strategy paper. Perennial droughts and the hot climatic conditions in the county have worsened the situation. In a survey conducted by Rural Agency for Community Development and Assistance (RACIDA) in February 2021, only 49.3% of all households surveyed reported accessing water from safe improved, or semi-improved water points. In Ashabito location, which has been one of the area's hardest hit, Senior Chief Jele Ali explains, “From the colonial days this area has always been quite dry. We used to have two dams which have since dried.” Located in...