Africa Quarterly Newsletter - Summer 2024
Decarbonizing the Future or a Decarbonized Future?
Mwende Kamau - Researcher
As the world grapples with the consequences of climate change, the importance of sustainable practices cannot be overstated. One such practice is tree planting, a simple yet powerful tool in the fight against global warming. Trees not only beautify our surroundings but also play a crucial role in sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2), thereby reducing our carbon footprint. A local carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted by a community due to its activities, including transportation, energy consumption, waste management, and more. Therefore, reducing this footprint is crucial for mitigating climate change and fostering a sustainable future.
The Nairobi team, led by our internal Welfare Committee and partnering with Karura Forest, organized a tree planting exercise on the 14th of June. Through this initiative, we successfully planted 150 trees at one of our local schools, ACK Karura Secondary School. The school has an annual target of planting 1,400 trees and we intend to continue supporting them to achieve this goal, alongside our global partnership with JUST ONE Tree, that has seen us plant over 6000 trees.
This heartwarming initiative saw the students and staff of ACK Karura Secondary School join us in the tree planting activity. Together, we were educated on different seedlings, their origins and benefits and fostered collective responsibility for the local natural environment. As a team, we are privileged to be part of this story and will continue contributing to the school’s vision of an environmentally sustainable future.
Client Insight: African Population and Health Research Center
Rose Seremon - Senior Consultant, East Africa
Philip Wasonga - Consultant, Africa
We were recently invited to the APHRC offices after a series of successful senior placements, including Head of Policy Engagement and Communications; Head of International Programmes; and Director of Programs. Over the course of the day, we met and had interesting conversations with the core contract and project team, reflecting on our work together. Our team experienced a great reception and hosting including a lunch spread graciously shared by the APHRC team. The discussions were both insightful and productive, and the visit marked the beginning of a lasting mutually beneficial relationship.
APHRC appreciated our responsiveness and follow up on timelines during the assignments and felt that they were kept on their toes throughout the process, and our timely communication and consistent correspondence were welcomed particularly in challenging situations.
They had positive feedback on our highly professional reports, highlighting our shortlist and reference check reports, mentioning that they were easy to read and comprehensive. The APHRC team also enjoyed the feedback sessions with our LIA team and how the assessments were translated. They admired the synergy between the findings from the shortlist report stage and the insights gathered from the assessments.
It’s great to be able to meet with our clients face-to-face and understand their key needs and challenges for the future.
Skoll Forum from a Researcher’s Lens: 360 Degrees Climate Financing
Prisca Jeruto - Researcher
领英推荐
Climate Financing, an umbrella term referring to money to mitigate and adapt to climate change and how to transition to a clean climate.
The recent Skoll Foundation Conference on Sustainability, Climate, and Finance underscored a critical need for comprehensive and innovative approaches to climate financing. This holistic approach, often referred to as “360 degrees climate financing,” emphasizes the integration of diverse financial strategies, stakeholder collaboration, and systemic solutions to effectively address the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change.
Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month: An African Perspective
Bongani Matabane-Berry - Associate Researcher
Mental health for African black men is a complex and multi-faceted issue influenced by various socio-cultural and economic factors. Access to healthcare is one of the primary concerns. In many rural and underserved urban areas, healthcare facilities are scarce, and mental health services are often limited or non-existent. This lack of access means that many black men in Africa do not receive the mental health care they need, exacerbating conditions that might otherwise be manageable with proper treatment.
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