African Girls Use Education to Create a Climate-Resilient World
Erna Grasz
CEO, Asante Africa Foundation--Mission Driven Executive recognized for global team building and innovative education and youth programs|Global Entrepreneur | Past Silicon Valley Executive
This quote sums up the link between climate change resilience and girls' education:
?“..places where girls are most likely not able to finish school, are the same places that are heavily impacted by the climate crisis. It is important that more funding is given for girls’ education and women’s empowerment – to give us all a lifeline.” — Vanessa , Ugandan climate activist, March 2022
Africa continues to be disproportionately affected by climate crisis events. As Earth Day draws near I urge us to reflect on the immense potential of girls' education to fight climate change. Across the globe, we recognize that girls' education is crucial to building sustainable and resilient communities. ( 世界银行 , United Nations , British Foreign Commonwealth, Development Office, 联合国儿童基金会 , Project Drawdown ). To name a few, African women like Elizabeth Wathuti , O.G.W of Kenya, Nakabuye Hilda Flavia and Leah Namugerwa of Uganda are playing key roles in global conversations about climate change.?
Through my work at Asante Africa Foundation, I have witnessed girls' unique perspectives on local communities. In the rural, hard to reach areas of East Africa where we work, girls take care of household and agricultural resource management. They have a grasp of community struggles. Giving these girls a voice, leadership opportunities, and a role in decision-making empowers them to create sustainable solutions and get buy-in from their communities to adopt them.???
Within these rural communities, climate change poses a poignant threat to girl education. Climate-related events decimate strained education resources like physical schools and access to feminine hygiene resources that help girls stay in school. Climate disasters also exacerbate systemic gender-related issues; poverty, early pregnancy, and marriage. Girls find themselves removed from school to support the family during a crisis. Evidence shows the longer the girls remain removed from the learning path, the less likely they are to return to school.
“Climate change affects our studies and our ways of living. Our society made us believe that it’s girls’ responsibility to fetch water or collect firewood. So as the weather changes, we are always at risk of missing school and taking over those responsibilities”. ?Diane Umuhire, 16-year-old girl from Rwanda
As well as being well-positioned to create sustainable solutions within their communities, educated girls are motivated to remove climate-related threats to their education and future. Asante Africa Foundation is actively working to empower girls in rural communities to stay on the learning path and become climate change agents within their communities. We challenge gender inequities and cultural norms which deprive girls of opportunities to develop an active voice and become decision-makers in their society.?
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Our interconnected Wezesha-Vijana-Program (WVP)? and Youth Livelihood Program (YLP)? pioneer the ‘Girl-Led’ concept. Girls lead our inclusive after-school clubs for the first year of our programs. The clubs provide a safe space where young women can lead with their male peers as collaborators and allies. This environment holistically eases girls into leadership roles.?
“Educated and empowered girls, partnered with enlightened boys, is the key to gender equality.”? Gloria Mushi, Asante Africa Foundation YLP Program Manager, Tanzania?
I am linking to five stories that show these fantastic girls leading sustainability initiatives to meet pressing needs in their communities and beyond! Please take a moment to read them as they demonstrate the need for educated, empowered girls in East Africa.