WAJIR, Kenya – Kenya joined the rest of the world this week in commemorating Earth Day, a global event that raises awareness of environmental issues and encourages sustainability and conservation.
Around 1 billion people worldwide take action on April 22nd to increase awareness of the climate problem and alter their behaviour to safeguard the environment.
However, in the centre of Wajir County in Northern Kenya, where the sun and red earth collide, history is still being rewritten. Green is growing here.
Previously entirely reliant on livestock, nomadic pastoralists are now cultivating various crops on solar-powered community farms, including spinach, mangoes, and maize.
These days, in Elan, Wajir County, solar pumps pump water from boreholes to irrigate crops, increasing community resilience to climate change, food security, and livelihood diversification.
The solar pumps are a donation from Power Shift Africa, a climate and energy think tank providing policy analysis, advocacy, and communications from an African perspective.
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Sahra Muhumed Hassan, a resident of Elan, said that before the solar project, they had endured many difficulties and thirst.
“But God has delivered us from all that. Now, we have a solar-powered water machine. God bless everyone involved in this project,” said the elated Sahra.
According to Abdraham Burale Afyare, another resident of Elan, there is a source of water in the area that is powered by solar, therefore making life better.
“It is enjoyable because we no longer have to endure walking for long distances in search of water. Even children can fetch water from this project. The farms are irrigated. Our livestock have enough water to drink, and wildlife too,” explained Burale.
On #EarthDay, we must stand for our planet.A planet threatened by climate change, by pollution, by biodiversity loss.A planet that needs to be rescued.So we must unite.And we must mobilize all our efforts for #ClimateAction.
In his Earth Day message, Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, said there was a need for humanity to stand for our planet.
Guterres observed that our planet is threatened by climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
“We live on a planet that needs to be rescued. So, we must unite and mobilise all our efforts for climate action to protect biodiversity and to protect all those indigenous communities that are teaching us how to take care of the planet earth,” explained Guterres.
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Meanwhile, Maryam Burale Mohamud, another resident of Elan, narrated that previously, they used to fetch water using donkeys and take it to their children after the midday prayers.
“Today, we are thankful to God because we now have solar power working and water running freely. We don’t use fuel anymore. Instead, we use solar power,” explained Maryam.
Fatuma Hussein, the programs manager at Power Shift Africa, observed that this particular project is giving her organisation an indication of how to showcase decentralised renewable energy activities and how that can work on the ground.
“So, that helps our advocacy work around the world, that as long as we have agreed in the context of international conventions and the decisions that we took around tripping renewable energy, this is a simple activity if we do similar things that we are doing on the ground that is community-owned,” Fatuma explained.
This is the first time since Independence that Elan residents in Garissa County, Kenya, have had access to tap water and electricity.This documentary shows the power of community ownership and involvement in implementing renewable energy projects.
Fatuma reiterated that if the communities can take forward and importantly shape the policy decisions on the ground, there is a need to work with the local governments on the ground.
“If we work with county governments and the sub-national governments, we can make a big difference in terms of shaping the energy discourse and the energy decisions that are taken,” added Fatuma.
Therefore, the residents of Elan in Wajir County continue to be celebrated at a time when the world has just marked Earth Day because they are a shining example of what clean energy can accomplish when power is genuinely owned by the people.
