Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025
Hello, I’m Victor Balogun, a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist working on climate resilience, clean energy, water sanitation and hygiene and agriculture-focused projects in Nigeria. I’d like to share insights from an ongoing initiative promoting sustainable clean cooking and organic waste management in Adunpe and Apa communities of Kwara State, Nigeria.
Many vulnerable households in Kwara State rely on firewood and charcoal for cooking, contributing to deforestation, increased carbon emissions, and respiratory health issues, particularly among women. At the same time, organic waste from markets and households is often improperly disposed of, exacerbating environmental degradation. This initiative seeks to address these issues by introducing clean cooking alternatives and sustainable waste management practices.
Our Theory of Change was: IF vulnerable members of the community are sensitized on climate change, clean energy, organic fertilizer production, and biogas generation, and hubs are built and maintained, THEN they will be economically empowered to withstand climate impact while reducing carbon emissions and improving community health.
Our initiative trained selected vulnerable households on the following:
To ensure long-term sustainability, the project facilitated the formation of women-led cooperatives managing briquette and organic fertilizer production. This approach not only empowered women economically but also strengthened local ownership and project continuity. Women-led cooperatives will be connected to local markets, eco-conscious buyers, and agricultural stakeholders who could benefit from organic fertilizers and clean energy solutions. Additionally, they will be introduced to microfinance institutions, cooperatives, and crowd-funding platforms to secure financial support and expand their operations. The cooperatives serve as self-sustaining hubs that will generate revenue, create employment opportunities, and continue knowledge transfer to new members, ensuring that the impact extends beyond the initial beneficiaries. This holistic approach ensures that women are not only recipients of aid but active agents of change, driving economic empowerment while tackling climate challenges at the community level.
We are leveraging community advocacy to enhance adoption, by engaging market associations, local governments, and traditional rulers to ensure buy-in. Women were encouraged to act as climate champions, advocating for clean energy adoption and sustainable farming within their respective communities.
Happy Earth Week 2025.
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