An Electrifying Time

I was sitting in the room and l just couldn’t believe the energy. Three people brainstorming intensely on the Kenya chapter meeting activities. Now l sit back and smile. It was intense. In fact it was like the whole of the PACJA office was in the meeting because the meeting kept drawing people in who added thoughts on activities that should be done for the Kenya Chapter.  

Indeed, this is the time for Africa. I have never seen an activity excite members like this. Creativity at its best and adrenaline so high that you literally feel the rush and electricity when you get into the room. Yes, this was the setting yesterday afternoon as the Caravan of Hope, Kenya Chapter was being discussed. They want it African. They will tell their stories of adaptation and mitigation the African way. They will discuss Climate Justice the African way and they want to be heard. I also suspect, they will be heard indeed. You can’t ignore energy like this. Can you picture the energy once the caravan starts?

And so the countdown begins…9 weeks to go… 

The Drums are Beating…It Is Just Around the Corner

Hadithi Hadithi? Hadithi Njoo.Hadithi Hadithi….Translation, Story story? Tell me a story. Story story?... That is a call in the African continent usually by a grandma to her grandchildren to gather around the fireplace for a night time story. 

It is Coming to Africa

Yes, There is a wonderful thing about to happen in Africa. It is called the Trans African Caravan of Hope being planned by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, PACJA. This is basically a road trip that will see 9 countries participate as it heads to Durban, South Africa for the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change, Conference of Parties, UNFCCC –COP17 meeting end of this year. If you don’t know by now that is the meeting where all countries of the earth meet to discuss the critical issue of climate change and ways to adapt and mitigate the negative impacts arising from the same. 

Remembering the Building of the Kenyan Railway Line…

A little side step…I tell you l am so excited about this because it reminds me when the railway line was being built in Kenya. My grandma used to tell me that it sounded more like a snake that the residents were waiting for. You would hear…oh it is at such a place and all the villagers would eagerly listen wide eyed to the tales from those who had managed to walk to and from where the workers were hard at work. 

Just a Tip

Back to the this very exciting road trip … The Caravan of Hope will start in Burundi and go through countries like Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and end up in Durban, South Africa. Yes, countries are signing up. The importance of this road trip cannot be overemphasized. The main objective of this trip is to create awareness on issues of climate change and climate justice in the African continent and around the world. 

It is expected that members from other parts of Africa will join the Caravan seeing it is a multi-sectoral engagement. To be part of it all you have to do is contact your in country team members and the explore possibilities. 

The beauty of it is that as the Caravan of Hope will find itself in a lot of in country activities as it goes through the countries.  We have some creative members who are doing all sorts of activities that will be relayed later. The planning of this mega event is intricate as a lot of details are going into the event and a lot of countries are involved. 

Hadithi Hadithi…Gathering for the Story     

Yes, it is a thunder like that you hear just before it rains and mother hen quickly gathers her chicks under her strong wings. I would rather think about this even more like gathering around the fireplace to listen to grandma tell stories to some very excited children. So again, the drums are beating… Hadithi Hadithi? Hadithi Njoo…Look out, it is around the corner.