Voice of Nature (VoNat), from March 24 to 30, 2024 engaged some 70 kids (10 to 15 years) in Buea, South West Region of Cameroon in gathering the impacts of climate change in their communities. This was aimed at boosting the understanding of these youngsters about the climate crisis and igniting in them the passion for climate action and climate justice.
Under the guidance of the Climate Action Programme Coordinator at VoNat, Madam Ngufor Lennin and VoNat’s Director of Programmes Dr. Dongang Cerahine, the children from Bulu Village, Ndongo, Molyko, and Boduma moved to water catchments, farms and rivers; identifying and recording vital data on the effect of climate change. They interviewed local community members and recorded information about the impacts of climate change on agricultural production, portable water sources like water catchments and volume of rivers.
Mr. Derick Ewangande, a Buea-based farmer, one of those interviewed by the children recounts his farming experience amidst climate change: “We farmers can no longer predict when rain will fall. In 2013/2014, we use to predict that rain will fall at a particular time and the rain must fall. Last year I harvested vegetables for five months, but this year due to climate change, I have harvested only for two months and the plant die losing three months without harvest and this causes a drop in the amount of money we sale”.
Pa Ikome Mbuakotoh, who has lived around the Ndongo river for the past over 40 years, told the children that the river volume has decreased drastically. “As temperatures rises, the rate of evaporation increases and the volume of the river has decreased. People usually come here for laundry but they no longer come because the volume of this water cannot wash their dresses,” he said. It is a similar information which the children gathered about the impact of climate change on the Boduma Water Catchment.
The data collected, reinforced the climate change education lessons earlier given to the youngsters and birthed in them a fresh passion for climate action. They will be translating the information gathered into media arts tools that will be used for a community-wide sensitization about climate change and for climate justice advocacy. This activity was carried out as part of VoNat’s Climate Action Programme implemented with funds from McGinnity Family Foundation and Climate and Development Knowledge Network.