In the fourth episode of the Hali Hewa podcast, Abigael Kima interviews Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate about her green schools project and international campaigning on loss and damage.
[Editor’s Note: We experienced connectivity issues between minute 5 and 6 and some parts are incoherent. Kindly bear with us. There is also a bit of background noise that could not be cleaned out during post production.]
Vanessa Nakate is the founder of Youth for Future Africa, the Africa-based Rise Up Movement and One Million Activists Stories. She runs The Vash Green Schools Project and recently received the prestigious Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy for her inspiring climate activism in Uganda and beyond.
In this episode, Vanessa takes us through her journey as an activist and shares what has inspired the impactful work she has been doing over the last several years. She tells us about an initiative she founded called the Vash Green Schools project, which helps schools in Uganda transition to solar energy and clean cooking stoves.
One of the key issues that Vanessa campaigns on at the international level is “loss and damage”. Vanessa explains why it is a critical issue for Africa in the context of upcoming Cop27 climate negotiations. She shares her personal reaction to the recent devastating flash floods that took place in Uganda, which claimed lives and left thousands of people displaced and with no access to clean water.
Vanessa signs off the show by sharing what she wants the upcoming Cop27 climate conference in Egypt to deliver in November. Enjoy the show!
Find all episodes of the Hali Hewa podcast here.