Article – VCA

Musaya Ward Rejoices as Zemba Zemba Dam Rehabilitation Begins

For over 17 years, residents of Musaya Ward in Chirundu District have endured an ongoing battle against water scarcity. The devastating floods of 2008-2009 not only displaced over 102,000 families across Zambia but also destroyed critical infrastructure in Musaya, including the Zemba Zemba Dam. Once a lifeline for agriculture, fishing, and household needs, the dam’s collapse left the community reliant on a single borehole, which produced unsafe water suspected of containing heavy metals.

Echoes of the Oasis: Art, Activism, and the Struggle for a Sustainable Future

Gabès, a city in southeastern Tunisia, was once a thriving oasis where nature and tradition wove an intricate dance of sustainability. Farmers cultivated the land with wisdom passed down through generations, artisans shaped raw materials into works of beauty, and fishermen lived in harmony with the rhythm of the sea. But that harmony was disrupted. In its place now stands the imposing Tunisian Chemical Group, an industrial giant with towering red-and-white chimneys that loom over the city like silent sentinels of a broken promise.

From fear to action: Ojo de Agua’s Fight for Clean Water and Soil

In the Ojo de Agua community, located in the municipality of Yacuiba in the Gran Chaco Autonomous Region of Tarija-Bolivia, an environmental problem has put the health of its inhabitants, their animals and the safety of their crops at risk. For years, the upwelling of oil in the area has generated concern among the families, who, without technical studies, only had empirical evidence to warn about the contamination of their soils and water sources. Uncertainty about the quality of the water used for irrigation and consumption became a latent threat to the community.

Pantanal: “The water factory is running out of water”

The Bolivian Pantanal is a natural jewel, a veritable “water factory” that sustains the lives of countless species and communities. However, its importance remains poorly understood, and its future is increasingly uncertain.

Empowering Indigenous Communities for Fair Forest Management

In the Bolivian Gran Pantanal, the Pilay and Manantial communities of TIOC Guayé faced a crucial challenge: the lack of control over harvesting their forest resources.

Knowledge Exchange Success Stories from Luangwa

Grassroots communities are increasingly recognised as critical stakeholders in the fight against climate change. Their unique insights into local ecosystems and their capacity for collective action make them valuable contributors to climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. A community-to-community exchange programme between the Kanayama Women's Federation and the Katondwe Alliance of Women has demonstrated how community linkages can significantly enhance grassroots climate action.

Strengthening Peer Learning between Grassroots Women in Luangwa

In the heart of Zambia, grassroots women’s groups are leading the charge toward sustainable community development. Through a unique exchange programme, the Katondwe Alliance of Women (KAW) and the Kanyama Women’s Federation have come together to share knowledge and innovative practices, transforming environmental challenges into opportunities for growth.

DISSEMINATION AND ADVOCACY OF SOCIAL MAPPING AND PROFILING SETTLEMENT IN NORTH JAKARTA CITY GOVERNMENT

The Voices for Just Climate Action programme has been active in Kelurahan Penjaringan and Kelurahan Sukapura, North Jakarta City. The community is strengthened through various climate action activities, especially strengthening the role of women in climate action (Women Federation). Through social mapping and geotagging, the Women's Federation actively facilitates the community in identifying environmental and infrastructure issues and potential climate change disasters due to climate change that occur in their area.

VCA FEMINIST TRANSFORMATIONAL CLIMATE JUSTICE LEARNING SPACE

The AMwA partners in Kenya, which include Women Empowerment Link, Craw Trust, Siaya Muungano Network, and Lamu Women Alliance, organised a three-day learning event dubbed Feminist Transformational Climate Justice Learning Space. This learning event was significant, as it provided participants with a deeper understanding of the connections between gender and environmental challenges.

A Collaborative Effort for Effective Climate Change Governance in Siaya

In the past quarter, Siaya Muungano Network under the VCA programme, along with other partners in the Siaya County Climate Change Civil Society Organisation (CSO) working group and Action Aid Kenya, joined forces to advocate for more effective climate change governance, the operationalisation of the Siaya County Climate change Act and the development of the County Climate Change Fund Regulations.