Ten-year old Magret lives in coastal Kenya, a rural region currently devastated by drought and famine, where many families have only enough food to eat one meal a day. The nearest reliable water source is an hour’s walk away from Magret’s home. And yet, despite her young age, Magret is making an outsized impact in her community. As part of a program run by AJWS grantee Moving the Goalposts Kilifi (MTG), she is educating her neighbors about climate change and working towards a better future for everyone.
MTG’s Climate Change Action for Girls and Young Women program trains youth to establish local Climate Action Clubs that run activities, including planting drought resistant fruit trees and purchasing tanks to store water for communal use. This work exemplifies AJWS’s unique humanitarian response strategy — supporting mitigation and preparedness in the face of climate uncertainty, and enabling our grantee partners and their communities to strengthen their resilience to respond to future anticipated severe weather and climate disasters. Through this climate action program, Magret has become a leader in her school community, helping raise awareness about the climate crisis and how they can mitigate the impacts of this global emergency.
“Magret is always asking ‘Why? What can we do?’ She is a solution finder,” says Alice Tama, MTG’s Health Coordinator. “She inspires us, and she has gone beyond inspiring others.”
MTG’s mission is to empower girls to address important issues in their lives and become agents of change. The organization is most widely known in Kenya for their successful football program which has introduced more than 50,000 girls to the sport, helping them gain confidence, become leaders, and providing space for them to discuss issues that matter to them.
Their climate program started in the spring of 2024, with just over a dozen girls in three clubs, and has since grown to nearly 200.
“It was so experiential,” says Herbert Dola, MTG’s Programmes and Advocacy Manager. “[The girls] were looking at their homes, learning what has happened there, and listening to what their parents and their grandparents were telling them about how life used to be and what changes have taken place.”
“One of our objectives was to bring the basic understanding of what climate change is to these young minds,” he continues, “because as they grow up, they grow in strength and knowledge.”
Fighting the Effects of Climate Change on Girls’ Lives
Globally, the climate crisis has a larger impact on the lives of girls and young women than boys and men; they are most often the ones waking up early to walk long distances to find water and firewood, two important resources that are harder to access because of drought and deforestation.
The lack of water also means girls are unable to properly bathe, leading them to miss school during their periods – a cultural taboo. Kenya’s Ganze region, where this project is based, has only had rain during two of the last five years. Installing water tanks helps girls maintain proper menstrual hygiene at school and makes sure they can still attend classes during their periods.
“(We wanted to) ensure that girls’ education is not interrupted by menstrual hygiene issues,” says Herbert. “Now that they have water in their school compound, they can go to school safely knowing that they have water to maintain hygiene.”
The Climate Action Clubs are also fighting food insecurity by promoting the use of drought resistant crops, such as cassava, sweet potatoes, and plantains. The girls speak at their schools’ quarterly Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meetings, sharing their knowledge with parents and guardians on how they too can help work against the climate crisis.
These girls are also involved in community service to help “green” the area, planting and harvesting trees, under the supervision of their teachers and the Kilifi County Government Department of Environment.
“A tree is not only planted but grown. When a child comes to school for the first time, they are now expected to plant a tree,” Herbert says. “By the time they leave school after seven years, that tree can thrive and continue growing on its own. It doesn’t need any more nurturing apart from protection by the community. So that tree becomes a family tree within that school. This helps them understand that they are part of the climate change solution.”
Inspiring a Greener Future for All
Before joining MTG, Magret knew very little about climate change. But since taking part in their training, she’s become known as a climate change champion, speaking during a school parade and researching on her own what more she can do.
“Climate change teaches me to always care for the environment, because when we take care of the environment, we prevent lots of diseases. And when we plant trees, its leaves attract moisture that attracts rainfall,” Magret says.
The girls of MTG’s Climate Action Clubs have together planted 1,000 fruit tree seedlings across three schools, which will not only provide shade and fresh fruit, but create a welcoming and nourishing space. And when her club comes together every week, they don’t get taught – they teach each other, thanks to MTG’s training.
“When I finish school,” Magret says, “I hope to see a green environment in my community.”