Revitalisation of indigenous knowledge for conservation and women engagement in climate action in the Kilum-Ijim forest area
CAMGEW works locally and thinks globally, integrating gender in solving environmental problems in Cameroon.
Overview of the project
In previous years, CAMGEW over the years realized that there are few people in Kilum-Ijim with indigenous knowledge on conservation. This knowledge is not being shared nor documented to serve future regenerations. Through this initiative CAMGEW encouraged passing over this knowledge to the community for the good of environment and mankind through indigenous conservation literacy programs. This involved participation of local consultants with this knowledge and through story-telling, discussions, practical demonstration in CAMGEW tree nursery where need be, indigenous forest conservation best practices will be shared. The knowledge shared during this climate literacy programs will be documented to promote learning when the project ends. The posters and bushfire prevention documents will be translated into French to distribute nationwide.
In previous years, CAMGEW realised that gender promotion conservation organisations and other stakeholders in Bamenda western highlands have limited networking opportunities and know little about each other. Lack of this knowledge limit them from working together in terms of activity implementations, Knowledge sharing, seeking expertise, writing joint proposals and promotion of environmental gender solutions. This initiative brought together these actors in a knowledge fair to exhibit what they do: their vision, objectives, activities, target population and location. During this exhibition, CAMGEW showcased and present indigenous knowledge resulting from conservation literacy programs on indigenous best conservation practices during this event.
this project seeks to 1. promote climate indigenous literacy programs that will promote exchange of ideas amongst women on forest resources and document the indigenous knowledge shared during these programs. 2. translate bushfire prevention calendar in French to enhance climate knowledge nationwide. 3. promote networking and knowledge sharing between actors in conservation in the Bamenda Western Highlands.
implementation
still in progress
So far, this project has reached out to the following persons
- 350 women in indigenous climate literacy programs
- 500 persons attended networking event
- 30 organizations attended networking event
- 10 media involved in the implementation
- 60 indigenous climate literacy learning posters to be produced for learning in all CAMGEW offices
- 1000 bilingual bushfire prevention posters to be produced and distributed in both English and French speaking parts of the Cameroon Highlands forest area (North West, West and Adamawa Regions of Cameroon)
- Climate literacy programs carried out with women. These women now engage in nursery development, planting watershed as well as nitrogen fixing trees and are replicating our climate literacy programs in their solidarity groups.
- There is also a remarkable increase in collaboration between climate stakeholders especially civil society organizations in the North west region of Cameroon and Cameroon Highlands forest area. The networking event promoted knowledge sharing, discovery of expertise and built relationships between the actors.
- The media at local levels also engaged in climate talks, debates and discusions more than ever.
This project is supported by Green Livelihood Alliance and Women Engage For a Common Future Neitherlands.
organisation
Cameroon Gender and Environment Watch (CAMGEW) is a not-for-profit organization created in October 2007 with authorization number N° 000998/RDA/JO6/BAPP to look for solution to environmental and women’s issues in Cameroon. CAMGEW works locally and thinks globally, integrating gender in solving environmental problems in Cameroon. CAMGEW’s Vision is “A society free from poverty, gender inequality and unsustainable environmental practices”. CAMGEW’s Mission statement is “We do environmental protection by strengthening the capacity of community members especially women and young people in eco-businesses and forest regeneration for livelihood improvement in the Cameroon Highland Forest area”.
My organisation collaborated with the following organizations in implementation of this initiative
* Women Engage For A Common Future (WECF)
*Women Ecovillage Change Makers WECMA)
*North West Bee Farmers Messenger (NOWEFAM)
*World Economic Skills and Agro-Development (WESAD)
*Living Earth and Livelihood (LELIV)