Water Journalists Africa Amidst the spirited celebration of Global World Press Freedom Day in Chile this month, a groundbreaking fusion of environmental investigative journalism and artistic expression unfolded, illuminating the urgent need for innovative storytelling formats for the environmental crisis worldwide. The initiative, by UNESCO’s Multi Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of […]
Posted inWater, Climate Change, Land, Research
An opaque agro-industry razes Cameroon’s forests with impunity
By Madeleine NGEUNGA Credits: This investigative story is the first part of a series co-published by InfoCongo, Oxpeckers and The Museba Project, with support from the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN). “Are we ready to risk 60 thousand hectares for Camvert, a company that has no experience in oil palm plantations?” asked Samuel Nguiffo, […]
Posted inWater, ground water, Research
Investigation raises concerns over plastic waste accumulation on the shores of Africa’s Rift Valley lakes
By Water Journalist Africa An investigation into the concentration of microplastics in some Africa Rift Valley lakes has found no traces of microplastics there. However, the plastic wastes are visible on the major landing sites, raising fears over the whereabouts of these dangerous residues. The shorelines are littered with polythene bags and used plastic bottles […]
Posted inWater, All Stories
River Nile, a freeway of plastics from African great lakes to Mediterranean Sea
Fredrick Mugira, Bertha Fellow Two small rivers in western Uganda: Mpanga, and Rwizi, are choking on plastic waste, carrying it to lakes that drain into the River Nile. Once in the Nile, this plastic debris may flow into the Mediterranean Sea. Mpanga River traverses Fort Portal, a city of 52,911 population, picking up all […]
Posted inWater, All Stories
Polluted by custodians: Fishers pollute African Great Lakes with plastics
Fredrick Mugira, Bertha Fellow When the sun had nearly set, John Depari and two other fishers slowed down their motorized boat and said to one another, “It is here,” before casting nets somewhere in the quiet waters of Lake Edward in western Uganda. It was not only the nets they cast: there were stones, empty […]
Posted inAll Stories, Water
From source to water bodies and dining table: Tracking the journey of plastics in Uganda
Fredrick Mugira, Bertha Fellow 25th April 2022 Last February, Ramathan Kimbugwe, the CEO of Prowess Communications Company, was jogging early morning when he noticed something strange about a river in his community. Thousands of used plastic bottles were heaping in Rwizi, a lifeline river for over five million people in southwestern Uganda, at a point […]
Posted inClimate Change, All Stories, Special Projects, Water
A Ugandan city powered by solar welcomes COP26 agenda to speed up affordable cleantech
Fredrick Mugira, November 23 2021 A city in southwestern Uganda has welcomed the new Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda that over 35 world leaders signed at the UN summit on climate change in Glasgow to see countries and businesses work together to dramatically scale and speed up the development and deployment of clean technologies and drive down […]
Posted inAll Stories, Climate Change, Special Projects, Water
How gorillas stole a Ugandan forest from humans, bloomed it as it bloomed them
Fredrick Mugira. December 18, 2020 This story was first published by New Vision In the shadows of giant trees, deep within the Bwindi Impenetrable forest, nature is at its rawest. The maze of green trees, dark and humid undergrowth shrouded in a smoky haze, makes its name: impenetrable forest, very apt. This is where Kyomukama […]
Posted inClimate Change, Photography, Research
21 species once presumed lost to science, including a giant millipede last seen more than a century, rediscovered in Madagascar
Fredrick Mugira Up to 21 species presumed lost to science, have been rediscovered in Madagascar, an island nation located in eastern Africa. The list includes three translucent fish species and a millipede unseen for 126 years, though known locally in Madagascar. The expedition to Makira, Madagascar’s largest and most pristine forest, was part of Re:wild’s Search […]
Posted inClimate Change, Research, Water
Op-ed: Warming planet already fundamentally altering our climate system
By Nicola Chadwick, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education There are fears that that a warming planet is already fundamentally altering how the climate system operates. This is not only earlier than expected, scientists are also unable to explain the recent temperature increases, says the Water, Peace and Security Quarterly Update. According to researchers, the […]
Posted inClimate Change, Special Projects, Water
Havoc as Tanzania’s Fish Exports Plummet
By Sylivester Domasa This story was produced in partnership with InfoNile, supported by the Pulitzer Center. Navigating the waters of the mighty Lake Victoria for a catch is becoming a wrestling operation among Tanzanian fishermen. Six out of 12 registered fish processing plants are dormant. The six others – Nile Perch, Vick Fish, TFP, VICTORIA, […]
Posted inClimate Change
Op-ed: The Tragedy of floods in East Africa
By Alis Okonji Currently, East African nations, such as Kenya, Somalia, Burundi, and Tanzania, are facing one of the most severe floods seen in the region in the past two decades. Both cities and rural areas are impacted, with significant landslides and mudslides occurring, particularly notable in Mai Mahiu, Kenya, resulting in loss of lives. […]
Posted inground water, Special Projects, Water
Belgium visit of Lesotho minister under scrutiny amid Letšeng’s environmental offenses
Pascalinah Kabi This investigation was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Centre. In the heart of Southern Africa lies Lesotho – a country blessed with abundant water resources yet facing the threat of contamination due to the operations of Letšeng Diamonds Mine. Letšeng, a prominent mine majority-owned by the London Stock Exchange-listed company Gem Diamonds, has […]
Posted inAll Stories, Water
Unveiled investigation: Water pollution from Letšeng diamonds mine poses lethal threat to infants
Story and photos by Pascalinah Kabi This investigation was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Centre. Infants who ingest water from Maloreng Stream, a lifeline for over a hundred people, face a potentially fatal threat—hemoglobinemia-induced suffocation. This alarming revelation stems from a government report concluding that Letšeng Diamonds Mine is deliberately contaminating the stream, upon which […]
Posted inAll Stories, Climate Change, Water
GREEN NGONG IS GONE: Uncovering the climate change drivers and mitigation efforts in Kajiado
By Sam Munia One of Kenya’s main forests, the Ngong Forest, home to a diverse range of plants and animals, is under threat due to decades of encroachment. The forest cover has significantly reduced, putting the biodiversity of the region in danger. This has resulted in the Kajiado community facing the dual challenge of floods […]
Posted inAll Stories, Water
WaterAid warns of cholera epidemic in Malawi, Zambia, other Sadc countries
George Mhango, Blantyre Malawi authorities have intensified their efforts to deal with cases of Cholera through awareness along the borders with Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique. This comes as the International NGO WaterAid issued a statement on Friday, saying that as Zambia fights to contain its worst cholera outbreak since 2017, cases are already being reported […]
Posted inWater, Climate Change, Land
Mali: A battery recycling company has cut Malians air
Story by Dave Dembele This report is owned and first published by our patterners The Colonist Report Africa and The Colonist Report. No part or all of this report can be republished without prior consent from management. Kindly email elfredahalerechi@thecolonistreport.com for inquiries. In Sanankoroba, a town outside of Bamako on Route Nationale 7 (RN7) that […]
Posted inAll Stories, Water
Malawi: Joyce Banda dates WASH stakeholders
George Mhango, Blantyre Malawi needs $227 million annually to achieve well-managed WASH services that are climate resilient to deal with waterborne diseases such as Cholera. The disease, according to health authorities, has since 2022 killed close to 1,750 people. This dominated the high-level meeting between WASH stakeholders and former Malawi President Joyce Banda, in her […]
Posted inWater, Drought
Kisoro, a Ugandan town built on buried rivers
Alex Gahima, Ruyange Jean and Namale Agnes The communities in Kisoro district, southwestern Uganda hold dear a unique tale of a king/demi-god who had supernatural powers to create water from rocks using only his spear and arrows. Some men and women above 60 years who have been privileged to hear the tale from their parents […]
Posted inWater, Climate Change, Land
Meet Kenyan children turning tide on plastic pollution
Lina Mwamachi That’s Jayden, not his real name, a young boy in Kongoni primary school in Taita Taveta County, speaking on the importance of keeping the environment free of plastic materials to safeguard humans, livestock, and wildlife. Jayden and other pupils and teachers from 31 different primary schools in the vast Taita Taveta county had […]
Posted inClimate Change, Water
Explainer: Five reasons why trees are a solution to the climate crisis
Monica Evans As the 28th UN Climate Conference (COP28) approaches, and countries prepare to take stock of progress in emission reduction since the adoption of the Paris Agreement through the first Global Stocktake (GST), measures to mitigate the advance and impacts of climate change are in the spotlight. These measures are wide-ranging and touch on many […]
Posted inAll Stories, Climate Change, Opinion, Water
Opinion: Green spaces for everyone, everywhere
The writer, Zhimin Wu, is the Director, Forestry Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. A few years ago, a university professor came up with the ”3-30-300” rule. It envisions a world where everyone can see at least three trees from their window, live in a neighbourhood with at least 30 percent tree […]