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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 inAll Stories, Land, Research, Water
The Price of Palm Oil in DRC’s Boteka
By Jonas Kiriko This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center Rainforest Reporting Grant. Already in conflict with local communities over land grabbing, Plantation et Huilerie du Congo (PHC) has just acquired new concessions to expand its palm oil plantations in Boteka. This deprived local communities of nearly 2,500 hectares of arable land. On a rainy […]
Posted inAll Stories, Climate Change, ground water, Land, Opinion, Photography, Research, Special Projects, Water
Op-ed: Securing Land Rights is Key for Justice and Economic Stability
By Dennis Omukunde – ILC Africa & HATUNGIMANA Hilaire – Confederation of Agricultural Producers’ Associations for Development (CAPAD) Across Africa and much of the Global South, land is more than just a physical asset; it is the foundation of security, dignity, and economic survival. Yet, land tenure insecurity remains a major driver of conflict, poverty, […]
Posted inAll Stories, Climate Change, ground water, Photography, Special Projects
Roots of Resilience
. . Roots of Resilience Communities around East Africa’s Mount Elgon find resilience in groundwater Harriet Chelangat, a farmer from Kawowo village, Tingye county, in Kapchorwa district, is known for her dedication to sustainable agriculture and innovative approach to managing groundwater resources. Faced with unpredictable rainfall and climate change challenges, Chelangat recognized the importance of […]
Posted inAll Stories, ground water, Photography, Special Projects
Groundwater Enhances Drinking Water Access in Burundian Schools
Ezéchiel Nibaruta Imagine a classroom where students are parched, their uniforms soiled, and the air thick with dust and despair. This was the reality at Bwiza-Bweranka Basic School in northeastern Burundi’s Ngozi province, where the absence of clean drinking water and sanitary facilities affected students’ well-being and academic performance. Headteacher Apollinaire Ndikumana recalls the sad […]
Posted inAll Stories, ground water, Photography, Special Projects
Conserving groundwater to ensure schools have reliable access to water
Prosper Kwigize Father Juvenalis Mutalemwa, the head of Ntungamo Vocational College, is among the hundreds of seminarians who enrolled and studied at Ntungamo Minor Seminary. The seminary is in Ngara District, Kagera Region of Tanzania, which is about 15 kilometers from the Kagera River. After completing grade seven, he joined the school in 1980, preparing […]
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Groundwater Changes Lives in Ntungamo
Perez Rumanzi In the Ntungamo district of Uganda, something exciting is happening. Residents are coming together to drill for groundwater in a race to find safe and affordable water for their families and crops. The need for safe water has united their efforts, with help from the government, non-government organizations (NGOs) and religious institutions joining […]
Posted inAll Stories, ground water, Photography, Special Projects
Kabale Communities Thrive with Groundwater Solutions
Job Namanya Kabale Municipality, located in the beautiful Kigezi region of western Uganda, is known for its stunning landscapes and rich agriculture. However, the area faces challenges due to climate change. Unpredictable rainfall, long dry periods, and water shortages are threatening the livelihoods of the people living there. In this situation, groundwater has become essential […]
Posted inAll Stories, ground water, Special Projects
Groundwater Fuels Education in Mt Elgon region
Javier Silas Omagor Groundwater is quenching thirst and transforming the educational landscape for thousands of children, empowering communities, and boosting local economies in the districts of Mbale and Kapchorwa in eastern Uganda. The two districts are part of the Mt. Elgon aquifer, a vital transboundary resource shared between Uganda and Kenya. According to the Nile […]
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Call for Awareness and Conservation of Groundwater
Prosper Kwigize “Twenty years ago, we were not struggling to wait at a single tap like we do now; our town was surrounded by many springs that provided water all year round. But now, when you get to those springs, you will surely cry,” reflects Shangilia Ibrahimu Manisha, a resident of Ngara Town in the […]
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How Groundwater Changed Batwa Lives in Burundi
Eraste Manishaka About 125 kilometres northeast of Burundi’s economic capital Bujumbura lies Ngozi province – home to thousands including the Batwa of Gika Community. The Batwa is one of Africa’s most marginalised communities and they are conservation refugees in many countries- including in Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda. For decades, the Batwa in Gika faced several […]
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Kaberebere, a community thriving on groundwater
Eli Akiza, Annita Matsika and Alex Akankwasa This story first aired on Radio West in Mbarara City. Welcome to our special feature about Kaberebere, a lively town just 13 kilometers from Mbarara City. This community is full of life, and it has an important story to share—one about groundwater, a resource found beneath its residents’ […]
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Groundwater, a solution to water crisis in Kopsiro, Mount Elgon
Jesse Chenge On Mt. Elgon, water comes to life in a beautiful way. According to the Nile Basin Initiative, higher areas catch the water when it rains, which then flows down the slopes, creating springs and streams. This water seeps into the flatter land, where the rocks are soft and weathered. It fills up an […]
Posted inAll Stories, Climate Change, ground water, Photography
Community Heroes Working for Lasting Water Solutions
Emmy Muchunguzi Benon Byabasaija and Alfonse Mugambwa have become local heroes in the Birere subcounty of Isingiro District. Nearly everyone in the area knows them for their dedication to the community. Byabasaija is the trusted expert for families and businesses needing hand-dug wells. With his skilled hands and dedication, he ensures communities have reliable access […]
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World leaders gear up for landmark UN land and drought summit
Turyakira Fred Kabango In less than a week, global attention will focus on land and drought resilience as the 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024. As the first UNCCD COP to be held in […]
Posted inClimate Change, Water
How Solar Power is fueling Growth in Katwire Community
Hannington Katehangwa In Katwire, a small village in Ruyonza Sub- County, Kyegegwa district of Uganda, life for most locals has been transformed, and communities attribute this to solar energy. Farmers, who for years battled inconsistent rainfall, energy shortages, and a lack of modern agricultural practices, are now harnessing the sun’s energy to turn their fortunes […]