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 […]
Posted inAll Stories, Special Projects
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 […]
Posted inAll Stories
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’ […]
Posted inAll Stories, Climate Change, Photography, Special Projects
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 […]
Posted inAll Stories
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 […]
Posted inPhotography, Water
Global Conservation Groups Urge Protection of Mozambique’s Inhambane Seascape, One of Africa’s Last Marine Biodiversity Strongholds
Water Journalists Africa One of the world’s hottest hotspots for marine biodiversity, Mozambique’s Inhambane Seascape, is under assault by two massively destructive industries. Conservation organizations are concerned that offshore seismic testing for gas mining and heavy-sands mining of pristine coastal dunes and Miombo forests would be catastrophic for these critical ecosystems—including the heart of the […]
Posted inSpecial Projects, Water
How legal gaps are promoting illicit fish bladder trade in Lake Victoria
By Kevine Omollo This story was produced in collaboration with InfoNile, and supported by the Pulitzer Center. Two years ago, Joyce Akinyi made a hard decision; the decision to halt Nile Perch fishing, and concentrate on dagaa (omena/mukene). This decision came despite her having roared Lake Victoria for close to 15 years, making a kill from her massive Nile Perch catches during […]
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 inAll Stories, Climate Change, Research, Water
Artistic Fusion: the story of how environmental journalism met creative expression at 2024 Global Press Freedom Day
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 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 […]