EP 02: Advancing action for Biodiversity Conservation with Hannington Sserwanga

In this Episode, I dive into Advancing action for biodiversity conservation with Hannington Sserwanga, the founder of Marafiki Green Youth Initiative as he journeys us through his contribution to biodiversity conservation through bamboo tree planting and the making of the smart cooking bag that repurposes textile and fabric waste. Understand why you must pick interest in planting bamboo as an intervention to addressing the negative effects of biodiversity loss to our community and the utility of the smart cooking bag in enhancing clean cooking. 
Learn more about Hannington and Marafiki  by following their work on twitter @ActivistUganda and @marafikiIntern  and on Linkedin; Hannington SSerwanga and Marafiki United Green Youth Initiative

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Transcript

0:13

Hello everyone. Welcome to the second episode of our podcast driving eco sustainability, my perspective. I am your host grace. And today I am joined by Mr. Huntington Seranga. He will share with us more about himself and we are going to be discussing advancing action for biodiversity conservation. Thank you, Chris.[][Sound][Hannington Sserwanga] Good to be here. Thank you for hosting me. Tell us more about yourself and your and what you do. I left out the introduction because I felt like it would make more justice if you introduce yourself. Hello everyone. My name is Huntington. Some people like to call me. Climate Lazarus. maybe later. I'll dive into that. But, local. actually, I lead and founded in a nonprofit in Uganda called Marafic United Green Youth Initiative. This is an organization that empowers young people and equips them with knowledge to enhance their capacities in advocating for biodiversity and ecosystem restoration. Tell us more about Marafiki Green Youth Initiative and your work. At Maraki, basically we are more concerned biodiversity restoration. Currently we have an ongoing project we call, biodiversity restoration through growth and development of bamboo. So. This is an ongoing project that we are implementing in the localities. we have another project we are doing that is related to energy. We call a smart cooking bag. This is something magical. Anyone would want really to know about cause some people say we have magic at our workspace, but not. This is an innovation that, plays a critical role in cutting down the emissions and driving goals towards achieving the Paris Agreement, the 1. 5 degree centigrade Paris Agreement. So This is the work we do alongside youth empowerment because when you look at our projects, for example, the bamboo project we are implementing in very many localities, it has the capacity and the power to employ up to a certain percentage. Of young people in Uganda. this is a reality, about 75 percent of the young people in Uganda are unemployed. I'm actually not talking about young people that are not educated. Yes. These are young people that are educated, that have come from the university, but they have nothing to do. Our organization is focused on making sure that, it creates employment for the young people such that they can improve their standards of living. the Bamboo Project has the capability to employ, millions and millions of young people in our country. the smart cooking bag project, if it is fully established and operational, you could see because it has levels and lines of production, we have a tailoring section, we have a production section, we have a sorting section, we have the marketing bid, so you could see how many young people would be employed. In our, different projects, and that is our biggest target. And that is what we are doing at Marafiki, United Green Youth Initiative. About the bamboo. I'm curious for you to tell me why the choice was bamboo because other people are in the space, but they tend to advocate for planting of fruit trees, I grew up in the village. by then we had a lot of forest in our area. Actually, it would come from school, go down to the forests. You would find jackfruit, mangoes. Actually, you'd even not eat food the whole day just because you're in the forest, they are grapes, they are oranges, they are mangoes, The work of those people that are growing fruit is commendable. We looked bamboo at a broader perspective. In terms of carbon sequestration, bamboo is not like any other plant. if we are to play a role on mitigating the climatic consequences, bamboo should be a priority because the rate at which it sequesters carbon from the atmosphere is incomparable. You cannot compare it to any other plant or species about three times the rate it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere. So anyone could imagine how big is that? That one is also attributed to its growth rate because within just five years, bamboo has grown to full maturity. So you would, you know, understand how much carbon it has absorbed from the, what from the atmosphere. So that is an environment aspect, but socially it has the capacity also because there are a lot of, furniture materials, artistic materials that can be got out of the bamboo. Because, earlier I told you our focus about reducing unemployment in the country. So we want to see how we can train and enhance the capacity of the very many youths that are employed to tap into the bamboo industry, to make different ornaments, to make different furnitures, furnishings. If you go out there to the market, you know, current, they are crawlers made out of bamboo. So bamboo has a vast majority of things that can be made out of it. We can even make charcoal briquettes if you are trying to, there is a way we can make charcoal that is clean. From bamboo. So involved in the process and in the production of what, of the bamboo. We are looking forward to, you know, divesting more and more into it at certain stages of production. You will find that, very many people have taken up bamboo to do the, hedges, landscaping their compounds we have what we call the golden bamboo. It has that good, gesture. Maybe if you used it in your compound, if you've used it To make gardening. It is attractive That's why we're really commending very many people to, at least adopt bamboo as their compound because of these things. At the point of unemployment, Under the Paris Agreement, one of the key cornerstones to advancing climate action is enhancing climate education within our schools, especially with young people, the youths, the university. Students. how can we tailor make our climate education in Uganda to advance climate action? And secondly, to be able to, to create more green jobs.

Hannington Sserwanga: 7:11

climate education is a key thing if we are to advance these synergies. because you will find that without the knowledge, then there is nothing people will do. I had an interaction with someone who told me that elite think communities and very many people know About these things. But the fact is that these communities are not aware of this happening. People do not know that the drought, the flooding, are a result of their actions. So that gap would be around climate education. We need to zillow down to where would climate education start? I was speaking to a lecturer at Macaulay University. We were on a panel, and this is a person who was saying that he is in the School of Forestry. But these are things that are not taught at the university. So there is a knowledge gap. And what I would commend or advise is that, trying to articulate this climate education right from the beginning. Is maybe lower classes from the nursery school. At least let's mentor this child to understand the climate knowledge. Know the role they have to play. So, when we start learning, maybe from primary schools. Go to the secondary, a young person will come out knowing that, Hey, I have to protect this tree because it provides me with oxygen. So if we attribute that value to the tree, this young person will exist from, cracking a branch from the tree. Otherwise they will find ways of how they can protect it. So we need to mentor them and grow them. As they grow, at least they have the knowledge that, we need to protect it because of this. Because if we told a child that maybe if you break that tree or you cut it, you're going to die also. You see that? How this child would know that when I cut down the tree, I'm going to die. So, at all costs, they'll make sure that they protect the tree. This may, sound like a myth, but this would be a reality that this young person can grow up with. And, I would comment all of us doing in terms of climate education. So we need to start lowering. as we groom these young people and, anyone such that they have this from right from the, you know, a child stage. Now the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution is mainly precipitated by deforestation. People are cutting down trees to access energy resources and also get land for settlement. So how best as someone who has experience in this space, merging your experience as an ACPIA educator, as someone who is also doing work in conservation and landscaping, how best do you think we can balance our day to day needs of accessing energy and land for settlement and also cater and bear in mind that we also have to leave this earth habitable for future generations, which is the entire question of sustainability anyway. it takes me to my, story. Yes. I once made with the loss and Damage Youth coalition. Yes. I was giving a story about the losses and damages due to the advance effects of climate change. in Uganda are specific around the flooding that happening in CAEs, the landslides that happened in Nmb Bali. By telling these stories, we are inspiring hope, different people, or we are, discovering things that people don't know they're happening. this is creating a win win situation for everyone. These catastrophes are happening because of human induced activities. So how can we balance for the future? We need to, devise means and innovations that give back to nature. That can enhance nature also by that I mean, adopting things like using clean cooking means. For example, the one we are doing at Marafiki, you'll find that by, you know, planting these bamboo trees, we are giving back to nature by making a charcoal briquette. Out of bamboo. We are trying to tell someone that don't cut that tree. At least use this bricket. It is clean So we need to adopt. Innovations and different, interventions that give back to nature by doing so we shall be able to to create sustainable futures for maybe our Children, maybe when we are not there, at least they will be there. So I also aspire to leave a legacy in a restoration that Huntington planted hectares and hectares of bamboo. Maybe I might not be there. But that is something I'm aspiring to do to giving back to nature and those people who live there will talk about me. Maybe I'm not sure, but that is what I aspire.

Grace: 13:01

About bamboo landscaping, you know, under sustainable development goal 15. One of the targets is, Requiring communities to fundraise resources to advance sustainable forestry management in your view and your experience with the Marafiki. How have you been able to mobilize resources to advance your landscaping plans and goals?

Hannington Sserwanga: 13:27

SDG 15 actual highlights the need to, protect, biodiversity on land. So, and that is what we are up to at Marafiki. how we raise resources is a bit, Challenging at my organization because right now and back then we are using our own money. So we have to spare some part of our living to do something. We feel like we are giving back to nature. Yes. We have to tell, I have to pass to say, you see guys, we need five millions who is giving us this. Sometimes we say, no, we pass commands at my organization. We say, we need 1 million. We need to go and plant bamboo in this place. How are we getting the million? Say, Huntington, give us 200. Robert, give us 200. Mahad, give us 200. Raymond, give us 200. And we make sure that we've raised 1 million and we can be able to go and plant this is something that comes around a lot of commitment because someone would not count Norwich. Why do I have to give him my 200, 000? What are we going to do? That, by the way, that is something which is in the space. the current situation is where people are telling you, Huntington, you know. You have to give up this for this, surrendering something that is personal for a common good. We are looking at the opportunity cost. What do you have to for go? Benefit. Something. Now about, the clean cooking. Your organization has come up with a clean cooking bag. To

Grace: 15:15

repurpose. Waste textile Western fabric waste. So share with us what inspired this journey. What are the features of this clean cooking bag And I actually thought that you would bring the clean cooking bag with us here, but that will be something for another day. But just share with us.

Hannington Sserwanga: 15:36

The smart cooking bag, that's how we call it. This is a reinvention because this is innovation and as innovators, we are always trying to see what can we bring that can help mitigate the advanced effects of climate change. For me and my team at Marafiki, we believe in the power of these small things. Because we believe that these are the small things that add up to create an impact. Or maybe you could not still in the, in the, in the journey we are into of trying to, to mitigate. the climatic consequences. So the smart cooking bag is one of the innovation that is taken to be small, but for us, we believe in its capability. Because this bag, it's operation is aimed at cutting emissions, though it gets into also the aspect of reducing food waste. This is a bag that cooks without fire and also can keep your food hot for over seven hours. So we calculate if, for example, we have around 42 million people in our country. What if every person has a smart cooking bag and they have Then we would calculate the amount of emissions this bag has been able to cut. How? For example, let's take an instance of a local person that cooks on firewood. Because, It cuts the time you would spend cooking directly on heat. Just imagine you are going to cook your food for two hours and we are telling you, no, cook your food on direct heat for 40 minutes. After cooking it on direct heat for 40 minutes, now there is a balance of 1 hour and 20 minutes. You bag it. After bagging it, leave it. Give it like two hours, your food will be ready. You see that? Just imagine the amount of. Emissions, carbon emissions, the bag has a cut. If you would have cooked your food directly for the two hours, you see that it is small, but at least if every household adopts the idea and the house not cooking bag, we could create and have the million tons of carbon equivalent. Because we work with the textile industry. There are these offcuts that the textile industry, after their work, they have to dispose to landfills. And people know how waste is, of course, frustrating their day to day life. So if we are adding value to this textile industry, this waste that is coming from the textile industry, that is a plus for Marafiki. At least we give them purpose again, other than being disposed of to landfills And, having to degenerate our soils, which would have. use for production and agriculture. We have targets of, having full establishment of production such that we can be able to help the textile industry and because people call us, we have a sack of these offcuts. We have a sack of this. We go correct them. We take them at our workshops. We add value to them. We reuse them. That is a target everyone should have. If you have some crops you don't need at your home, you can call us. We are just a call away. We pick them, we go add value to them other than you going and disposing of them On the

Grace: 19:24

question of,, beating unemployment currently, how many people are we looking at who ventured into the production of the smart cooking bag and, what plans do you have for mass production in future?

Hannington Sserwanga: 19:38

Currently, the project is, someone may call it a startup. Yes. Our production line currently, involves 10 people that are doing the production that is, to do even with the marketing to do with the tailoring, sorting measurements. So we are currently 10 that are in the production line. We have hopes that if we can get the resources, of course, because what is limiting us are the resources to do mass production and, machines Currently we, we use manual ways. Sometimes you need to have a hammer do the limiting at some point. So you can understand how that could be. So do the hammer link. You know, you have to use a hand. So do the sewing at some point, but if we had some other machines that maybe we have a limiting machine, we have these leather machines we may use. We have some machines that we, we can use in the production. It would make the production smooth and swift. And of course we would have more people because what is limiting us is of course, we make small production. We make an order. Someone calls you. I need. Smart cooking bag. Then you do the production. You deliver because you understand to do with finances and capital. This is where we have to make sure because we do. We love the thing we do. That means we have to get in our pockets, invest in the production as we are. We are laying strategies, of expanding, getting some other machines, but it's quite challenging because, of course, we don't have incentives. Maybe equity grants would work for us, maybe donations. But of course, everyone is looking at someone who is established. And, and that is, it is not a challenge, but who would really want to invest in people? Very few people want to invest in ideas. Yes. And very few people want to invest in startups. Yes. People want already made companies, if they want to give you their money, they want you to have already a company operating five years. What is the impact? Because they will ask you all those questions quite a lot. So sometimes you may not have five year experience or production. This is a stage of a startup where you, you have calls, please, we need the bag, you make it, you deliver. So you see how challenging it is, but we are always committed that maybe at a certain point we shall have to, reach where we want. We, we, we really dedicated young people that, not giving, giving up to the dream of entrepreneurship and in, and, and of course, adding value in the sustainability perspective of our country and, and the world at large.

Grace: 22:32

Now someone out there is asking themselves how can they. There are challenges, as you mentioned, mobilizing financial resources, mobilizing manpower. So how best do you think, what tips would you give a young person who wants to learn how to mobilize financial manpower resources to undertake these restoration activities like landscaping with bamboo or mitigation of climate change emissions? So A young person, first of all, has to show that willingness that even if I earn a little money, even if this is part of my salary, I can maybe pay a part of it and invest it in something I believe in. So, I've always told my team that be committed and dedicated and not giving up. I told you that we carry out restoration, events, but these are financed by ourselves, Where from our, some small, salaries also, maybe if you could have some partnership with some local organizations, maybe sometimes they provide us some tree. For planting. Sometimes they'll have to refuse because how do we meet the production cost? I was talking to one of my friend. I was like, man, we are going to do a restoration. The school has invited us. They need this. They have an environment club, but currently, could you really donate us to some Hannington? How am I going to meet the, you know, the, according to all the production costs. Okay. Let's talk. Oh, we, we, we give you at a subsidized price. So you see, they are not willing to donate or give you at a free cost. And at that subsidized price, those attachments aren't attached. They need mentions From the global perspective, the land use nature ocean day at cop 28. So a declaration or a statement being signed by the co presidency along with other countries in regards to fostering synergies and collaboration in implementation of national climate and biodiversity plans. So from your perspective, how do you think Uganda Can build on this momentum and carry the conversation further to implement to exploit. Partnerships and collaborations and synergies, especially to meet our national development plan three goals, to restore our biodiversity, our trees, because as it was recognized, The rate at which we are even restoring the few initiatives we are doing right now do not meet the severity and the rate at which we cut down the trees. When you compare like for the last 10 years, the cutting down of trees has been so severe and intense. It seems irreversible in that our initiatives that we are taking right now. Do not seem even to be addressing the ity How do you think Uganda can best build on synergies and implement partnerships to meet its national climate plans and, biodiversity restoration

Hannington Sserwanga: 26:01

plans? There is what we call a problem tree. So this problem tree highlights different ways from the leaves, the track, the loots, trying to understand what is the actual problem. What are we dealing with? I think, you know, about the five why's in problem solving. Why is Huntington doing this? Why is Grace doing this? Why is Huntington doing this? Then we need to know. Are they policies? Is it around the legal side? Is it around? People in government, is it around? So what I would propose for my dear Uganda, a young country that is embarking on this journey is, addressing the real problem. Before we understand the real problem. We cannot not address the issue and of course we shall keep ourselves in trials. You see that actual solutions that work to address the challenges that communities are facing. The challenges that are depleting our forest cover. You've seen what is happening in the fossil industry. If these people that are working in the fossil industry, if there are no unions that advocate for them, because if you want to force him get out of the fossil industry, when actually, You've not prepared him on the life after, then what are you doing? So it gets back to understanding the actual problem we need to solve. And after understanding the problem, they need to set progress and definite solutions for our countries.

Grace: 28:01

And do you what do you think are those laws that we have to reflect upon heading into the conference this year and coming back home on the drawing board to do better?

Hannington Sserwanga: 28:15

Yeah, I think, cause when you see, yeah, Uganda is a signatory and, you've seen the recent, cunning Montreal, you know, that has been recently signed by our minister. So you'll see that we are trying and we are going there. It sets progress at, there is what we call a 30 by 30, that we have at least 30 percent restoration. By 2030 at least we have that 30% increase in the restoration of biodiversity. So we are doing something. There are really some efforts, different organizations are doing in Uganda, the government, and different ministries, UNDP, GIGI and others, trying to see that they, you know, they are trying to get some finances for restoration efforts because they understand that life on land is all about the diversity. All the biodiversity, these ecosystems without them, we cannot thrive. So I think, and I agree that Uganda is doing something. More capacity building sessions, done more restoration, initiatives, carried out in different parts of the country,

Grace: 29:48

we have challenges because we have policies in place, but people tend not to be aware of their policies. People are not aware of, any opportunities that they can take on in this space. So how do we foster inclusivity in this space? Because from the, from the perspective of sustainability, it can't be done by one person. It is a collaboration So how do we Create an all inclusive

Hannington Sserwanga: 30:15

discussion. I've always advocated for create forging partnerships, collaboration with different entities and different key players in different entities. we have a campaign, we are running currently, we call it host a bamboo. In hosting a bamboo, we mean we want each household irrespective of the acreage or area of land you have, we want you to host a bamboo. So at Marafik what we do, we bring the bamboo, we plant it, we take care of it. until a certain stage. So when this person feels like they have fallen in love with the bamboo, they can adopt it. Just as you adopt a child, you know, those adopted children, you go to a home, and you are not, I wanted this one. So that is a campaign we are moving in those local communities. We want them to adopt at least a bamboo. Why have I brought to this is that, uh, With restoration, it begins from the bottom, from a household. When a household fails to adopt a bamboo or grow a tree on their acreage of land, we are failing. We cannot meet targets. Because if we are restoring on some reserved land spaces, they are not enough. You'll find one person with miles and miles of land over 10 villages are for one person. So if this person fails to at least a surrender, maybe 300 hectares such that we can plant trees or bamboo. We are failing because the government does not have enough land to do the restorations. In Uganda, there is what we call this government land. There is, we have community land. For those people, maybe in the Northern, maybe in the Western that a land is possessed by a community. We have private land where a land is owned by an individual person. So, if we don't talk to these people and include them in the process, maybe in the policy formulation, we are going to fail. We shall not hit the targets we might want to do what to hit. If the government can provide some land, this have individual persons also that have acreage of land also provide something to do the restoration. And so doing. We shall hit some targets that we've set in our plans.

Grace: 33:15

Briefly share with, our listeners key projects that Marafiki is working on

Hannington Sserwanga: 33:21

this year. This year, at Marafiki, We are, I told you about the bamboo project. Yes. Biodiversity and ecosystem restoration through development, growth and development of bamboo. That is a project that is ongoing and we are doing it. we are sensitizing communities to adopt bamboo. You know, we've found challenges around it and it is taking us a lot of time to change the mindset of people. I tell you what. People have bias on bamboo. People are saying bamboo is invasive. But no, I'm going to provide you with a five meter by five meter area, but this bamboo is going to eat up my other plot of land. Yes. And it is true. There are some species of bamboo that are invasive. You plant it here. The whole area will be taken up. We are trying to change the narrative. We are teaching these people that no, we are showing the value bamboo has. We are reminding them because they knew, but we are reminding them the importance on how this bamboo project can employ their children and their lives can be improved. We are telling them that, you know, bamboo has a lot of species. We are showing them how you can grow bamboo. And it does not invade other parts, because if you like it to stay in that place, it can stay in that place. But it depends on how people are planting it. People have not had that knowledge that there are ways. You can plant the bamboo and restrict it to a certain area. This is the job we are doing. We have the smart cooking bag project. Yes. We are doing a bag that cooks without fire and keeps your food hot for over 12 hours. We have a project we call Marafik Zero Waste Strategy. That is aimed at, creating our city clean and removing waste from it. We are transversing different synergies. And we are still devising ways and having engagements with different stakeholders and local people that are involved in waste to create solutions that are definite., To improve our communities and the localities.

Grace: 35:53

thank you so much now for those who are interested in knowing more about Huntington's work is an act peer educator is a founder of my Rafiki youth green initiative. The makers of the smart. Cooking bug. he's a three time climate Lazarus. That's a story. I wanted to know more about just briefly. What does that stand for?

Hannington Sserwanga: 36:17

Yeah, that is a name that was given to me by a friend. He called me as you know, for for Christians, no Lazarus. Yes. A Lazarus was resurrected. When he died. The same way I've resurrected like three times in this space. Maybe that is an interesting story because it could take us time. But what people could know currently that at least I've died three times and I have resurrected. I'm still alive. Still standing.

Grace: 36:45

For those who want to know more about the work Huntington does with his organization, let him share with you his social media handles. Thanks.

Hannington Sserwanga: 36:54

Yeah. if you want to find us, personally, for Marafiki, you can find us on Twitter at Marafiki Intern. Right. Marafiki. Marafiki is a Swahili word that means friends. Yes. We were friends that started this organization. Yes, we came up as friends and made sure that we can do something for our communities and our country and the world at large. So you write Marafiki, that Swahili word, and then add I N T E R N. Marafiki, intern on Twitter. You can find us on LinkedIn, Marafik United Green Youth Initiative. And then, of course, Instagram. We are everywhere, actually. Our email, maybe. But I think if you find us via Twitter and LinkedIn, we can still talk more. And, you know, you can come to our inbox and we can share details on how you can get in touch with us and continue the conversation. One last statement.

Grace: 37:50

How do you define environmental sustainability in your view?

Hannington Sserwanga: 37:55

In my view, that is preserving our ecosystems and biodiversity for a win win situation.

Grace: 38:04

Thank you so much. With that, we come to an end of our second episode of our podcast. Follow us on our social media handles, rate, review, and subscribe for more exciting episodes to come. Thank you.