Hello readers,
Welcome to #Women4theClimate on CleanbuildVoices!
Today on #Women4theclimate, we are bringing to the center stage Immaculate Akello, a lawyer, climate change activist, and social entrepreneur whose work is transforming the lives of rural women in northern Uganda living along the shea belt community.
She is the founder of Generation Engage Network which is a youth-led organization that champions environmental rights and environmental democracy in Northern and Central Uganda. The organization believes in the youth helping each other to become the best possible version of themselves.
Akello believes that climate change is not only an urgent issue but a generational problem and that rural women are one of the most affected groups by climate change.
According to her, for people to address the gendered impact of climate change, they need to establish forests that will provide sustainable firewood to rural women and encourage families to plant more fruit-bearing trees, and encourage them to find a market for those fruits.
She is not only passionate about serving or leading; she lives an exemplary life through her speech, conduct and deeds. Hard work and service above self are her trademarks, and this was clearly demonstrated when she successfully organized community dialogues – #LetGirlsVote Club President – for the university community that she was in.
Akello draws her confidence and inspiration from Hawa Kimbugwe’s poetic skills and expressions – especially the phrase in one of her poems; “I am a strong woman and I don’t apologize for it.”
According to her, that phrase inspired her to freely express herself with confidence despite her petite frame. She continues to pay it forward by speaking on behalf of her peers, mentoring them to gain confidence.
She represented Uganda at the Vijjana Assembly in 2018 in Arusha and was the speaker of the 2018 National Parliamentary youth moot in Uganda.
She was one of the guest speakers at Climateaction.africa’s Climate Conversations for Africa bi-weekly Twitter Spaces event where she spoke extensively on climate change laws in Africa and made key recommendations to governments on the continent.
Watch this space as we’ll be back for another edition of our #Women4theClimate.
