LocationsGEF SGP Operational Phase 7 grant awardee, the Kandodo-Sioma Youth Group, is reaching young people in remote areas in Western Province and offering alternative livelihood and climate change education through cultural music, dances and plays
Climate Education Through Performance Arts
March 21, 2024
Nalucha Mubita with her daughters and her sisters
Image captured by: Vanessa Wematu Akibate/UNDP Zambia
Nalucha Mubita recently made the decision to take charge of her future. After struggling to find work post-graduating high school, she developed an alcohol addiction which led her to spend days at a time at local bars. “I was suffering, I used to go to bars (often) to drink beer with my friends”, she shares.
This was until she met Samuel, a member of a group of young people in Sioma who dedicate their time and talents to educating people throughout Sioma about climate change adaptation and alternative livelihoods.
“He told me about this group – in the group, they are rearing chickens, and welding. I was interested in welding… instead of me going to the bar, I can show other ladies that they can also do this kind of work”.— Nalucha shares
Kandodo Sioma Youth Group was established after its founder, Nakamwi Mukubesa, witnessed the Lusaka-based Kandodo Memorial Youth Group’s performances. Inspired by their mother group’s drive for youth empowerment and climate education, he approached the founder Gift Mimbula about setting up a branch of the group up in Sioma. Gift responded to Nakamwi’s excitement in kind and not only supported the group by training their performers and registering the group in Sioma, but he also supported the Sioma-based group as they applied for a grant from the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grant Programme. With the grant, the group has not only been travelling to some of the most remote areas of Sioma and throughout the Western Province to educate and entertain, but they have also started a training programme that provides skills to talented and eager young people looking for a means to build a livelihood.
The GEF-SGP empowers communities with the technical and financial resources needed to implement projects that tackle environmental challenges using innovative local solutions. Kandodo-Sioma Youth Group is a good example of that, they are creatively using local art to draw young people to change harmful behaviours and create more sustainable communities— shares Marisa Mushota Kalima, the National Coordinator for the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grant Programme in Zambia.
Learn more about how the group plans to use a grant of U$D20,000, under the UNDP implemented GEF-SGP in Zambia, to execute educational tours and training programmes that reach youths in Western Province. The project is expected to run for 12 months from September 2023, with the goal of reaching 360 women, 600 youths, and 60 persons with disabilities across the province.
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