1. Project description.

The problem being addressed:

1.      There is increasing scarcity of comprehensive climate change information in rural and urban areas of Kyenjojo, Kamwenge and Kyegegwa districts, Uganda.

2.      Religious institutions and cultural institutions are also silent on the issues of climate change yet they are influencers and have platforms and ability to influence change adaptation policies and information communication through their platforms and sports. 

3.      By 2050, Almost one fourth of Ugandan football clubs’ teams stadiums (23 out of 92) are projected to be partially or totally flooded every year, it must be noted that this is the only example of highly profile sports events, the impact on smaller, more local events is potentially greater.

Project purpose:

The overall goal of the project using the sports and poem lyrics as the vehicle to promote climate change through youth participation in football, cultural and religious poetry lyrics while ensuring many climates social benefits inherent in sporting activity form greater outcomes beyond sporting arena into everyday life by;

Ø  Providing youths in Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa and Kamwenge districts with role models for participation in exercise and organized teams sports. 

Ø  Improving climate change adaptation outcomes through women, young boys and men participation in sports.

Ø  Encouraging and growing the rates of participation in football at all ages, levels and across gender in Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa and Kamwenge districts;

Ø  To build capacity of volunteers/ Interfaith Climate change sports ambassadors who will help in the running and managing of football activities

Activities being carried out:

q Activity 1:  Interfaith dialogue with poetry and coaches and support staff for sports clubs in the district

q Activity 2:  identification of sports clubs and talented poets in the community for climate change

q Activity 3:  Development training on Climate change packaging information during sports events for champions.

q Activity 4:  Participation in Climate change sports communication and competition leagues

q Activity 5:  Climate change life skills seminars for Sports climate change ambassador’s

q Activity 6:  Interfaith and inter-cultural poetry lyrics and sports outreaches for climate change.

q Activity 7:  Engagement meeting with stakeholder to commit to mainstream sports events for climate change in their work plans and district local governments budgets.

q Activity 8:  Project monitoring

q Activity 9:  Evaluation of sports activities and workshops

q Activity 10:  Activities Writing the report

2. Project progress up to now:

Since May to June Western Uganda FBO Network has been able to implement 6 activities among others includes; 

Activity 1: Interfaith dialogue with poetry and coaches and support staff for sports clubs,

Ø  This activity was carried out in May 2023 at Nsinde Eco Tourism and Resource Centre, the dialogue attracted faith leaders from various faith institutions as well as cultural and young sports climate ambassadors, The dialogue encouraged utilization of interfaith resources that might be helpful. The couches and religious leaders discovered that sports and poetry, music, art and other creative expressions to help participants connect with other and the climate change topic at hand, The participants committed to the integration of climate change in co-curricular activities of schools and religious institutions.

Activity 3. Development training on Climate change packaging information during sports events for champions. 

Ø  Having done an inception meeting with stakeholder’s, the district task force was put in place to identify development messages on climate change in line with the school’s curriculum lead by district education officer climate change information packaging for schools was done as well as guiding circular for climate change activities in faith sermons and sports events for champions.  The science and arts teachers (geography teachers) and clergy were oriented on climate change information sharing which was extremely to the participants and packaged information disseminated to the climate change community and green schools’ ambassadors. Information, education and communication materials have been installed in public places (posters) demonstrating the need to protect environment.

The artistic posters have been also installed at Nsinde Eco-Tourism, Research and Resource Centre.  The Key Messages has been on. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our times. Sport plays an important role as part of the solution, Sports is a Key social platform that can reach and influence millions of people in the community and raise awareness on climate change, promote a culture in favor of climate action, and Champion sustainable behaviors and sports sector can contribute to tackle climate change by reducing sport organizations climate foot print while government and international organizations facilitate this goal by setting right policies and guild lines of which the local government are committed to including developing climate change adaptation plans.

Activity 6: Interfaith and inter-cultural poetry lyrics and sports outreaches for climate change.
Western Uganda FBO Network organized 6 outreaches on interfaith and inter-cultural poetry lyrics and sports outreaches for climate change.  By the use of our own drama group, Brass band and live band we were able to reach out to over 1,500 people directly with climate change accurate information by the use of our creative arts and poems. And also documented climate change poems engaging with the climate crisis including poems about climate change, global warming, nature and environment. The approach has also been integrated in schools inter-house and inter-religious competitions on climate change poetry and sports across primary schools in Kyenjojo district with directive from district education officer hence forth increasing number of young climate change ambassadors across the community.

Other Activities included; Activity 8: Project monitoring, Activity 9: Evaluation of sports activities and workshops and writing the report per activity, the report was compiled, check in and follow up calls done to assess the progress and quick wins that are directly creating positive climate change impact.

3. Project plan forward

Describe your plan for the time remaining. Any improvements, cautions, and expectations for future activities.

Ø  Ahead of time, we will continue to implement the planned activities as per workplan and budget. We have registered progress and recommendations for adaptation during the project implementation of which is being taken care of basing on the project schedule and context.

Ø  We are so grateful to have also received addition climate change financing for advocacy from Panaroma Global which will compliment our project activities to achieve grater milestones and ensuring areas that are not funded by this project funding are supported for example stocking an eco-museum at Nsinde Eco- Tourism Research and Resource Centre.

Ø  We are expecting the grater improvement and better result outcomes in the next activities to be implemented ongoing as well as focusing on our also online climate change presence of our poems and documentation of stories of best practices among the interfaith champions.

4. Photos