Workshop on Climate Change, Social and Environment Protection – for Trade Unions!

Participants were Trade Unionists, mostly from the private security sector.Like in the past, with this approach of workshops, SENJOUSMEL and FES Rwanda contributed to the better working conditions and further to social protection of the workers.

The objective of the March workshop was to introduce the participants to the basics of environmental protection, degradation and their connection to climate change effects, adaptation and mitigation and what would be their roles and responsibilities.

The main focus was on:

• The meaning of environment and climate change and their interconnection,
• The Causes and effects of climate change and environmental degradation,
• The importance of environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation with associated strategies and
• The measures related to actions to take at local level.

Various aspects of causes and effects of Climate change were discussed, and group discussions were organized, where the participants had the time to develop strategies as individual or at professional level for adaptation to climate change and environmental protection.

After the training, participants understood environment and climate change meaning, cause and effects of climate change and environmental degradation.

They agreed that climate change is having negative impact not only at international level but also at local level and at their own life.

One of the participants said: ”Before this training, I was thinking that I don’t have anything to do with environment and climate change, but now I know that, environment and climate change is part of our lives and everybody can take an action at for example planting a tree”.

The came up with the following recommendations and individual projects:

• Improve rainwater-harvesting actions such as building or buying water tanks or other methods to collect rainwater to use for watering vegetable yards, banana plantations or other agriculture activities;
• Increase tree plantations actions including tree for fruits;
• Create or improve vegetable gardens (akarima k’igikoni);
• Reduce power consumption by using solar energy or adopting energy saving materials for instance, to reduce the use of charcoal or firewood and to adopt alternatives such as appropriate cooking stoves and briquettes, etc.
• Improve erosion control measures / improve terraces and plant glasses for cows' food;
• Mobilize community members in taking the above actions.