Huye: APEFA NGO concludes competitions on climate change awareness

APEFA, a non-government Organization concerned with environment degradation, climate change, smart agriculture, and food security in Rwanda has concluded the campaign which aimed to increase public awareness of climate change mitigation and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) through Football Competitions.

NDCs reflect the national ambition by 2030 to join global efforts toward curbing global temperature rise below 2oC by 2100.

The event took place on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at the Kamena Stadium, located in Huye District and was marked by the final games among men and women.

The competitions were organized by APEFA in collaboration with GIZ, the German Development Agency and the Southern Province leadership.

Among men, Ngoma Sector team representing Huye District won (1-0) after defeating Kaduha Sector team of Nyamagabe District. For Women, Nyarubaka Sector team from Kamonyi District won the victory (2-0) over Busasamana Sector team of Nyanza District.

Ms. Alice Kayitesi, Governor of Southern Province, thanked APEFA for being able to carry out a campaign to increasing the public’s awareness of the National plan to cope with climate change.

He urged people to pay more attention on environment conservation through trees planting, avoiding early tree harvesting, doing agriculture that copes with climate change, digging anti-erosives and using economic stoves.

Ms. Beatrice Cyeza, Director General of Environment and Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment, said: “The message we have today is to encourage people to continue to protect the environment and to take measures to deal with climate change because it is a shared responsibility.”

“It would be a problem if someone feels that it does not concern him or her. The study shows that the whole world should do something to keep the temperature from rising at a rate of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. If nothing is done, we’ll experience extreme heat. When the temperature is too high, we’ll face bad rain with landslides, floods or droughts. We need to take action and work together”, she noted.

Mr. Oscar Nzabonimpa, Executive Director of APEFA, thanked all those who participated from the organization process to the success of the campaign.

Those include the administration of the Southern Province and GIZ, the German Development Agency which has been supporting the project.

Nzabonimpa showed that the same campaign needs to be extended to other parts of the country.

“Climate change is a global threat but the real adaptation measures have to be taken locally. Working with the Ministry of Environment to integrate the NDCs in the local planning, into the districts development strategies can make a positive impact on the local level”, Malkus Maier, GIZ Country Representative, said.

Ms. Chantal Mukamarara, a resident of Nyarubaka Sector, Kamonyi District, said that in this campaign she managed to know the importance of using climate-friendly fuels and agroforestry, and the role she can play in the climate change mitigation.

These competitions started at the sector level, and took place in all (8) districts of the Southern Province. They were officially launched on May 10, 2024.

The first team among men and women received gold medals and a trophy accompanied by a Cheque of Rwf700,000 while the second team was awarded with medals and a cheque of Rwf400,000.

Rwanda decided to take the necessary actions to fulfill the commitments in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and achieve inclusive and sustainable development. These contributions are the instruments that guide Rwanda’s climate action to limit the increase in global average temperature, raise global resilience and mobilize public and private investments.

In 2011, Rwanda developed its Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy to guide the country’s response to climate change. The strategy has positioned Rwanda to play its part in the global response and, as a result, the country hosted the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol at which the Kigali Amendment was agreed. The amendment is the single most impactful step the world has taken to limit the growth of greenhouse gases.