GEF and UNDP sponsors Clean Energy Awareness in Makoko, Yaba
The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the UNDP are sponsoring clean energy programs in the Makoko area of Yaba, Lagos State. One of these is an awareness program on solar and biomass stoves recently help in the waterfront communities by Kings Domain Ltd/Gtee, an NGO with focus on empowerment and people upliftment.
The event featured road shows, boat rides, flier distributions, announcements and parades in the six Makoko-Iwaya waterfront communities of Sogunro, Iwaya, Apolo, Adugbo 1 and 2 and Okobaba. The fliers used for the event were in English, Yoruba and Egun, the languages spoken in the communities. This is the first time that such an event featured material in the local language of the people in Nigeria.
The communities were happy at the event as both young and old, male and female came out and joined the awareness exercise. The organization, Kings Domain, distributed well designed t-shirts which were colorfully worn by all participants. Besides the colors and parade, every one was made to feel merry with food and drinks.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Segun Adaju who is a Director with Kings Domain, explained that the awareness exercise is part of a five point program sponsored by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the Small Grants Program (SGP) and the UNDP towards uplifting the environmental and living condition of the people of Makoko-Iwaya Waterfront Communities. The five segments include a baseline survey, focus group discussion with the community, the awareness program, training of 20 youths from the community on solar installation and servicing and on biomass briquettes and stoves; training of 50 women from the community on renewable business entrepreneurship and the distribution of solar lanterns and improved cook stoves to 500 women from the community.
He further explained that the package is a holistic one meant to help the residents make a shift from open fire wood cooking and the use of kerosene lanterns to solar lanterns and improved cook stoves. According to Mr. Adaju, these technologies help improve health, leads to savings from the non-purchase of kerosene and fire wood and are brighter for work and reading.
Over 60 people took part in the exercise which featured two large boats that went through the waterfront communities announcing the benefits of solar lanterns and the improved cook stoves. According to Mr. Adaju, the other aspects of the program, notably the training of women and youths will take within the next 30 days in the Makoko-Iwaya waterfront community.
