JAMII SHUPAVU
Climate Change is the biggest health threat of our life now and the future and indeed a pressing threat to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa’s Agenda 2063. Despite contributing only 4% to global carbon emissions, Africa suffers disproportionately, with 110 million Africans impacted by climate-related disasters in 2022 alone, representing 60% of the global total which is an alarming implication.
As a result of climate related events such as extreme temperatures, floods, droughts, heat waves, landslides, storms, wildfires and cyclones we are witnessing changing patterns of vector borne and water borne diseases distribution, increased food insecurity hence malnutrition, extreme heat related illnesses, and mental health. While there is great attention at the global level, more is to be done at community level to ensure healthy and resilient communities.
‘Jamii Shupavu’ Swahili phrase for “A strong community” is a project that aims to address health impacts of climate change at community level by ensuring proper information is channeled to community members to increase awareness, knowledge and their capacity to respond. Key objectives of this project are: Capacity building to community health workers and youth on identifying potential health threats due to climate change and co creation of solutions, Designing community led campaigns on climate change and health to promote community response, Establishing local climate health communities to address health issues such as mental health and nutrition and vector borne diseases as key areas being affected by mental health, Fostering partnership with key stakeholders to advocate for responsive policies and actions on health impacts of climate change at country level. The project was announced in Zanzibar alongside the Tanzania Health Summit at Climate Change and Health Forum 2024 to be piloted in Linda region, Manyara, Morogoro and Kilimanjaro. By the end of phase 1 of this project in 2026 we anticipate to have a cohort of 200 youth and 200 CHWs well equipped to educate others and take action on the impacts of climate change within the communities.