Community Sensitization

On May 3rd, the Organisation "Foosteer Initiative " carried out an outreach in two rural communities of Ajaokuta namely Emi Adiko and Ikere, with focus on community sensitization on sustainable energy access, sustainable environment, health and well-being, and livelihood (skill acquisition) for marginalized population.

The outreach at Ikere community was open to the public with 50 adults (65% women and 35%men) in attendance . During the outreach, the 2020 beneficiaries of Foosteer Initiative's sustainable energy access program in partnership with Youngwomeninfarming shared feedbacks (testimonies) on the renewable solar lanterns given to them earlier in 2020 which has made life easier and improved their health and well-being particularly as it relates to their eye sighy. The Executive Director, Mrs Believe Obafaiye opened the event in English and there was an interpreter. This session lasted for about 45-60 minutes. At the end of this session, they were allowed to ask questions.

Thereafter Dr Faith Egharevba an optometrist (a volunteer with Foosteer Initiative) spoke on eye health, educating the people on good food needed for good vision, annuling myths about the eye e.g "garri blinds the eye", she categorically educated participants on hand hygiene, as this is the beginning of ocular hygiene. She specifically mentioned to participants to avoid the use of breast milk and urine for children's eyes, as this is bad and unhealthy to the eye. In conclusion, Dr. Faith emphasized on the use of good lighting system like the renewable solar lanterns, as this is very good for the eyes compared to kerosene lamps and candles they used before coming of the renewable solar lanterns. She also gave participants good reasons to visit an eye doctor. There was room was questions and answers segment. At the conclusion of the event, the participants were very excited and pleased to have learnt.

COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION IN EMI ADIOKO The second community sensitization and outreach in Emi Adioko community in Ajaokutahad community leaders and stakeholders, ranging from traditional leaders, religious and youth leaders in attendance. Emi Adioko is an agrarian community under Ajaokuta local government area of Kogi State, Nigeria. The purpose of the visit was to sensitize the community on climate change and conduct a community needs accessment. The community leaders welcomed the team and gave a brief history about their community. According to the community leader, the community has been in existence for over 100 years, and is one of the five communities who gave land for the construction of the Ajaokuta steel company. Community Needs Although the community suffer some form of marginalization, it has access to electricity and a primary school, their primary health care center is dilapidated and not functioning, the community has a hand operated borehole but was at the moment of our visit not dispensing water due to some faults in the pump, this has limited their access to clean water despite the fact that there is a lot of water under ground.

They pleaded if assistance could be given them, to enable them purchase an electronic operated pumping machine, and change the current system into an overhead tank, to enable them access to clean water all the time.

Foosteer Initiative's executive director educated the community leaders about climate change, specifically she stated one of the major root causes of clashes between farmers and herders is climate change, as places where some of these herders normally graze are now experiencing climate change, as such there is little access green vegetation for feeding their herds and as such, they are migrating southwards the mangrove areas, this and many more in no little way has contributed to the crisis of farmers and herders in Nigeria.

She encouraged community tree planting of economic trees, replacement of two trees for every one cut. She also introduced renewable solar laterns as an alternative to kerosene lamps. As the renewable solar lanterns helps to reduce carbon emissions into our environment, thereby making the environment safe.

The community leaders were full of excitement and thanked foosteer Initiative's team for the visit, and requested a future date be given to return for a Sensitization of the whole community members.