KENYA: Catholic Cleric Calls for Collaboration of Faith-Institutions on Landscape Restoration at Grassroots
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
At a time when various actors around the world are concerned of ecological restoration and the ecosystems are in decline due to pollution, climate change and resource extraction among others, a Catholic cleric has called for collaboration of religious groups to help catalyze large-scale restoration at local levels.
Speaking during a virtual session on Wednesday, July 14 on the role of faith communities in the management and restoration of land in Kenya, Fr. Charles Odira Kwanya, representing the Kenya Interfaith Committee on Environment said, “I call upon all religions to join hands, work together and focus on ways of landscape restoration.”
“Religions are not just invited to participate in environmental conservation but to be partners,” Fr. Odira a member of the National Oversight and Coordination Committee (NOCC) highlighted while addressing about 150 online participants adding that “all faith communities have a key role to play and they need to be at the center of implementation.”
According to Fr Odira who is a cleric of Homa-bay Diocese, Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ has inspired many religious groups which are already responding to the invitation to care for our common home through various restoration activities.
He noted that the nine countries Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), an association of episcopal conferences of Eastern Africa and the coordinating body of the Catholic dioceses “are currently prioritizing environmental conservation activities, as many groups in the religious circles are responding to the Pope’s invitation.”
The six-day conference from 9-16 July, on re-greening Africa brought together practitioners, investors, researchers, scientists, and policymakers who focused on various thematic areas including restoration practices and approaches, youth, and women inclusion in restoration, movement building and leveraging, landscape restoration monitoring and entrepreneurship, and business approaches in restoration.
The Webinar session’s objective was to explore synergies and opportunities for collaboration among faith-based organizations so as to promote landscape restoration at grassroots’ level.
Sharing on the objective, Fr. Odira disclosed that “we are all stewards whom God has charged with the care for creation.”
“We are using this world not because we created it but because God has tasked us with the responsibility to care for it,” the Kenyan cleric said.
He added that the religious structures and leadership styles are sustainable a sign of strength for religious communities to participate in environmental restoration.
Fr. Odira further called for change of attitude, appealed for taking interest in green economy, and the need for build the capacity of religious leaders and various groups including youths, men and women.
On his part speaking about models for grassroots mobilization and scaling restoration, the chairman for National Alliance of Community Forest Associations in Kenya (NACOFA) Mr. Peter Wandera highlighted action points that will help to restore the forests and land.
“There is need to involve and respect community views when designing and implementing any project or policy for community members to accept and adapt them,” he disclosed and continued, “the level framework should be community friendly and which addresses day to day community livelihood needs.”
“Government and development partners need to work with the local communities through the already existing structures,” Mr. Wandera said.
The online session was in collaboration on Government and non-governmental organizations including; World Vision, Ever-greening, Right Livelihood, World Agroforestry, Regreening Africa, Council of governors, NACOF and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
