October 2015 Newsletter

The STEWARD Program conducted participatory awareness campaigns on integrated WASH activities in the Program’s priority zones (PZs) from the 20th to 31st July 2015, targeting over 30 communities. The campaigns were designed to increase knowledge among communities about the Program’s WASH activities and the critical relationship between WASH and biodiversity conservation. The campaigns provided an opportunity for interaction and community engagement in the implementation of the WASH activities.

Community based drama groups that were trained by the Program developed an outreach activity, producing drama messages around the theme: “Saving the Forest Increases Water Supply and Health”. To widen the coverage of the outreach activity and reinforce positive messages, the drama groups toured various targeted communities with prerecorded Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on a PA system. The audience greatly enjoyed the PSAs as they had listened to them on radio during the STEWARD drama

fellow Muslims,” the Deputy Chief Imam noted. He also called on all to continue protecting the forest, as it is key to sustainable supply of clean drinking water in their communities.

Throughout these activities, the field Coordinators emphasized the link between forest conservation and the provision of WASH facilities in the communities. Good WASH practices and forest conservation for creating sustainable community water supply were communicated.

The campaigns presented a significant opportunity for communities to better understand the need for hand washing and improved sanitary practices. Communities committed to continue protecting their forests and also constitute surveillance teams to keep close watch on households that still practice open defecation. The recent triggering activity was also recapped during the campaign to encourage communities to construct household latrines.

Written byAbdul Kaprr DumbuyaSTEWARD Communication Coordinator

Awareness Campaigns Mobilize Communities on Integrated WASH Activities in the Priority Zones

broadcasts. Soft drumming, mime and songs accompanied the drama performances and audiences were thrilled to participate. Huge crowds from all the communities witnessed the performances. “I do listen to these jingles every evening, so I want to encourage everybody especially my fellow women to listen to them and share what we learn together,” asserted by Madam Zenaba Camara, Chairlady, Water Point Management Committee in Sekou Soriyah in PZ1 – Guinea. She also urged folks to protect their water sources and maintain all water storage facilities. She added that respecting their community By-Laws on water sources and maintenance would help them maintain their health.

Religious leaders delivered brief lectures during interaction sessions on good hygiene practices. Sheik Mohamed Kamara, Deputy Chief Imam for Fintonia in PZ1 – Sierra Leone, encouraged participants to maintain the highest standards of hygiene in order to be sure of God’s acceptance of their supplication. “I am very much delighted as a Muslim to be in this forum to help spread messages of improved hygiene practices to my

VOICES FROM THE FIELD: Cash Crops and Tree NurseriesImprove Livelihood in Fintonia

Community

My name is Alikalie Musa Kamara. I am the Town Chief of Fintonia community, Tambaka Chiefdom. I was a very low, nearly no income peasant farmer until I received technical support in nursery management in 2011. Before this period, I used to cultivate onions but was getting low yields due to traditional farming methods such as slash-and-burn and shifting cultivation that also destroyed the forest.

In 2011, I started noticing changes in my life after I became part of a host of farmers invited by the STEWARD Program to participate in a seven-day training on nursery management in Mamou, Guinea. The training covered daily sessions and group work that significantly improved our knowledge on cash crop and tree nursery.

Understanding the complexities of reporting scientific stories of climate change in the media, that can be easily understood by the general public, the STEWARD Program recently conducted capacity building trainings on Environment and WASH reporting for journalists in Cote d’Ivoire (Abidjan) and Guinea (Conakry). The aim of these trainings was to equip journalists with important skills to acquire information and tools to contribute to ecosystem protection through climate change reporting in the media in their respective countries. The Program earlier conducted similar activities for journalists in Sierra Leone and Liberia in March 2014.

The Abidjan training was held on July 28 and 29, 2015 with twelve (12) participants (2 women, 10 men) and the Conakry training was held on August 31, 2015 with fourteen (14) participants (3 women, 11 men).

The trainings were facilitated with pre-packaged materials, PowerPoint presentations and handouts, followed by interactive question-and-answer sessions and several group exercises. The facilitators established links between the overall development of the region and the involvement of journalists in the promotion of a healthy environment. Participants were encouraged to always strive to understand the facts and trends

STEWARD Trains Journalists on Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Change and WASH Reporting

of global warming and climate change around the world and in West Africa to ensure accurate reporting.

At the end of the training in Cote d’Ivoire, the participants expressed their realization that climate change is connected to the change in weather such as reduction in rainfall, which leads to decline in the varieties of food. They also expressed strong commitment to use their new knowledge on climate change, biodiversity conservation and WASH to do more environmental reporting and raise public awareness for behavior change. A participant in Abidjan, Kaunan Khan Frank, acknowledged the level of support that STEWARD has provided them. He said, “Let me assure STEWARD that we will utilize this knowledge in our endeavour to promote environmental protection and

mitigate the impact of climate change on our people.”

In Guinea, of the participants, Lansana Traore said, “This is a good support to us journalists in order to ensure our contribution in the process of effecting desired changes in the attitudes and practices of our communities towards the environment”. He continued that ‘‘Before the training workshop, the environment was not really my first concern. But from today on, in light of what I have learned, I plan to get involved in forest conservation reporting in the media by developing a TV show on the subject. I am sure that the lessons I learned from this workshop will be of great help to me”.

By Abdul Kaprr DumbuyaSTEWARD Communication Coordinator

Practicing improved nursery techniques has subsequently led to an increment in the yield of my nurseries. I started with 100 trees of different varieties of seedlings; today, I have up to 2,000 trees of different varieties in my plot.

My business income has since risen from Le 500,000 ($100USD) to Le 2,000,000 ($400USD). Through my nursery plantation, I have been able to construct my family house that was burnt down during the rebel war. Even though I am not formally educated, but I have supplied nurseries to organizations like CARE International and Biodiversity Conservation Project (BCP). This has been possible due to STEWARD’s intervention. Three of my children are currently in school; I have been able to pay their school charges and related expenses through earnings from my nursery.

I can now safely say that, STEWARD is the life-blood of my family for which I’m grateful to them and the American people.

We were trained on improved nursery practices like moisture management, pest and disease control, organic fertilizer application, mulching, budding, grafting and weed control. We were also supplied a variety of cash crops such as mango, cashew nut, orange and oil palm trees; as well as forest trees like Moringa, acacia and tectonia seedlings to start our personal nurseries. Trees generated from various nursery sites were planted in several community forests within Tambaka chiefdom to further improve on the resilience of our community forests, while also mitigating climate change.

In both Sierra Leone and Guinea, women and children usually gather firewood from fields for preparation of food. For this purpose, smaller trees in the forests are cut down, dried and carted away in large volumes to business centers. Over time, this practice negatively impacts biodiversity and affects the climate. Additionally, fetching firewood is one of the major causes of forest degradation.

In an effort to reduce this practice, the STEWARD Program organized a six-day training for 360 women in twelve communities (30 women per community) in PZ1 Sierra Leone. These women were selected from the Village

Bushfires are one of the major causes of land degradation, carbon emission and pose a serious threat to biodiversity. As part of the intervention, the STEWARD Program earlier engaged communities in discussions to prevent and control bushfires in Tambaka Chiefdom, Sierra Leone. During these discussions, various recommendations to control bushfires and other destructive activities in the community forests were put forward. Improving the irrigation system in communities,

Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups in the targeted communities. The training aimed at improving stove production using local technology in order to reduce the quantity of firewood used for cooking and minimize threats to forests.

During the sessions, the facilitators explained the various processes involved in producing improved stoves in their local dialect, Susu, followed by practical exercises. Animal waste, anthill, elephant grass and tomato cups were put forward as alternative materials that can be used for cooking, and are locally accessible. For example, using a tomato cup containing two holes

Women Benefit from Improved Stove Production Training in Priority Zone

Communities Supported to Prevent and Control Bushfire in PZ1, Sierra Leone

is designed to control the emission of smoke, and to reduce the quantity of firewood used to prepare meals. Participants were split into small groups and tasked to produce a stove.

Participants and other community members thanked the STEWARD Program for giving them the opportunity to acquire such useful skills. Madam Kadiatu Bangura, a participant, said, “I now feel highly empowered due to these skills; I’ll transfer this knowledge to my fellow women in my community”.

Written by: Musa Nabie KamaraSTEWARD Communication Officer, PZ1 – Sierra Leone

“This stove is much faster than the traditional firewood method our wives have been using to prepare our meals. Our wives and children would no longer risk their lives to fetch firewood from the forest since the quantity of firewood needed to prepare meals with the stove is much smaller now. We are happy and will always continue to exalt STEWARD in our community.”

“These tools are a remarkable support that STEWARD has provided to our communities. We will continue to work with this Program in order to increase the gains we have achieved over the years, especially in the direction of managing our forests and promoting livelihood in Tambaka”.

Momodu Kamara,Forest Management Committee member in Sumata community

Bobson Mansary Member of FMC in Samaya

conserving the forests, and promoting socio-economic development in the near future were included in the agenda. Among the variety of suggestions made, community forest management institutions such as Fire Management Committees (FMC), Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) groups and Forest Monitors were formed in all communities. Each of these groups agreed to protect community forests against all disastrous activities. Apart from their responsibility to construct fire-belts, the groups also committed to monitor all forest activities within their communities.

After the development of the fire management plans, the FMCs of Kortor, Yanah, Sanya, Samaya and Fondokhorie communities were provided with fire prevention tools such as rain boots and cutlasses. This

support will enable the communities to construct fire-belts and prevent the occurrence of bushfire. FMC members were trained to use cutlasses for this purpose, and it was clearly understood that the cutlasses should not be used to clear more forest. Community members expressed delight when they received the tools, and pledged their continued support towards the fight against bushfires and the promotion of biodiversity conservation in their respective communities.

STEWARD and Mano River Union Promote REDD+ and Natural Resource Management in the Upper Guinea Forest Landscape

FreetownSubsequently, the Freetown Policy

Dialogue was organized on July 23, 2015 in collaboration with the National Protected Area Authority (NPAA), at the Miatta Conference Hall on the theme, “A Strategy for Community Ownership of REDD+ in Sierra Leone”. The event attracted 89 participants, including the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency John F. Hoover, officials of USAID-Sierra Leone, relevant government ministries, environment institutions, academia, civil society organizations, private sector and communities.

During his remarks, the US Ambassador to Sierra Leone said, “Through USAID, the US Government will continue to work with the Government of Sierra Leone, other development partners and local communities to make REDD+ a reality in the country.” The Executive Director of NPAA, Dr. Kolleh Bangura made a pictorial presentation depicting degraded areas in the country. He also outlined the areas that are still maintained and under the protection of NPAA which makes Sierra Leone an ideal country for the implementation of REDD+. He further stated the gradual development of the REDD+ process in Sierra Leone and the support NPAA is receiving from the European Union.

AbidjanOn July 27, 2015, STEWARD

collaborated with the Cote d’Ivoire National REDD+ Secretariat to organize a Policy dialogue in Abidjan, which was attended by 50 participants from various institutions including the Ministry of Planning and

Development, the Ivorian Observatory for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (OI REN), and other relevant stakeholders in Cote d’Ivoire’s forestry and environmental sectors.

`During the dialogue, Henri Anghuy Assoikon, the Resident Representative of the MRU in Cote d’Ivoire expressed his satisfaction with the country’s REDD+ process by saying the MRU’s regional approach to REDD+ would lay the foundation for more effective protection of the area he referred to as, the “Fourth ecological reservoir of the world.” Also, Dr. Egnankou of OI REN, highlighted the expectations of civil society organizations in the process. He said, “Good internal organization, the involvement of civil society through joint activities, and strengthening the capacities of the different actors would help in achieving the success that stakeholders expect. REDD+ should not be the case of the administration dictating its rules, but rather a mechanism through a true dialogue where everyone truly plays their part”.

ConakryLed by the Guinea Ministry of Environment

under the theme, “Accelerating REDD+ Action in Guinea”, the policy dialogue held in Conakry on September 1, 2015 involved 51 participants including conservation experts and community members. In his opening address, Souleymane Camara, Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment announced that the newly established Guinean Office for Parks and Nature Reserves (OGUIPAR) is responsible for all protected areas and will lead the REDD+ process in the country.

The STEWARD Program and the Mano River Union (MRU) Secretariat in collaboration with relevant national institutions organized multiple policy dialogues in each Mano River Union Member State. The dialogues were aimed at promoting forest conservation through the stimulation of public discourse around the implementation of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in the region. Policy Dialogue Forums were held in Monrovia, Liberia; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire and Conakry, Guinea. The dialogues catalyzed public interest and galvanized public support for REDD+ implementation.

MonroviaA one-day Policy Dialogue was held in

Monrovia on May 29, 2015, attracting 54 participants. During the forum, Saah David, Liberia’s National REDD+ Coordinator, based at the Forestry Development Authority, made a presentation on behalf of the government of Liberia titled, “The Status of REDD+ in Liberia”. The presentation captured all the steps taken by Liberia since 2008, which led to the signing of a forest conservation agreement with the government of Norway in 2014 worth $15 million USD. Lawmakers, forest community members and civil society advocates also participated in the dialogue and stressed that in order for REDD+ to succeed, sufficient awareness must be spread for forest communities and due benefits for forest conservation must be highlighted.

Find out more at www.stewardprogram.org Visit us on Facebook: facebook.com/stewardprogram For more on the STEWARD Program and how you can be a part of it, contact Darius Barrolle: dbarrolle@mediaimpact.org

VOICE FROM THE COMMUNITY: Market Gardening Improves

Jacqueline’s Livelihood in Bossouy

I’m Mrs. Jacqueline Zogbela. I am 40 years old. I’m married with 5 children. I live in Bossou, a village situated in Lola Prefecture in Guinea.

Before STEWARD began operations in its Priority Zone 2, I was practicing farming using all forms of unsustainable practices with low yield.

In July 2014, STEWARD organized training in Serengbara community on basic techniques in market gardening. I really wanted to change my situation so I engaged with the officials and luckily attended that training. There were 33 participants

including 26 women from various communities who participated in that training.

Although I initially had financial challenges to start the process of developing my plot, but after receiving 600, 000 GNF (86USD) of my share from our Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) group, I cultivated 0.30 hectares of plot with various species of legumes including cabbage, pepper, eggplant, spinach, etc.

I was able to sell some of my first produce and I obtained a sum of 250, 000 GNF (35USD); and I now hope to receive 1, 200, 000 GNF (171 USD) in my next sale in 2 months time.

Although the REDD+ implementation process in Guinea is still gathering the required pace, during the dialogue, participants registered their strong commitment to ensure that relevant strategies are put in place to achieve the overall objective of the initiative.

Regional Workshop in FreetownAfter the successful implementation of

National Policy Dialogues on REDD+ in the four MRU Member States, the STEWARD Program, in collaboration with the MRU Secretariat, organized a two-day regional workshop on REDD+ and Natural Resource Management (NRM) in Freetown, Sierra Leone on September 15 and 16, 2015. The event included 50 participants from the government of Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone as well as non-governmental stakeholders and development partners. The aim of the workshop was to coordinate the efforts of the MRU Member States in their implementation of the climate change agenda and develop a framework for Natural Resource Management in the Upper Guinea Forest Landscape.

On behalf of the MRU Secretariat, Deputy Secretary General Simeon Moriba opened the workshop by introducing the members of the high table and other distinguished guests. Among the keynote speakers at the opening of the event, STEWARD Program Director Destina Samani made remarks on behalf of US Forest Service. “First of all, we want to thank USAID for its financial and technical support. We hope this workshop will offer us opportunity to further distill

such useful lessons and develop strategies for effective learning and adapting these lessons to our specific countries,” she said. US Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency John F. Hoover made remarks on behalf of the government of United States of America “We know that one of the greatest challenges of our time and the greatest challenge of all time is climate change. We are here today not just because it’s the right thing to do but because it’s urgent that we work together to manage and mitigate the effects of climate change here in Sierra Leone and West Africa”. The Sierra Leone Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security Deputy Minister, Madam Marie Jalloh also made remarks on behalf of the Sierra Leone government. “The challenge is for all of us to make our environment cleaner, greener and safer for future generations. If we don’t act today, maybe tomorrow will be too late for our families,” she said.

The STEWARD Policy Advisor, Patrick Apoya, facilitated the two-day workshop

under the theme, “Accelerating REDD+ Efforts in the MRU Member States”. Day 1 of the workshop was dedicated to discussing issues around REDD+ from a regional perspective and building on the information gathered from the Policy Dialogues previously held in each MRU Member State. USAID West Africa AOR for the STEWARD Program, Nicodeme Tchamou presentated on the general landscape of the West Africa Region with key references to land cover and land use over a period. This was followed by group discussions and presentations geared towards identifying five bottlenecks facing REDD+ implementation and identifying the capacity support required to address these bottlenecks.

Day 2 of the workshop focused on Natural Resource Management in the sub-region and the creation of a framework to guide the Mano River Union in the drafting of its Natural Resource Management Strategy.

Today, many of my women folks are engaged in this activity. We no longer plunder the forest for our livelihood, thanks to STEWARD for all this.