HIMA PATE – Project Update

HIMA PATE was officially started on August with an Induction meeting between Lamu Environment Foundation (LEF) and the implementing partners SAFE Pwani and LATA.

The team aim at harnessing the power of arts to educate, inspire and empower Pate Islands communities to take action to build their resilience to climate change, protect their natural environment and thrive. Overview of Activities

Overview of Activities 

During the induction meeting, the title name HIMA PATE which means “Let us together emphasise the importance of environmental protection on PATE Island” was adapted. The project plan was also created and mapped out all dates for each activity.

Facilitation training was preceded by a two-day training research visit to Pate Island and a five-day team training to pass knowledge to LATA team from SAFE Pwani. This increased their knowledge of negative climate changes linked to their communities, which is vital for the project.

The team developed a series of questions through collection of stories from Pate Island to guide their process that focusses on waste management, tree cover situation, water sources and indigenous community practices, and awareness of the community on their contribution towards climate change.

Theatre training and creation of play led by SAFE Pwani brought a specialised method of participatory theatre that allows the audience to make pivotal decisions about the story which affects the outcome.

Four shows were conducted as a test show of the project. Two at LAMU Mkunguni and the other two at Matondoni and Wiyoni.

The team experienced quite a few challenges:

• Logistics costs were higher than expected, therefore the team had to adjust their activities and reduce the cost of transport for all participants.
• Stakeholder groups were male dominated and did not include youths or PWDs. The team will ensure inclusivity of minorities in the later phases.
• Blending two work cultures between SAFE Kenya and LATA was not easy as they tried to adjust their roles and responsibilities as the team settled into working with each other for the first time.

Review of Outcomes 

• The project aims at building capacity of LATA team, planning for the project and community engagement were successfully completed and the team feel that they have built a solid foundation for the commencement of mass community awareness and actions against environmental issues identified.
• The implementing partners have developed a play that tells the community story and will direct environmental challenges facing the community. The HIMA PATE play is “PATE Island centric” as it speaks to the unique environment challenges of the community and provokes the participants into a call for action.
• Eight stakeholders have been mobilised and will be brought together with the environment champions who will be identified after the tour performances in phase two to create an environmental action plan that serves every group.

The team will identify environmental champions on phase two and they will be invited to workshops to create their own environmental action plan which will bring mangrove protection, waste management, beach management and social cohesion under one committee.