CLIMATE CHANGE IN COUNTRYSIDES AROUND BUKAVU TOWN.

In my culture, it is a common belief that God provides life and the woman nurtures the very life that God has provided. This is an important position for women who should participate in bringing in climate solutions. The women have an important role of feeding the entire household, are the main workforce and the foundation of the household. Women are also actively involved in nation building and so also should they be involved in issues that concern the climate. Most of the food people get in Bukavu town is from countryside. The main activity in the countryside is cultivating the soil. Women are the most active in this activity. Since it is not raining in the countryside, the plants get dry. Thus, women are obliged to attend zones where it rains on foot for long distance to look for crops. Consequently, there is not enough food for all the year and crops become very expensive with less income on the behalf of women.

However, the main issues which bring in climate change in my area are cutting down trees, mineral digging impact the climate. In fact, electricity is a prestige in the country. For this reason, people cut down trees for wood and charcoal to cook food. The most users of wood and charcoal are women and young ladies in charge of cooking.Regarding this, tree cutters and mine people do not plant trees on the land where the former trees are cutdown. The community with the support of associations try to plant trees so as to adress the climate change without follow up. When there is time for reafforestation, the practice is that men only sit and discuss about climate issues and the result is always chaotic. A bird cannot fly unless it uses both its wings ( one wing is male while the other is female). Possibly the main reason why there still no good solution regarding climate in my area is because women are not included in the process and if they are present then they are there as mere numbers and not true representatives. Women are recognized as the primary educators both in their position as wives as well as mothers. There fore, their main role is to pass on positive values from one generation to an other and ensure that adhering to these values bring in solution to climate change.