Local news

On this International Women's Day, we are proud to shine a light on Ndeye Amy Kébé, Founder & CEO of Jokalante, a social enterprise created with the support of Practical Action. Jokalante – which means "facilitating dialogue" in Wolof – has been transforming lives in Senegal since its launch in 2016 by connecting organisations with hard-to-reach communities and empowering them with inclusive and innovative communication tools.

Refugees in Rwanda are transforming their futures by using renewable energy to power businesses and community services, supported by our Renewable Energy for Refugees project in its second phase. Through the project’s focus on the Productive Use of Energy (PUE), entrepreneurs are gaining tools to grow their livelihoods, foster collaboration, and drive progress for their families and neighbours.

In Burkina Faso, where 80% of the population relies on agriculture for their livelihoods, the stakes are high. Farmers face relentless challenges including erratic rainfall, intense heat, and post-harvest losses.

To promote big change, we engage in forums across countries and regions where public and private entities convene, sharing the outcomes of our initiatives. The past six months have offered us remarkable opportunities to do so. Discover more about our change agenda in this article.

Practical Action’s REAL (Renewable Energy for Agricultural Livelihoods) programme in Burkina Faso works toward to address these pressing issues by empowering communities, enhancing their skills, and boosting their incomes. Communities are now fostering sustainable development and building resilient livelihoods with the support of this initiative funded by the Swedish Embassy.

As a member of the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (previously known as the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance), Practical Action is proud to announce the launch of the third phase of this programme, which is focused on building community resilience. This new phase builds on the success of the previous ones, aiming to extend and deepen the project’s impact in vulnerable areas in the region and broadening its scope to heat events. In this blog, we share the plans in West Africa.

In Rwanda’s Eastern Province, amidst the green landscapes of the Mahama sector in the Kirehe district, an initiative known as the Climate Resilient Farming Project (CRF) has taken root, achieving remarkable positive change. As the project approaches its end, the stories shared by the refugees tell the story of its impact, particularly on the two cooperatives involved. This project is a powerful example of transformation through fostering resilience, sustainability, and economic empowerment.

In Sudan's Blue Nile State, where farming relies heavily on fickle rains, Practical Action is supporting communities toward stability and prosperity. Amidst the challenges of climate change, we partnered with the International Potato Center (CIP) on the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Approach for Sudan project, aiming to transform local farming practices. Now, as these successes take root, a promising future emerges for agriculture in the Blue Nile, marked by resilience and innovation.

North Darfur is one of the most drought-prone areas of Sudan, made worse by climate change. Rainfall has drastically declined, and its patterns have become increasingly unpredictable. As a result, severe droughts in recent years, alongside increased temperatures and heat waves, are contributing to shrinking vital resources for the livelihoods of farmers and pastoralists. As projections suggest, the risks of climate change will continue to be exacerbated. In a fragile context due to political and economic conflicts, the difficulty of accessing water and fertile land for both farmers and pastoralists contributes to fanning the flames of inter-village conflict. And for prosperous futures to flourish, collaboration, peace and understanding are needed.