ALM UNDP

Summary:

\Ghanaian slum dwellers have been heavily affected by climate change through growing risks of flooding, erosion, malnutrition, the declining availability of water. This project will educate slum residents on issues around climate change impacts, its mitigation, adaptation and management. It will also promote effective environmental management practices within slum communities.

Ghanaian slum dwellers have been heavily affected by climate change. The risks posed by flooding, erosion, the declining availability of water, growing malnutrition, and the health impacts associated with climate change will continue to grow in coming years. Meanwhile the government’s efforts remain skewed in favour of mitigation instead of promoting local adaptation and participation techniques to educate, sensitise and mobilise affected communities. This project seeks to ensure that the excluded and isolated segments of urban populations are educated on issues around ecological systems and processes for the protection, improvement and sustainable management of the environment. Specifically the following two objectives have been outlined:

1) To educate slum residents on issues around climate change impacts, its mitigation, adaptation and management, and

2) to promote effective environmental management practices within slum communities.

This project will draw upon a 15,000 family network of savings groups called the Ghana Federation of the Urban Poor (GHAFUP) and will develop education packs on climate change for use at all GHAFUP weekly meetings. In addition to providing these materials, the project will organise workshops, discussions, community durbars and a number of community exchange programmes which will allow residents from Accra and Takoradi slums to share and learn best practice approaches in community-led responses to climate change.