And Since Then
Our long-term objective while engaging the communities around vital water bodies; is to see clean, swimmable, drinkable and fishable rivers and lakes through EMPATHY, INFLUENCE and ACTION.
The lake basin communities in East Africa need human dignity and NAAM Festival’s day to day grind going forward is to promote the restoration and protection of the single most unifying symbol of the East African people; that is Lake Victoria (INYANZA), by effecting a mindset shift through edutainment and citizen participation.
Every year we celebrate the World Environment Day through various creative dialogue, showcases and clean up activities where necessary to keep raising awareness. In partnership with Alliance Française Nairobi, we set up a webinar with folktale, film and panel discussion to unpack issues of floods, environmental laws and pollution at the lake. The online conversation brought together environmentalists from East Africa to raise awareness on the degradation of the lake ecosystems as well as community measures and policies being implemented to mitigate the environmental problems. It is estimated that the lake’s indigenous fish species have been reduced by 80% and over 70% of the forest cover in the catchment area has been lost.
The life-support systems of the riparian communities are increasingly threatened due to ecological degradation as well as unsustainable human activities within the catchment. The paradox of life within the Lake Victoria (INYANZA) basin is such that, in spite of the abundant natural resources, over 60% of the population lives below the poverty line, a situation that has continued to undermine the sustainability of the natural resource base.
Hope is a renewable resource. If you are reading this there is still some time. The soft power of art has the potential to help people imagine different possibilities, create own solutions and stay hopeful while realizing the power they possess. Thus our main solution becomes; Influencing Citizen Participation in Demanding Accountability.
A Unity Symbol of East African People
Lake Nyanza: Lake Victoria (INYANZA) is situated around Mara, Mwanza and West Lake, Tanzania; North Buganda, South Buganda and Busoga, Uganda; and Nyanza, Western Kenya.
Lake Victoria (INYANZA) is the largest fresh water lake of all African Lakes and the second largest freshwater body in the world but suffers encroachment and environmental abuse. Its extensive surface belongs to the three countries; the northern half to Uganda, the southern half to Tanzania, and part of the northeastern sector to Kenya. It is associated to a water goddess, they call it Nalubaale in Uganda, Naam Lolwe in Kenya and Nyanza in Tanzania. Nyanza seem to be the common name from an ancient map and a few conversation NAAM Festival has held with many people across the region.
There are a number of coastal towns such as Kisumu (Kenya), Entebe (Uganda), Bukoba, Mwanza and Musoma (Tanzania), connected with each other by railway and ship routes. Kisumu has a sister city relationship with Roanoke, Virginia and Boulder, Colorado USA and Cheltenham United Kingdom. Twin towns or sister cities are a form of legal and social agreement between towns, cities, countries, provinces, regions, states, and even countries in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties. The modern concept of town twinning, conceived after the 2nd world war in 1947, was intended to foster friendship and understanding between different cultures and between former foes as an act of peace and reconciliation, international ties and to encourage trade and tourism.
Lake Victoria (INYANZA) as the most natural unifying symbol could be a path way to the realization of a United Africa beyond border lines.
