The climate change workshop is currently unfolding at Nandi Primary School in Diepkloof Extension 3.
The workshop is conducted by the environmental justice organisation, Earthlife Africa JHB (ELA-JHB), GenderCC Southern Africa (GenderCCSA) and Oxfam, are providing communities with the skills to resist the effects of climate change.
Project manager Zanele Sabela said, “It aims to help women fight the impact of climate change.
“Women in townships, rural areas and informal settlements grow their own food to feed themselves and their families.
“But the changes in weather patterns caused by climate change, such as drought, floods, very high or very cold temperatures make it difficult for women to continue growing their own food.
“It is for this reason that Oxfam launched, Sustainable use of natural resources to improve resilience in South Africa, ‘a grassroots woman’s initiative’.
“Under the project 350 women (from Gauteng, Limpopo and Western Cape) are being trained on sustainable agriculture practices so they can continue growing food for themselves and their families, and have enough left over to sell for extra income.
“The project also aims to give the women access to efficient renewable energy by installing biogas digesters and solar panel units,” said Sabela.
She said a biogas digester turns organic waste such as manure, food scraps and human waste into methane gas, a renewable energy source used for cooking, heating and lighting.
“These renewable energy sources will bring much needed relief to grassroots communities given the problems Eskom is experiencing.
“The project also has a learn and build component as community members will be trained on how to install and maintain these technologies, gaining skills to create own employment.”
