In February, the 350 Africa team brought together organisers and activists from across the continent for a 5-day workshop as part of the new regional campaigning platform – Afrika Vuka (coming soon!).
The main goal of this gathering was to strengthen the campaigning and organizing capacity of local organisers to run successful and impactful campaigns in their respective countries. On a continent where politicians and the extractive industry continue to spread ridiculous lies about the so-called benefits of fossil fuels, there’s a need to constantly re-strategize and ensure that our organisers are well trained and equipped to successfully challenge such devastating projects.
25 participants joined us. The following countries were represented: DRC, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. All of them are directly involved in ongoing campaigns and initiatives aiming at challenging coal mining, oil exploitation, extractive projects or championing alternative energy solutions.
During the first four days of the workshop, we presented Afrika Vuka, an upcoming campaigning platform connecting citizens, struggles and groups around the continent working to building a future that’s free from the destructive impacts of the fossil fuel industry. Five case studies from Kenya, Senegal, Ivory Coast, South Africa and Africa Climate Reality Project were shared to give an in-depth understanding of such campaigns in terms of recent developments, successes, challenges, next steps and how regional support and global amplification can boost such struggles.
Though the programme was rather packed, we managed to create open sessions to discuss some of the emerging themes, notably learnings from our past organising experiences and safety in organising, where we identified some of the common threats and risks experienced on the ground by participants.
Practical sessions on digital organising, storytelling, shifting the media narrative, building last relationships with reporters, planning and organising a successful day of action, research-based campaigning, engagement pyramid.
“Brainstorming, storytelling and interactive workshops were my favourite part to share experience and knowledge,” says Asmaa Hanafi, one of the participants from Egypt. “It was interesting to let each group present their success story to divest fossil fuels.”
We look forward to the upcoming moments as we continue to grow and consolidate the regional climate movement through #AfrikaVuka platform.
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