From Classroom to an environment steward: A teacher’s Fight Against Climate Change in his community.
Story of Community Empowerment and Resilience
Amidst the mounting challenges and agriculture drought conditions due to climate change in Katakwi District, smallholder farmers especially women and youth remain most vulnerable. These groups often lack access to resources and are excluded from key decision-making processes related to natural resource management. It’s against this backdrop that PELUM Uganda in collaboration with SOCADIDO, community members and Katakwi District Local Government conducted training of trainers for selected community members on Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) in November 2024. Mr. Simon Bernard Opeded, 55 years old, a former Teso College Aloet secondary school teacher of Economics and Business Education, participated in the training and embraced the model as a holistic approach to environmental conservation and community development. The training included mapping of natural resources, identification of highly affected natural resources, dangers of environmental degradation, roles and responsibilities of the community environment committee including development of community action plans.
Based on that context, PELUM Uganda conducted follow up and technical backstopping visits to assess the progress of the implementation of the community action plan, identify the challenges and possible strategies for effectively improving natural resources management. During this follow up visit is when the inspirational journey of Mr. Opeded (standing left in the picture) was discovered where he left his secured government job to pursue a transformational mission of building climate resilience initiatives among the vulnerable persons in his community. Witnessing the adverse effects of environmental degradation, droughts, and floods on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, he transitioned from Economics and Business Education skills into agricultural and environmental steward. Today, he leads a transformative centre in Kapujan Sub-county where he provids knowledge and skills in practical sustainable agricultural farming methods and Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) among other areas.
He established a climate resilience training center of 2.5 acres of land where a tree nursery was established for growing tree seedlings for distribution within the community, organic compost manure making, soil and water conservation, agroforestry, vegetable garden, fishpond, and beekeeping units among others that serve as a practical demonstration site for sustainable livelihoods. Each year, Mr. Opeded trains an estimate 500 youth with various theoretical and practical skills on selected practices and technologies for adoption within the households. Though only about 60 trainees annually manage to establish successful ventures mainly due to limited mobility and access to resources, these success stories exemplify the potential for youth-led resilience initiatives for community development. Compiled by the ASNRM Department – PELUM Uganda
Find the full story in the PELUM Uganda Quarterly Bulletin (Jan-June 2025)
