The “rewards” have been a harsh reality where communities have witnessed the continual degradation of land and water. The choking effects of pollution and the silent suffering have been a chilling reminder for poor African citizen that their land is not their own. Worse still, land grabbing, insecurity, and human rights abuses have marred the well-being of Africans, leaving over 700 million without access to basic energy needs like electricity and pollution-free cooking fuel.

Markedly, Africa has endured multipronged human loss since colonialism and human-induced climate change seems to exacerbate the situation. Impatient floods, droughts, hurricanes, and typhoons have continued to be the side effects in East and Southeast African nations and the root cause seems to be linked to Global North  States. This year, Kenya, Mozambique,  some parts of Uganda, Tanzania, and  Rwanda have suffered extreme weather events, connected to the continued burning of fossil fuels in the Global North has directly impacted the climate crisis among innocent Africans.

This notwithstanding, the Friends of the Earth Africa are working to support the African peoples and the planet. As a social movement, Friend of the Eart continues to work tirelessly to include peoples’ participation, in energy-related discussions.  In a recent discussion, they boldly stated that “Africa should not be fooled by the development and “energy poverty eradication” lip service. Instead, the Friends of the Earth Africa demands that Africa ought to develop narratives for development that cause no harm to communities.

Additionally, the  Action Justice Climate staged a nonviolent action at the close of the “Invest in African Energy Forum” in Paris, while calling out for a  “Total, Perenco, Stop prédation fossil.”

In their view, “It is an illusion to think that exploring fossil fuels on the African continent will bring energy or development to Africa.”

The group also stated that the African continent is responsible for more than 14% of the short-term oil and gas expansion there.

A significant percentage of Africans need clean energy and are willing to develop their own community-based solutions. Whether African governments will head to the requests from the Action Justice Climate and the Friend of  Africa will only be told over time.

The energy revolution Africa needs to be a people-led engagement that assures millions of jobs and at the same time alleviates poverty building a more secure and sustainable future for all.

The 40th session of Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) emerged as a pivotal platform, galvanizing young feminist advocates into catalysts for societal change. Addressing attendees during the GIMAC youth advocacy training, Doris Munyingi of GROOTs Kenya emphatically stated, “We must allocate 20% of our gross development product to education, ensuring African women and girls access quality learning opportunities.”

Globally, staggering statistics reveal that 32 million girls are deprived of primary education, with an additional 29 million lacking access to lower secondary schooling. Within Africa, these figures hold significant weight, albeit with variations across nations. A UNICEF study underscores that one in three girls on the continent is wed before reaching 18, severely impeding their educational pursuits and future prospects.

Hadjara Harouna, a spirited activist from Niger, lamented, “Despite the advancements of the 21st century, young women continue to confront injustice, inequity, and formidable barriers hindering their educational aspirations.” Harouna emphasized the imperative for the African Union and its member states to prioritize gender parity within educational frameworks.

Echoing these sentiments, Gloria Eboso, an impassioned advocate from Kenya, asserted, “Education serves as the key to unlocking opportunities, enhancing livelihoods, and empowering women to transcend the cycle of poverty.” Eboso urged African governments to facilitate the reintegration of women and girls, in all their capacities, into educational settings to foster both learning and unlearning.

A 2021 UNICEF report underscored the persistent challenge of widespread educational exclusion among African children, with a disproportionate impact on the most marginalized segments of society. Despite incremental progress, many African nations continue to grapple with the task of ensuring universal access to quality education.

“Sílvia Mahumane from Mozambique poignantly observed, “Our African governments must prioritize educational investment. As young girls, we are still on the cusp of accessing quality education, yet it appears we are being left behind.”

The 40th GIMAC deliberated extensively on the intrinsic value of education; however, the African Union remains yet to devise concrete solutions for harnessing the continent’s future human capital. As Africa stands on the precipice of progress, the imperative to invest in education as a cornerstone of sustainable development cannot be overstated.