As I stand close to the entrance of the African Union pavilion at the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) in Nairobi, I witness a scene filled with excitement and dynamism. Women and youths from various African countries have gathered here, radiating enthusiasm, and proudly showcasing an impressive array of innovative solutions.

These innovators span across diverse fields, from clean energy and climate-smart agriculture to sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation, water conservation, waste management, circular economy initiatives, technology advancements, and agriculture. They are taking matters into their own hands, designing cutting edge solutions to the climate change scourge facing the continent.

“I believe creating change doesn’t have a boundary on who should engage in pioneering this change. I believe in the power of women.” says Matini Janepher, one of the innovators exhibiting at the event.

The 25 year old who hails from Luwero, Central Uganda, is the co-founder of Women Income Network, a Ugandan-based organization pioneering smart agriculture through maggot technology farming.

According to the UN, women and girls, who make up 70 percent of the 1.3 billion people living in poverty and heavily rely on natural resources for their livelihoods, bear the greatest brunt of climate change.

Women in Sub-Saharan Africa are responsible for 80 percent of food production, and over 60 percent of employed women work in agriculture. They often shoulder a disproportionate burden in securing food, water, and fuel, especially during periods of drought and erratic rainfall. This puts added pressure on girls, who may have to leave school to assist their mothers.

Through training in maggot farming, creating market linkages, and providing financial resources, Janepher aims to uplift vulnerable women in her country, and enable them to adapt to climate change.

“The climate issue we found in our communities was poor waste management. The population was complaining about how waste was causing discomfort in the community, leading to unpleasant smells and greenhouse gas emissions which are really dangerous to our environment. That inspired us to introduce the technology of maggot farming which processes waste from communities and landfills into organic fertilizers.” She explains.

Janepher is one of the 70 Women and youths selected to showcase their innovations at the Climate Action Innovation Hub, hosted by the African Union Commission.

The initiative serves as a platform for innovators whose climate solutions align and operationalise specific ambitions and goals of the Africa Climate Change Strategy.