Meet our Early Career Ocean Professionals: Rose Kirigo (Challenge 10)
Rose Kirigo is working with local communities in Kenya; engaging them in environmental protection and restoration, as well as being part of a project that is installing energy saving jikos (stoves) taking pressure off local mangrove forests. She attributes her focus and dedication to solving global challenges that involve the ocean and marine ecosystem, as being the motivation for her to work towards advocacy, innovations and grassroot action in the spirit of collective action and progress.
1. Hi Rose, can you tell us how are you working towards the Ocean Decade Challenge 10: Change humanity’s relationship with the Ocean?
I am currently contributing to marine ecosystem conservation by installing energy saving jikos that help to reduce mangrove cutting and charcoal burning. Our objectives include capacity building with women, youth and the community on coastal environment conservation for a sustainable development. Our aim is to equip and educate the community on the sustainable use of the scarce resources that we have and also to see the value that comes from the marine ecosystem. I am also involved in mangrove restoration training whereby we train the community on mangrove planting and teach the correct species for a certain zonation/area. The community has started appreciating the act of conserving these resources because they have seen the benefits of doing such activities, plus the benefits that mangroves provide and they are motivated to do conservation even without being requested to do so.
2. Why do you think it is important to work towards this Challenge?
It is important to work on this challenge because communities are the biggest stakeholder when it comes to the conservation of marine ecosystems. When they don’t understand the importance of the ocean and its surroundings we will face challenges of overfishing and mangrove harvesting, which in return leads to environmental threats (for instance, when we clear a mangrove forest the ocean shoreline will be eroded and change due to waves and currents). By working on this challenge I ensure the community understands and gets to benefit from the socio-economic services of the ocean. This will change their behavior towards the ocean positively and they will start to protect and conserve resources and this will lead to sustainable development.
I have been doing this for about one year and I have been been involved in community based projects, blue carbon research and other related activities. I have also gained experience in using GIS tools and techniques such as machine learning, remote sensing and data analysis. Currently I am involved in research on the use of AI in Advancing Blue Carbon Research in Kenya.
3. What was the Ocean’s influence on you growing up, and what’s has changed for you since you’ve been working towards this Challenge?
I have always been an environmental enthusiast and a devoted steward towards the environment. I pursued a course in Natural Resource Management and my love for environment has made me to devote my time and studies towards sustainable development. I have seen and experienced the benefits that comes from the marine ecosystem and my interest in conserving this has made me influence other people and the wider community so that we can all benefit from our ecosystems. Through this I have been engaged in CBO in Kwale County, Kenya whereby we train and educate the community and other stakeholders on matters concerning the ocean and the benefits that come from saving our environment at large.
4. Tell us about some of your recent achievements/highlights/success or alternatively what are you struggling with, or what challenges/barriers are you facing?
One of my achievements has been the successful installation of energy saving stoves. Post stove installation survey shows the stoves were helpful, saves energy, have less smoke compared to traditional cooking methods and enhances the conservation of mangroves since the stoves uses less firewood. The challenge is that not everyone was able to benefit from the energy saving stoves thus there are a lot of people still relying on the old cooking methods that uses more firewood (there are also health risks due to smoke emission).
5. How can people support you and your work?
You can connect with me via Linked In.