Voices of Change: Kenya’s Wetlands Restoration
The Open Exchange (formerly S I T T Y) is excited to announce Voices of Change, an upcoming project exploring Kenya’s wetlands restoration efforts. This initiative highlights the ecological and socio-economic importance of wetlands like the Dik Dik Gardens in Nairobi and others in Limuru. In collaboration with Kenyan photographer Hussein Waiyaki, this multimedia series will combine compelling photography with podcast storytelling to showcase local conservation efforts and their impact on biodiversity and communities. A Climate Magazine will accompany the project, featuring stories on sustainability, livelihoods, and restoration initiatives. Stay tuned for updates on this impactful series.
Who we are.
Voice of Change is a program under Stay In True To Yourself, also known as SITTY, committed to leading efforts in environmental and climate justice, promoting essential discussions and actions aimed at safeguarding and maintaining our environment while tackling Mental health issues. Focused on advancing human environmental health, Voice of Change advocates for a clean, healthy, and supportive environment both internally and within our ecosystem.
We are devoted to a clean environment for a better future in both Mental health and ecological well-being. We are enthusiastic about fostering discussions surrounding Mental well-being while addressing the increasing concerns related to climate change.
Voice of Change serves as a platform for young leaders committed to initiating the necessary transformations in environmental actions while addressing Mental health issues, particularly among youth.
We passionately believe that all entities on earth possess rights, which must be protected and upheld.
We are devoted to a clean environment for a better future in both Mental health and ecological well-being. We are enthusiastic about fostering discussions surrounding Mental well-being while addressing the increasing concerns related to climate change.
Voice of Change serves as a platform for young leaders committed to initiating the necessary transformations in environmental actions while addressing Mental health issues, particularly among youth.
We passionately believe that all entities on earth possess rights, which must be protected and upheld.
Cycling for Wetland Restoration
As part of our Voices of Change initiative, this project highlights the vital role wetlands play in biodiversity, water systems, and community livelihoods. These photos, captured by photographer Hussein Waiyaki, showcase activists participating in a cycling campaign to raise awareness about the importance of restoring wetlands like Dik Dik Gardens and Limuru’s precious ecosystems. Through this campaign, we aim to inspire collective action, educate communities, and emphasize the harmony between conservation efforts and sustainable recreational activities. Join us in pedaling toward a greener, more resilient future.
As part of our Voices of Change initiative, this project highlights the vital role wetlands play in biodiversity, water systems, and community livelihoods. These photos, captured by photographer Hussein Waiyaki, showcase activists participating in a cycling campaign to raise awareness about the importance of restoring wetlands like Dik Dik Gardens and Limuru’s precious ecosystems. Through this campaign, we aim to inspire collective action, educate communities, and emphasize the harmony between conservation efforts and sustainable recreational activities. Join us in pedaling toward a greener, more resilient future.
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Serene wetlands, a haven for biodiversity and human connection. Highlighting the beauty and importance of conservation through the lens of photographer Hussein Waiyaki.
Our inspirations
Just like access to justice, environmental justice an Mental Health are a very significant aspect of our existence. Environmental justice involves two aspects of justice: distributive and procedural justice regarding the environment. Distributive environmental justice acknowledges that the right to a dignified life is essential, and everyone is entitled to a healthy and safe environment. Conversely, procedural environmental justice emphasizes that, to maintain distributive justice, citizens must be informed about and engaged in decision-making and policy development, allowing them to identify and prevent actions that violate environmental laws and lead to environmental injustices. Procedural justice focuses on how and by whom decisions are made, incorporating participation and legitimacy as key concepts.
The institutional framework addressing environmental issues should be easily accessible to everyone, including marginalized groups. Demands for acknowledgment of cultural identity and full participatory democratic rights are vital justice claims that cannot be separated from distributional matters.
A key element of environmental justice is its aim to address social injustices and environmental challenges through an integrated policy framework. An equitable distribution of the environmental costs and benefits of economic development, both globally and nationally, is necessary, based on the principle that everyone should have the right and ability to live in a healthy environment with access to sufficient environmental resources for a healthy life. It also acknowledges that those who are poorest and least powerful are mostly affected by the previously mentioned conditions.
Secondly, environmental justice investigates issues of procedural equity and access to justice processes. The procedures and processes needed to address negative environmental impacts should, therefore, be accessible equally to diverse social groups, as many environmental injustices can be caused or worsened by procedural inequities in policy design, land-use planning, science, and law. Consequently, a necessary policy, legal, and institutional framework is vital for guaranteeing environmental justice at global, regional, and national levels.
Furthermore, environmental justice is closely connected to sustainable development and social justice. It has been proposed that it is possible to have perfect equality that harms the environment and also a situation of perfect environmental sustainability that is unjust. Environmental justice is understood as an alternative perspective to sustainable development. This is because environmental justice stresses commitment to the struggle of communities facing the most environmental damage by providing them a voice in decision-making, which connects with social justice to ensure sustainable and equitable development. Therefore, environmental justice can effectively address concerns regarding the use of our environmental resources and how to guarantee equitable participation in environmental decision-making.
This has been expressed in academic terms as distributive justice and procedural justice, a distinction valuable in the discourse on environmental justice.
Public Participation refers to the provision of opportunities for individuals, groups, and organizations to contribute input in decision-making processes that have, or are likely to have, an impact on the environment, including the creation of laws, enforcement of national laws, policies, guidelines, and environmental impact assessment procedures.
The institutional framework addressing environmental issues should be easily accessible to everyone, including marginalized groups. Demands for acknowledgment of cultural identity and full participatory democratic rights are vital justice claims that cannot be separated from distributional matters.
A key element of environmental justice is its aim to address social injustices and environmental challenges through an integrated policy framework. An equitable distribution of the environmental costs and benefits of economic development, both globally and nationally, is necessary, based on the principle that everyone should have the right and ability to live in a healthy environment with access to sufficient environmental resources for a healthy life. It also acknowledges that those who are poorest and least powerful are mostly affected by the previously mentioned conditions.
Secondly, environmental justice investigates issues of procedural equity and access to justice processes. The procedures and processes needed to address negative environmental impacts should, therefore, be accessible equally to diverse social groups, as many environmental injustices can be caused or worsened by procedural inequities in policy design, land-use planning, science, and law. Consequently, a necessary policy, legal, and institutional framework is vital for guaranteeing environmental justice at global, regional, and national levels.
Furthermore, environmental justice is closely connected to sustainable development and social justice. It has been proposed that it is possible to have perfect equality that harms the environment and also a situation of perfect environmental sustainability that is unjust. Environmental justice is understood as an alternative perspective to sustainable development. This is because environmental justice stresses commitment to the struggle of communities facing the most environmental damage by providing them a voice in decision-making, which connects with social justice to ensure sustainable and equitable development. Therefore, environmental justice can effectively address concerns regarding the use of our environmental resources and how to guarantee equitable participation in environmental decision-making.
This has been expressed in academic terms as distributive justice and procedural justice, a distinction valuable in the discourse on environmental justice.
Public Participation refers to the provision of opportunities for individuals, groups, and organizations to contribute input in decision-making processes that have, or are likely to have, an impact on the environment, including the creation of laws, enforcement of national laws, policies, guidelines, and environmental impact assessment procedures.
