By Michael Wanyama | Executive director
This short project report is prepared to outline the progress of Kampala Clean Air drive by Wanyama Autosafety Initiatives in the past three months, under our Autosafety – Uganda program.
We are still struggling to scale up due to resource constraints. As a startup taking on major challenges from a relatively new approach, lack of visibility is another hindrance to our progress that even GlobalGiving fundraising accelerators in July and September 2021 did not yield much to sustain our planned community activities for the same period.
However, we are very thankful to all our donors that at least we were able to meet essential administrative costs because apparently, they are our only means of resource we have. Grants are being sought, though our geographical location kind of makes ineligible for some of the most appropriate calls.
The Project
Kampala is among the most highly polluted cities in Africa, touting air pollution levels over six times higher than the World Health Organization’s air quality guidelines. While several aggravating factors contribute to its poor air quality, unregulated transport clearly stands apart as a leading driver.
Our vehicles are old and poorly maintained. Approximately 90% of vehicles imported to Africa are old, with the average age in Uganda over 15 years. Many of these already come highly polluting and poor maintenance practices further compromise inbuilt emission control systems. Over 85% of local mechanics lack the resources and know-how for sustainable vehicle maintenance, despite tending to the vast majority of fossil fuel-powered vehicles currently on Ugandan roads.
Uganda lacks proper regulations, proper infrastructure and concerted action around vehicular emissions. We have no active vehicle-emissions testing program and no air quality standards. Moreover, the lack of actionable data means pollution in Africa is likely far worse than estimated. With the continuation of rapid urbanization, our air will undoubtedly worsen.
Dirty air isn’t the only problem. Along with vehicle or related equipment maintenance comes poor waste management. Lack of any standards around the handling of waste lubricants, often means toxic substances like engine oil are dumped or spilled, ultimately becoming washed away into water bodies or absorbed into soils. This has devastating implications for an economy built almost entirely on agriculture. This only serves to propel an already chronic pattern of injustice and poverty in Africa.
The Kampala clean air drive project is taking a bottom – up approach to clean our air so that high-end resource or capital-intensive interventions like AI-based AQ monitoring, decongesting the city among others could be accelerated at grassroots levels.
We’re spearheading a movement to invest in real clean air action.
This is the first of its kind project in Uganda, harnessing local knowledge and trusted community relationships towards bringing comprehensive, data-driven, and locally-relevant solutions. We’re taking a bottom up approach to:
Spearhead research: We’re developing and broadening the data and research available on transport related pollutants and air quality in Uganda;
Increase public visibility and engagement: We’re implementing community education and awareness campaigns, with a priority focus on child transport services, to mobilize local communities around the value of clean air, enable access to data and broaden vehicle emissions testing. Most importantly, we’re providing actionable and affordable steps to reduce pollution and improve the respiratory health of children and families.
Build capacity and provide technical training: We’re partnering with local mechanics to provide training, support, and resources around sustainable maintenance as well as education around computerized diagnostics to better facilitate mechanics’ ability to implement best practices for reducing emissions from vehicles and related equipment. We’re investing in local livelihoods by providing certifications for environmentally-friendly practices that mechanics can leverage to attract greater business.
Influence large-scale policy reform: We’re leveraging our research and community-based partnerships to engage and influence policy makers around clean air reform, while supporting leaders in taking steps towards introducing meaningful standards and regulations
The rest of this report can be seen from screenshots attached beacuse I cannot attach a PDF file.
By Michael Wanyama | Team Leader
By Michael Wanyama | Team Leader
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