World wide Fund for Nature launches shs3.9bn green jobs project for Rwenzori region

The World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF) has launched a shs3.9 billion Green Jobs and Nature based solution project in the Rwenzori region.

The four year project supported by  the Danish Family Planning Association (DFPA) aims at addressing community vulnerabilities to increase resilience as well as empower women and youths to build economic and natural assets.

Speaking during the  virtual launch of the project , David Duli , the WWF country director said they focused on Rwenzori region because it is prone to natural disasters like floods and drought and that this has been the case for the last 10 years.

“Rwenzori region is one of the most diverse landscapes with large diversity in agriculture, tourism, people and culture, natural resources, industrialization but the area is vulnerable to natural disasters such as flood and drought and such interventions are much sought by the area,”Duli said.

He noted that the prevailing unsustainable use of natural resources like forests whose cover in Uganda has greatly reduced from 24% of the total land area to only 9% needs projects like the Green Jobs and Nature based solution.

“With this project, there will be access for particularly youths and women to improved livelihoods, decent green jobs and enterprise creation. We will focus on jobs within restoration and in sectors that reduce pressure on natural resources.”

According to Dduli, the project will help improve community resilience and sustainability as a key approach to protect the natural resources and will cover  the districts of Kasese, Kabalole, Bunyangabo, Ntoroko, Bundibujo and Bunyangabo in the Rwenzori region.