Umuringa Green Awareness: Climate Resilience

Rwanda in a Nutshell

Climate change’s effects are serious challenge in Rwanda with an ever-increasing trend in occurrences of Droughts, floods, and landslides which are climate-related disasters that have a negative impact on Rwandans and the nation’s economy with a loss of 1% of GDP per year, and more than $200 million in costs related to climate-related damages . These events have adverse effects on the economy through damage to infrastructure, loss of life and property (including crops), soil erosion, and water pollution. The main drivers of these events are abrupt changes in temperature and precipitation and their distributions where for example, it is expected that the variability in rainfall would rise by 5% to 10% . Consequently, climate change poses a serious threat to the nation’s economic growth.

About GreenStars

GreenStars is a dynamic research firm committed to fostering sustainable development in Rwanda through professional training, climate resilience initiatives, and innovative consultancy services. We aspire to play a role in Rwanda’s transition towards a climate-resilient, low-emission economy.

The UMURINGA GREEN AWARENESS Project

The UMURINGA GREEN AWARENESS project is the flagship initiative of GreenStars, designed to tackle the critical challenges of climate change and environmental degradation in Rwanda. Through this project, we aim to use awareness as a tool of promoting community resilience to climate threats through community engagement, youth empowerment, and sustainable business practices to deliver tangible and lasting impact.

Our Approach

At the heart of the UMURINGA GREEN AWARENESS project is our commitment to allocating a minimum percentage of our overall revenues or consultancy work budget towards financing tree planting initiatives and other climate change mitigation activities. This dedicated funding stream will drive our on-the-ground interventions, ensuring a reliable and consistent source of capital to support the implementation of our programs.

In addition to this core financial commitment, we will also seek sponsorship and funding from external sources, such as international NGOs and strategic partners, to support our environmental education initiatives in schools. These supplementary resources will be instrumental in establishing and strengthening eco-clubs, as well as organizing impactful climate change awareness competitions for Rwandan students.

Key Objectives and Targets

To be able to reach our long-term goal of building resilient communities, we needed to set up tangible measurable targets to guide us throughout the journey of promoting awareness, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability. That is why we have decided to establish the following targets:

1. Plant 10,000 trees to enhance carbon sequestration and restore degraded lands
2. Reach 25,000 individuals through workshops, public speeches, and other awareness-raising events on environmental sustainability
3. Establish, strengthen, and sponsor 5 green-clubs in schools to educate and empower Rwandan youth on climate change
4. Implement 5 Green Champions competitions to foster a new generation of climate leaders and change-makers

Expected Impacts

The implemention of the UMURINGA GREEN AWARENESS project aims at driving transformative and lasting impact on Rwanda’s transition towards a more climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable future. Our initiatives are expected to contribute to:

• Improved food security, water availability, and biodiversity conservation
• Enhanced community engagement and environmental consciousness
• Empowerment of Rwandan youth as active champions of climate action
• Inspiration and replication of our climate-centric business model by other enterprises in Rwanda and the wider East African region

Join us in our mission to create a greener, more sustainable Rwanda. Contact us at connect@greenstarshub.com to learn more about our work and explore partnership opportunities.