By Naureen Hossain
NAIROBI, Apr 17 2025 – Eliud Rugut comes from generations of farmers, yet his family expected him to move out of their home and pursue another career.

He studied economics and started working in business and marketing, though it would be short-lived as he lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic. When he moved back to his parents’ home, he wanted to turn around their farm’s productivity.

The farm’s production of millet, sorghum, and maize had been decreasing over the years—it had declined by 60 percent, a significant loss when the farm was the family’s main source of income. Part of the reason for this loss was attributed to the impact of climate change on soil degradation or pest infestations, and part of it was also because his parents were relying on the same seeds and farming techniques with little variation.

“My mother was open to new innovations,” Rugut said, explaining that she had asked him to bring forward new ideas to resolve the issues they faced. “She convinced my father to give me one acre to grow products in.”

At first, Rugut’s father was highly resistant to sharing his land because he would be losing part of his income. In a patriarchal society like that in Rugut’s community in Kenya, men hold greater rights when it comes to land inheritance and are the final authority on how the land is to be used. Eventually Rugut’s father agreed to lend out one acre of land.

It was with this single acre that Rugut built a greenhouse where he applied his farming techniques, technologies, and seeds. He planted crops such as bell peppers, indigenous vegetables, and several fruits, all of which grew during a different season from his family’s grains. Upon seeing the productivity from these crops—and the significant earnings they brought in—Rugut’s father was almost in disbelief that they could produce such results in a shorter timeframe than his maize crops. He took to walking around the greenhouse some nights, as though he needed to see the results and understand for himself, Rugut said. It was a step forward in changing his mind about adopting new approaches to farming.

Rugut would also download and play YouTube videos on agriculture for his father to watch at home. The exposure to different farming techniques through educational (and free) videos that were made by or were about farmers and their lived experience also went a long way in opening up Rugut’s father’s mind to the possibilities, especially when he saw how his son was applying those same techniques on their farm.

Rugut took action, bringing knowledge and innovation to his family and the wider community. Today, he is one of the founders of Silo Africa, which manufactures and sells silo systems for smallholder farmers, which are equipped with smart technology that allows farmers to track the stored grains’ conditions. This was also founded on his innovations with his family’s farm as a way to combat pests and weevils going through their grains. The company is looking to expand their business beyond Kenya and provide silos to farmers across the African continent.

Rugut’s journey in the agri-food industry was shaped when, in 2022, he joined the Ban Ki-Moon Centre for Global Citizens’ (BKMC) Youth Agri Champions Program. “It was one of the game changers of my life,” he said when describing his time in the program.

The opportunities to learn about scaling for impact and climate in agri-food systems had shaped his mindset around his work and the ideas he could take back to his community. With his fellow youth champions, they could commiserate about shared experiences and commonalities over land ownership and how these shaped their farming practices. These were opportunities to share best practices.

BKMC’s most significant impact was giving champions a platform to “elevate [their] voices.”

“That is one thing the youth have never had. Our voices were never heard,” Rugut said. “We never had platforms to voice our challenges, to voice what we are doing.”

Through the BKMC, Rugut could attend conferences like COP28 and share the stage with world leaders, doctors, academic researchers, and policymakers, which was “nerve-wracking” at first. Rugut’s time as a Youth AgriChampion showed him that it was possible for youth farmers, especially smallholder farmers, to “communicate [their] challenges.” More than that, their perspectives held weight.

Rugut has been pleased to dispel any misinformation around small farmers and prove that they are “open to learning” about new farming techniques, since they were already finding ways to adapt to the challenges brought on by climate change. What they need is for this information to be accessible, which is where he would “really challenge” conference attendees to “package” their research in a way that people like him could take the information back to the communities.

Each year, the Youth AgriChampions put out a ‘demand’ paper, which they present at the UN Climate Conference. Regular demands from these papers call for further investments in climate financing, capacity building, and access to climate-smart technology.

“We’ve gotten our voice through the Ban Ki-Moon [Centre] and through this demand paper—there is a document that can speak for us, and people who can speak for us.”

Although conferences like the UN Climate Conference and CGIAR Science Week bring stakeholders from all over the world and can serve as platforms for farmers from the Global South to participate in the conversations, there is still scope for further growth and inclusion.

Such conferences are largely for other stakeholder organizations that conduct research or run interventions in the agri-food systems, but it is still rare for farmers from marginalized communities—or “beneficiaries,” as they are known—to be present in these discussions. The research and solutions discussed in these conferences are often written and presented through a technical lens for a different audience.

“They talk a language that is only understandable by […] the researchers, the scientists, and the donors,” Rugut remarked. “But the very actors… they call it the ‘beneficiaries,’ the people who are at the forefront, who are supposed to have this technology, [who are] affected by the changes, they haven’t been at the table… It’s not enough, but it is a start for us.”

“As a youth and as a smallholder farmer, people view us as beneficiaries. But we are not just beneficiaries. We are co-creators of the change. We are very innovative. We want to be at the table to partner with various actors in the industry so we can improve it.”

Seeing them as “receivers” waiting for solutions is risky because it undermines those on the ground who are innovating and contributing. Even though they are deeply affected by food insecurity and the risks of farming across different environments, farmers are at the forefront of tackling the issue.

Rugut argues that young farmers are part of that charge in the strides and innovations they are making in increasing food security. They only need further support from larger actors such as the government, financiers, and non-governmental organizations in the agriculture industry. “The guys who are working in these big offices, they have three meals a day. We guarantee them three meals a day. So, are we the beneficiaries or are we the actors?”

IPS UN Bureau Report

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By Sonia Al Ali
IDLIB, Syria, Apr 17 2025 – The Syrian war has left countless Syrians with devastating injuries, ranging from limb amputations and burns to the loss of sensory functions. These injuries have profoundly impacted their lives, compounded by the limited attention and support they receive from civil society organizations.

Salam al-Hassan, 43, from Saraqib, south of Idlib city, lost both her legs in 2023 when a warplane missile exploded nearby. Since that devastating day, her life has been irrevocably altered, marked by months of arduous treatment and rehabilitation until she could walk again with prosthetic limbs. Yet, standing and moving remain a significant struggle.

“I exist on the fringes of life, overshadowed by the scarcity of treatment centers. While I was fortunate enough to receive prosthetics, I know countless other amputees who can only dream of obtaining them due to their prohibitive costs. This is compounded by the fact that many hospitals and health centers have been forced to suspend operations due to the cessation of vital support and funding,” says Al-Hassan.

Children, Victims Too

Countless Syrian children have also fallen victim to the ravages of war, sustaining injuries that have led to disabilities or the amputation of limbs. These children now face the daunting reality of living with permanent physical impairments—a burden exacerbated by the deteriorating state of healthcare services and the scarcity of essential medical supplies needed to address their unique needs.

According to UNICEF, approximately 900 children in Syria lost their lives or were injured in 2020 alone. This grim figure brings the total number of child casualties—deaths and injuries—since the beginning of the war to around 13,000. This staggering number represents approximately one-third of the total recorded injuries and deaths, leaving a multitude of children to grapple with lifelong disabilities.

Salem Al-Diyab, a 14-year-old displaced child from the city of Ma’arat al-Nu’man in the southern Idlib countryside, now resides in a camp in the town of Qah, near the Syrian-Turkish border. He sits at the entrance of his tent, watching other children in the camp as they head to school. The Syrian war has not only claimed a part of his body but has also imposed a life of disability upon him and deprived him of continuing his education.

Reflecting on his ordeal, Salem says, “My amputated leg has made me a target for bullying and mockery by my peers, which is why I stopped going to school. My left leg was amputated in late 2019 after I was struck by shrapnel from a warplane while on my way to the market to buy some necessities.”

Facing a healthcare deficit, the child found himself waiting a full year after his wound healed to receive a poor-quality prosthetic limb from a charity. This delay, attributed to the overwhelming number of patients and limited financial resources, underscores the dire circumstances.

“My son requires frequent prosthetic replacements to accommodate his growth and movement. This means he constantly needs to adapt and train with a new limb,” Salem’s mother, Alia Al-Diyab, explains. “Moreover, living below the poverty line forces us to seek out charitable organizations that provide prosthetics for free, as we cannot afford the USD 500 to USD 1,000 cost for a single artificial limb.”

Difficulty of Living With a Disability

Disability has become a difficult turning point in the lives of many affected Syrians, as they require assistance in all aspects of their lives and have lost hope of living normally.

Young Hadeel Al-Abdo, 17, from the northern Aleppo countryside, was struck by shrapnel from a shell fired by Syrian regime checkpoints in January 2021. The shrapnel hit her spinal cord, leaving her confined to a wheelchair. She needs to replace her manual wheelchair with an electric one to ease her movement and save some of the time she spends traveling to school.

“I was with my friend in front of the house when a shell fell close to us. One of the shrapnel pieces killed my friend, while another caused my paralysis. I now have to rely on a wheelchair for mobility.”

Al-Abdo says that she goes to school every day and hopes to become a doctor to alleviate the pain of the sick and war-injured. She explains that she constantly needs assistance, and her older brother accompanies her to and from school.

At first she preferred to be isolated from others. However, with encouragement from her mother and brother, she has ventured out into life and gradually begun to adapt to her disability and new situation.

Al-Abdo points out that her dream is to be able to walk, run, and live like everyone else, but she knows very well that achieving this dream has become impossible.

“I feel sad for myself when I see my friends walking and running, while I am limited to just watching them,” she adds.

Dr. Marwan Al-Hamoud, a general surgeon from the Syrian city of Homs, says, “The Syrian war wounded live amidst suffering from disability and deteriorating living conditions, facing material, social, and behavioral difficulties that prevent them from actively participating in society.”

Al-Hamoud adds that the injured and wounded are the most affected by the bloody war. “They live with their pain while still alive. Some of them have lost parts of their bodies and now rely on prosthetics or wheelchairs.”

Al-Hamoud points out that the injured need a great deal of help and assistance to alleviate their pain. They require well-equipped medical centers, as doctors often have to amputate the limbs of some patients due to the lack of necessary equipment for their treatment. Furthermore, the injured need psychological support to regain their self-confidence and efforts to secure job opportunities that suit their abilities, enabling them to play a near-normal role in society.

Psychological Scars

Psychological counselor Razan al-Barakat from the city of Idlib says disability also has psychological impacts.

“Disability does not stop at the physical level; rather, despair and frustration seep into the souls of many injured individuals when they feel different from others and unable to lead their lives normally,” al-Barakat says in an interview with IPS. “Those who are injured and have undergone amputations often feel a sense of inadequacy and helplessness, involuntarily relive memories of their injuries, and experience a lack of security and peace of mind, in addition to low self-confidence due to their need for others and dependence on them in most aspects of their lives.”

Al-Barakat emphasizes the necessity of providing psychological treatment to the injured person after their physical recovery to help them adapt to their injury and new situation. It is also crucial to sensitize society and relevant institutions about the need to care for this segment of the population that has been physically and psychologically harmed and to amplify their voices in the world to assist them and expedite their treatment.

On April 8, Human Rights Watch reported that 379 individuals have been injured by remnants of war since the fall of the regime on December 8, 2024.

A 2020 report by OCHA indicates that 36 percent of displaced Syrians are persons with disabilities. These displaced individuals with disabilities originate from areas that witnessed intense bombing by regime forces and their Russian allies, and they are distributed across northeastern and northwestern Syria.

In a report, the United Nations stated that 28 percent of Syrians inside the country are living with disabilities. This percentage includes intellectual and psychological disabilities, most of which resulted from physical injury or arose from the war conditions experienced by Syrians.

The Syrian war, which has lasted for more than 14 years, has left behind thousands of people with disabilities, often living on the margins of society, who find it difficult to access necessary services such as prosthetics, medical and psychological treatment, and rehabilitation.
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By Franck Kuwonu
DAKAR, Senegal, Apr 17 2025 – In a quiet corner of Medina Gounass, on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, one man has taken it upon himself to breathe new life into a place many had abandoned.

Where mountains of plastic waste once sprawled, a green oasis has sprung up, thanks to his relentless determination.

Modou Fall, popularly known as the “Plastic Man,” embodies a struggle that goes beyond recycling. He is an activist, an educator, and a campaigner for a cleaner planet and a more sustainable future.

From dump to sanctuary

In 2020, when the world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, Modou Fall was on a different mission. Medina, his neighbourhood, which was once a vibrant place bustling with all manner of activities, had become neglected and over time seen the exodus of its inhabitants. After several floods, the area slowly became a dumping ground.

“At first, there was nothing but garbage and a few crumpling walls,” he recounts. “But I knew something could be done about it.”

Where others saw an unsalvageable space, Fall saw immense potential. With a team of volunteers, he began to transform the space by planting trees, setting up educational displays and repurposing discarded materials.

“Each piece here tells a story. We salvaged these objects to give them a new life,” he told Africa Renewal in an interview in Dakar.

Cleaning up waste was just the beginning, Fall wanted to change mindsets through raising awareness. He quips: “The problem isn’t just the garbage we throw away, but our relationship with plastic.”

“Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change” —UNEP Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten

Through educational programmes and workshops, Fall teaches children to recycle and reuse materials they would otherwise have considered garbage. He wants the youth to see waste not as garbage, but as raw material for creativity and sustainability.

For example, old car tyres can be transformed into chairs, while plastic bottles can be turned into decorative pieces.

“We need to show children that waste can have a second life,” he explains. “If we teach them that today, they’ll change their habits tomorrow.”

But education alone is not enough. He stresses the importance of structural change and calls for better regulation of waste management. He remains a vocal advocate for stronger waste management policies and stricter environmental regulations. “If we don’t act now, plastic pollution will spiral out of control,” he warns.

A commitment

Fortunately, “The Plastic Man’s” efforts haven’t gone unnoticed – they have earned him national recognition from authorities who honoured him for his environmental efforts. Yet this recognition did not come without pushback.

Undeterred, he continues his fight, exposing harmful practices with determination. One of the major issues he campaigns against is the discharge of toxic chemicals into the local water system by some industries.

“A few years ago, we still could see frogs here. Today, there are none. They are all gone,” he laments.

He also notes that, despite the ban on single-use plastics, plastic bags remain a common sight—sold, used, and discarded on the streets.

Plans for a greener future

Fall’s goal to create greener spaces stretches beyond his neighbourhood. His next big project? An ecological training centre where young people can learn to design and develop sustainable solutions to pollution.

“We need to go beyond just cleaning up. We need to understand why we are where we are, and find long-term solutions,” he insists.

He also envisions a space where students can come to watch educational documentaries on the environment, saying: “Tomorrow, they’re the ones who will have to protect this planet. They need to know what they’re up against.”

At the same time, Fall is working with local artists to create art pieces from recycled waste. Which, he believes, transforms his awareness-raising into an immersive, interactive experience.

“When you see a recycled object become a work of art, you immediately understand its value,” he explains.

He also plans to introduce regular clean-up drives with community members to foster a culture of collective responsibility. “If we do this every month and make it a habit, we can transform our entire environment.”

The Plastic Man is not your typical activist. He doesn’t just rely on slogans or speeches – he leads with action.

“People often say that what we are doing is a just drop in the ocean. But what is the ocean but a multitude of drops?”

His journey is proof that one person’s determination can spark change. A plastic bottle recycled, a tree planted, a child educated—every action counts.

As we part ways after the interview, he leaves us with a powerful message:

“We are the guardians of this planet. Each of us has a role to play. It doesn’t matter where we come from or what we have. What matters is what we do.”

Source: Africa Renewal, United Nations

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