How Apio Kevin from Uganda Champions Wetland Restoration
By Anguparu Monica, CARE Uganda
It is a hot Wednesday October 7 2020 with the Sun mirage warmly reflected on my face, Kevin had a 20 liters jerrican in her hand, quickly goes inside her ramshackle grass thatched hut constructed out of mud wall and grass roof. Shortly, she reaches out to me with a wooden nicely woven traditional chair and ushered me on the chair under a huge mango tree adjacent to the kitchen hut.
Apio Kevin (29) is a General Secretary of a Te-abala Community Wetland Management Committee established by Partners for Resilience (PfR) in Anep-moroto parish, Orum Sub County – Otuke district. She was born in Adwoki Sub County in Dakolo and is a mother of 2 boys, 5 and 8 years’.
After completing Uganda Certificate of Education, my father (RIP) enrolled me in Adwoki Technical School in 2008-2010 where I obtained Uganda Junior Technical Certificate in tailoring.
People in this village keep nominating and voting me to positions of power at all level for instance Secretary Finance of Anep-moroto parish, Secretary Te Abaala Wetland Management committee. The latter established by PfR project in 2018.
I participate actively in decision-making processes in all these spaces and present women’s voices. Over the last three years, we have made a lot of progress in various portfolios. As a secretary to the community wetland management committee, I have mobilized both men and women to participate in sensitization meetings on wetland management and restoration, demarcation of wetlands (now demarcated 28km stretch along Te Abaala micro catchment).
Actually, people here now say, the formerly degraded wetland is gaining back its old status and lost glory.
“People experience cool air even when it is dry season. This air is cooled by the wetland,” says Kevin.
My challenge though is that, sometimes there are many conflicting meetings which take a lot of my time. Nevertheless, I live with three of my sister and brother in-laws and they too contribute in performing some of the household chores like digging, cooking, fetching water and taking care of the children while am away.
I have continued to maintain my sewing and earn income from it. I have learnt to multi task and ensure I am food secure as well as play advisory role to other women within this sub county.
“Thanks to CARE for polishing my knowledge in integrated risk management, governance and Village Saving and Loan Association, I use the knowledge in my official and domestic work”, says Apio Kevin.