While Manchester Climate Monthly mostly sticks to Manchester (the clue is in the name), there is a wider world out there, and it’s melting/boiling. Below is an interview with Adong Ciccilly Ben, from Uganda.

1. First who are you (age, what you do, where your family live)
My name is Adong Cicilly Ben and am 23 years old. I am Ugandan by nationality pursuing a Bachelor’s degree of Science in Environmental Management. I advocate on climate change and help carry out activities that protect and conserve the environment and educate communities about the need for sustainable development. My family lives in Uganda and Sudan

2. When did you first become aware of climate change?  What are some of the physical impacts that are happening in Uganda that you have seen?
I became aware of climate change during my high school.

I have seen a lot of physical impacts that are occurring in Uganda such as increased temperatures, drought, seasonal shifts, reduction in precipitation levels or even higher precipitation received causing floods, snow caps melting on Mountain Rwenzori and Elgon, deterioration in quality and quantity of air, land and water through pollution, more disease out breaks and loss of biodiversity occurring every day.

3. What sorts of project/campaigning have you done so far?  How has it gone?
I engage in campaigns for climate change, use of renewable energy and do lake clean ups every week. It has gone on well, only that am limited on getting my ideas implemented due to lack of support and human resource.

I’m involved in activities with Fridays For Future – Uganda supported by Green Climate Campaign Africa an NGO in Uganda where  I volunteer as a green campaigner. Under Fridays For Future – Uganda we are a youth and students led platform that pushes demands towards accelerating solutions to a changing climate. Am part of the Organizing team of the climate strikes and as well involved in solutions initiatives at community level. My goal is to grow a bigger team of other strikers to champion for ZER0 emissions call. The call was initiated by the African Climate Reality Project to push African Development Bank’s financial portfolio towards renewables funding.

4. What sorts of practical solidarity would you like people in Manchester to offer you?

I would like them to support me in carrying out an action-oriented practical activity on renewable energy through bringing its use on board and expanding my ability in empowering different communities in Uganda and Africa at large to use sustainable energy.

5. Anything else you’d like to say.
I would really want to see humans valuing the non-human population in all ways and if there is an opportunity for me to say it over and over again then I will do that because I love and want to see harmed animals and plants protected from human selfishness.
Above all thank you for this opportunity.