Across Africa, faith voices are rising with courage and conviction, igniting a movement for energy justice that cannot be ignored
GreenFaith Africa stands at the heart of this transformation, weaving together stories of resilience, action, and hope.
From grassroots communities to global stages, we are showing that when faith leads, justice follows.
Welcome to the 2nd edition of the GreenFaith Africa Newsletter, where spirit meets action, and together, we build the future our continent deserves.
SPECIAL EDITION
Nigeria Women of Faith in Energy Launch: Women Rising for a Just Energy Future
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 210 million people, stands as one of the continent’s four largest economies. In 2023, women accounted for approximately 110.67 million of Nigeria’s population, yet their voices in shaping energy and climate policies remain faint, too often drowned out despite women bearing the heaviest burden of the climate crisis.
In the Niger Delta, where oil spills have poisoned lands and waters, two out of every three women live with the devastating impacts of pollution, while more than 80 million Nigerians still lack access to reliable energy.
This paradox, energy poverty amid oil wealth, demands urgent and inclusive solutions.
Against this backdrop, GreenFaith Nigeria launched the Africa Women of Faith in Energy (AWFE) Project in Rivers State, signaling a historic moment for women-led climate and energy advocacy.
The initiative seeks to amplify women’s voices, equip faith-led women with tools to advocate for gender-balanced policies, and accelerate a just transition away from fossil fuels toward locally-owned, affordable, and clean renewable energy solutions.
A Spiritual Beginning, A Bold Vision
The launch was opened with prayers from Rev. Sister Lilian Chibiko, grounding the initiative in faith and solidarity. Women leaders from three Niger Delta communities, Bodo, Bomu, and K-Dere, gathered for a training workshop following a courtesy visit to the Paramount Ruler of Bodo.
Meryne Warah, GreenFaith’s Global Program Director and Director of GreenFaith Africa, introduced the vision of AWFE, emphasizing women’s pivotal role in resisting fossil fuel expansion and leading Nigeria’s just energy transition. “Development must serve people, not profits,” she urged, reminding participants that energy justice is both a moral and human rights imperative.
The regional project lead Lynn Modester, joining from Kenya, sparked conversations by asking women what “energy” means to them, From firewood to kerosene to electricity, participants reflected on daily struggles: the smoke that harms their eyes and lungs, the high cost of cooking gas, the destruction of mangroves, and failed harvests from oil-polluted soils. Their testimonies painted a raw picture of resilience amid hardship.
Grassroots Voices, Grassroots Solutions
Breakout groups generated powerful community-driven recommendations:
- Bodo women highlighted their reliance on firewood and kerosene, calling for energy-saving stoves and solar-enabled cooking solutions.
- Bomu women, grappling with the devastation of a recent oil spill that wiped out cassava, yam, and maize harvests, demanded healthy soils and clean energy alternatives.
- K-Dere women, who use solar streetlights alongside firewood and kerosene, stressed the unaffordability of gas and the health hazards of smoke.
Together, the communities recommended:
- Provision of solar panels to power households.
- Affordable solar cooking stoves and energy-saving cookers.
- Access to refrigeration for food preservation.
- Investment in women-led renewable energy enterprises.
These grassroots priorities embody a clear demand: renewable energy must not remain a distant promise but become a lived reality in the Niger Delta.
Early Achievements
The inception workshop trained 35 grassroots women on climate literacy, fossil fuel impacts, and advocacy for just energy policies. A key milestone was the formation of a multi-faith, women-led circle for renewable energy in Rivers State, tasked with driving local advocacy and monitoring government commitments.
Significantly, the launch coincided with the Nigerian government’s approval of a ₦10 billion solar energy project, a development that women leaders now seek to influence, ensuring grassroots communities, not only urban elites, benefit from clean energy investments.
Lessons and Challenges
The launch revealed critical gaps:
- Limited climate literacy among grassroots women.
- Low awareness of renewable energy’s health and economic benefits.
- Livelihood losses from oil spills, constraining adoption of clean alternatives.
- Weak access to political representatives for policy advocacy.
These challenges underscore the urgency of scaling capacity building, hybrid trainings, and structured advocacy engagements to ensure women’s voices reach state and federal policy tables.
The Road Ahead
The AWFE launch is more than an event—it is the beginning of a movement. For Nigeria, where billions are still spent on new oil projects like the Kolmani Integrated Development Project, women of faith are now stepping into the arena to demand a different path: one rooted in justice, sustainability, and dignity.
As GreenFaith Nigeria reaffirms, a just transition cannot exclude women. Their leadership, resilience, and lived experiences hold the key to breaking the cycle of fossil fuel dependency and building renewable futures that work for communities.
From prayers to policy, from the pulpit to the protest, Nigeria’s women of faith are rising. Their message is clear: Stop fueling destruction. Start investing in women-led, community-powered renewable energy. For when women lead, justice follows.
The Ghana Women of Faith in Energy Launch & Food Sovereignty March
In Ghana, the story of fossil fuel expansion is not just about energy, it is about people, land, livelihoods, and survival.
For years, the oil and gas projects in communities like Anokyi, Atuabo, and Ngalekyi have reshaped the lives of women, families, and entire villages. Land that once grew food is now fenced off for industrial projects. Air that once carried the smell of ripening crops is filled with smoke from flares. For women, who carry the dual responsibility of sustaining households and keeping communities intact, this reality has been especially heavy.
It was in this context that the Women of Faith in Energy initiative was launched in Ghana. This was not just another program, but a powerful movement designed to lift the voices of women who have borne the brunt of fossil fuel expansion. Women of faith, who are trusted as moral anchors in their communities, came together to be equipped with advocacy skills, energy literacy, and leadership tools to steer the call for a just energy transition. The launch was both a celebration of resilience and a bold declaration that women will no longer remain silent in the face of displacement, economic hardship, and ecological harm.
Voices from the Community
At the heart of the launch were the community dialogues. These were not polished speeches from conference halls, but raw, heartfelt testimonies from women who know what it means to live with the consequences of an energy system built on exploitation.
Women spoke of long treks into shrinking forests to gather firewood, even as gas flares burned above their heads—a cruel irony that clean energy existed, but not for them. They spoke of smoke-filled kitchens where young children coughed as mothers tried to cook with wood or kerosene. They spoke of farms lost to oil exploration, forcing families into deeper poverty and breaking generational ties to the land.
One woman from Anokyi captured the mood when she said:
“The oil takes our land, the gas pollutes our air, and the firewood depletes our forest. Where do we go? What do we eat? What do we leave for our daughters?”
These stories did not just evoke sympathy—they fueled determination. Out of their lived pain came clear demands: subsidized solar energy, affordable and fair gas pricing, and clean cookstoves that reduce health risks. Women insisted that a just transition is not a luxury but a matter of dignity, survival, and justice.
Building a National Women’s Network
A key outcome of the launch was the establishment of a national Women of Faith in Energy network. This network is more than a symbolic gathering—it is a concrete platform through which women can unite their voices and hold both government and corporations accountable.
Through this network, women leaders from villages, towns, and cities will now have a stronger collective presence to influence national policies, challenge unjust practices, and propose solutions that prioritize the most vulnerable. The network represents a shift from scattered, individual struggles to coordinated, national action.
The women are not only standing against harmful energy practices—they are also reimagining Ghana’s energy future. They see a future where solar panels shine on rooftops in rural villages, where clean cookstoves save lives, where energy access no longer divides the rich and poor, and where the dignity of creation is restored.
From Energy to Food: The Food Sovereignty March
The momentum from the Women of Faith in Energy launch spilled over into another historic moment: Ghana’s Food Sovereignty March. This march brought together farmers, women, youth, and faith leaders in a bold display of unity. With banners raised high and chants echoing through the streets, the march connected the dots between food, energy, and climate justice.
The message was simple but profound:
“Food Access = Energy Access = Life Access.”
Participants walked to remind the nation and the world that food sovereignty cannot be separated from energy justice. Farmers reminded us that without access to affordable, clean energy, storing crops, irrigating fields, and transporting produce becomes nearly impossible. Women reminded us that without clean cookstoves and accessible energy, preparing meals becomes a health hazard. Youth reminded us that their future depends on systems that nourish, not exploit, people and the planet.
The march was not just a protest—it was an expression of hope, creativity, and solidarity. Songs of faith blended with chants for justice. Colorful banners painted by schoolchildren fluttered in the wind. Farmers marched with baskets of produce on their heads, symbolizing both their resilience and their demand for justice.
Faith at the Heart of Justice
What made both the launch and the march powerful was the way faith anchored every action. Women prayed before dialogues began. Scriptures were read as reminders of stewardship and care for creation. Songs of praise accompanied chants of justice, bridging the spiritual with the political.
For many women, faith is not just personal—it is a wellspring of courage and a shield against despair. By drawing from their faith, they stood with conviction, knowing their cause was not only about today’s needs but also about the moral responsibility to protect future generations.
Looking Ahead
The Ghana Women of Faith in Energy launch and the Food Sovereignty March marked a turning point. They showed that women, when equipped and united, can transform grief into action and despair into hope. They showed that energy justice and food sovereignty are two sides of the same coin. They showed that faith, when combined with courage, can shake the foundations of unjust systems.
But this is just the beginning. The task ahead is immense: pushing for policy reforms, scaling up access to renewable energy, ensuring that fossil fuel companies are held accountable, and making sure that no community is left behind in Ghana’s energy transition.
As one youth marcher said during the rally:
“We are not just marching for ourselves. We are marching for the soil beneath our feet, for the air we breathe, and for the future we deserve.”
From Anokyi to Accra, from Atuabo to Tamale, the cry has been raised:
Food access. Energy access. Life access. Justice for all.
Uganda Martyrs Day – Faith Leaders Speak Out
Every year on June 3rd, Uganda’s Martyrs Day brings together one of the largest annual gatherings of Christians on the African continent. Tens of thousands of pilgrims—some traveling for days on foot—converge on Namugongo in Kampala to honor the memory of the 45 Christian converts who were executed in the late 19th century for their faith. The event is both a solemn commemoration and a vibrant expression of faith, unity, and hope.
In 2025, amid the hymns, prayers, and processions, a powerful new message rang out: the moral call for climate justice. For the first time in this sacred space, GreenFaith Africa leaders and partners took the pulpit to challenge faith communities and policymakers with a clear and urgent appeal:
“Divest from fossil fuels, invest in renewable energy.”
A Sacred Platform for a Just Transition
For GreenFaith Africa, participating in Uganda Martyrs Day was not just symbolic—it was strategic. This was an opportunity to speak at a gathering that embodies sacrifice, courage, and unwavering faith. The martyrs gave their lives for truth, and in that same spirit, GreenFaith leaders called on today’s faithful to take bold steps to protect creation and future generations.
With pilgrims gathered under the hot Ugandan sun, the voices of GreenFaith representatives carried a message rooted deeply in both scripture and science. Faith leaders reminded the crowd that protecting the earth is not a peripheral issue—it is a sacred duty. The pulpit became a place not only of remembrance but of prophetic witness, linking the courage of the martyrs with the courage needed today to confront climate injustice.
GreenFaith Africa’s Role and Representation
GreenFaith Africa’s participation at Martyrs Day was both visible and influential. The delegation included:
- Regional Leaders who spoke during interfaith services, weaving climate justice into prayers, homilies, and reflections.
- Local Partners and Clergy who stood side by side with bishops, priests, and pastors, ensuring the call for renewable energy was embedded into the day’s liturgies.
- Youth Representatives, who carried placards and distributed flyers with the theme “Faith for Climate Justice.” Their chants and songs gave fresh energy to the traditional processions.
- Women of Faith Leaders from Uganda’s grassroots communities, who shared testimonies of how fossil fuel projects—like the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP)—are already harming families, land, and livelihoods.
This blend of voices reflected GreenFaith Africa’s core belief: climate justice must be led by communities most affected, supported by religious authority, and amplified through global solidarity.
The Call: Divest, Invest, Protect
The central message that rang out during the event was unambiguous. Fossil fuels, while often presented as the backbone of economic growth, are in reality fueling destruction—destroying ecosystems, displacing communities, and worsening the climate crisis.
Standing before the thousands gathered, Rev. Grace Nanyonga, a GreenFaith Uganda leader, declared:
“The martyrs gave their lives for faith and justice. Today, we must give our voices for the earth. We cannot remain silent while our rivers are polluted, our forests destroyed, and our children left without hope.”
Imam Rashid Ssekandi, representing Muslim faith leaders within GreenFaith Africa, followed with a resounding call:
“The Qur’an tells us that humankind is a steward of creation. Stewardship does not mean exploitation. It means care, it means balance, and it means justice. Fossil fuels have tipped the balance. It is time for us to invest in the sun, the wind, and the blessings that God has already provided.”
Dr. Lydia Abbo, speaking on behalf of the Women of Faith in Energy Network, added a deeply personal dimension:
“We women are carrying the weight of this crisis. We are the ones who cook with firewood, who walk long distances for water, who see our farms fail. This is why we say clearly today: subsidize solar, bring clean energy to our homes, and give dignity back to our families.”
Pilgrims Respond
The impact was immediate. Many pilgrims—farmers, students, clergy, and lay people—approached GreenFaith representatives after the service to express solidarity and ask how they could be involved. For some, it was the first time they had connected their faith with climate issues. For others, it affirmed what they already felt in their hearts: that faith must speak boldly in times of crisis.
A young pilgrim named Daniel, carrying a wooden cross on his shoulder, said with conviction:
“When I heard the leaders speak, I realized that caring for creation is also a form of martyrdom. It is a sacrifice we must make, not just for ourselves but for those who will come after us.”
Songs erupted during the procession, with pilgrims chanting refrains such as “Creation is sacred, protect it!” and “Energy justice for all!” Faith communities were visibly moved, and many leaders committed to bringing the message back to their congregations.
Looking Ahead
Uganda Martyrs Day 2025 will be remembered not only for its spiritual significance but also for its prophetic climate witness. By raising their voices in this sacred space, GreenFaith Africa wove the struggle for climate justice into the moral and spiritual fabric of Uganda’s faith communities.
This was not the end but a beginning. The seeds planted during Martyrs Day will continue
THE CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT
GreenFaith Africa was honored to partner with the Climate Reality Project for the inaugural Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training held in Nairobi a historic moment for the East African region.
This gathering marked the very first time the globally renowned Climate Reality initiative reached East Africa’s heart, bringing together people of faith, grassroots leaders, youth, and climate advocates under one roof to amplify the urgency of climate justice.
The training was not just a conference; it was a movement in the making. Nairobi, a city that symbolizes both Africa’s resilience and vulnerability in the face of the climate crisis, became the launchpad for a new generation of climate leaders. Day One of the Climate Reality Tour Training opened with an atmosphere thick with hope, solidarity, and determination.
We were honored to hear from Rev. Dennis, a devoted priest and passionate climate advocate, who shared his powerful climate reality. As a man of faith who has traveled far and wide, Rev. Dennis spoke from the heart about witnessing the devastating impacts of climate change , not in theory, but in the lived struggles of vulnerable communities. From parched lands where children
walk miles for a drop of water to villages swallowed by sudden floods, his stories carried the weight of truth and the urgency for change. Grassroots storytelling, he reminded us, paints the clearest picture of climate injustice, moving beyond graphs and statistics to reveal the human cost of inaction.
Amid this powerful exchange, we met @EcosystemPundit, known to many simply as Burhan a passionate Muslim youth leader from our GreenFaith Youth Circle in Mandera County. For Burhan, climate change is not an abstract issue discussed in air-conditioned conference rooms; it is the harsh reality of daily life. In Mandera, prolonged droughts parch the soil, leaving families hungry and herders without livestock. When rain finally comes, it is often in the form of floods that destroy the little that people have managed to build. Erratic weather patterns disrupt farming seasons, forcing families into cycles of uncertainty and loss.
Burhan’s voice is bold, unflinching, and rooted in the pain and resilience of his people. Through his testimony, he amplifies the stories of the most vulnerable, ensuring that the world cannot look away. He speaks of the real loss and damage communities endure: the drying up of wells, the collapse of traditional livelihoods, the disintegration of social safety nets, and the heartbreaking migration of families forced to abandon ancestral lands in search of survival.
What makes his story even more compelling is his unwavering commitment to faith-driven advocacy. Burhan reminds us that for communities like Mandera, the fight against climate change is not just about adaptation but about dignity, justice, and survival. His storytelling bridges faith and science, personal pain and global policy, local realities and international platforms.
As we sat in Nairobi listening to Rev. Dennis and Burhan, it became clear that this training was more than a learning space it was a moral call to action.
Together with the Climate Reality Project, GreenFaith Africa is helping to shape a movement where grassroots voices are not just heard but centered. This inaugural training marked the beginning of a journey where East Africa’s climate realities can no longer be ignored, and where faith, courage, and community power converge to demand climate justice.
This was just the beginning. Day One lit a fire that will continue to burn across East Africa and beyond, powered by stories, faith, and the undeniable urgency to act.
AMCEN 20
At the 40th Anniversary of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (#AMCEN20), a historic moment unfolded as Africa’s collective voice on climate justice resonated louder than ever. Our Executive Director, @merynewarah, stood before leaders, policymakers, civil society, and faith actors, delivering a powerful and unapologetic message rooted in justice, faith, and Africa’s right to define its own future.
With clarity and conviction, she called out the dangerous patterns of fossil fuel dependency and extractive economies that continue to hold Africa hostage. Her words cut deep into the conscience of the global audience: “Africa is not a raw material colony.” This statement was not just a rebuke of the past but a bold declaration of a new path forward, one in which Africa claims agency over its resources, development, and destiny.
She reminded us of three sobering realities:
- Africa remains structurally marginalized in the global economic order, often trapped in cycles of extraction and exploitation.
- 80% of food across the continent is produced by women, yet value addition and fair compensation remain painfully absent.
- Foreign investment continues to fuel fossil fuel expansion, often under the false guise of “clean energy transitions,” leaving African communities with polluted lands, lost livelihoods, and shattered futures.
Her message was clear: “We must stop developing for others. Development must serve Africa.” This call to reclaim Africa’s development agenda is not a rejection of progress, but rather a demand that progress must be just, inclusive, and rooted in the needs of African people not dictated by foreign interests.
Africa contributes less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet bears the brunt of the climate crisis. From devastating floods in East Africa to prolonged droughts in the Sahel, from cyclones in Southern Africa to the displacement of millions across the continent, the story is the same—our people are paying the price for a crisis they did not create. Hunger, conflict over resources, loss of biodiversity, and cultural erosion are all consequences of a system designed to profit at the expense of the vulnerable.
But amidst this sobering reality, her message was also one of resilience and faith. Faith communities across Africa are rising with courage, saying no to destructive projects like the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (#StopEACOP) and yes to renewable, life-giving alternatives.
From Uganda to Nigeria, Kenya to Ghana, interfaith movements are weaving solidarity, insisting that the moral and spiritual voice of Africa cannot be ignored.
At #AMCEN20, we were reminded that this moment in history is not simply about policies and negotiations, it is about justice, dignity, and the survival of generations to come. Africa’s rich resources, vibrant cultures, and dynamic people are not bargaining chips for global powers. They are treasures to be safeguarded and foundations upon which to build a future that honors both people and planet.
As we look ahead, let this anniversary not be a commemoration of the past alone, but a springboard into a just and sustainable future. The struggle against fossil fuel dependency is the struggle for African sovereignty. The push for renewable energy is a push for women’s empowerment, food security, and climate resilience. The demand for climate finance is a demand for reparations, not charity.
The faith and moral voice from GreenFaith Africa will continue to echo across boardrooms, conferences, and parliaments, reminding leaders that we are accountable to creation, to justice, and to each other. Africa will not be silenced. Africa will not be sidelined. Africa will define its own future.
#AMCEN40 #ClimateJustice #StopEACOP #Faiths4ClimateJustice
Cycling 4 Just Energy Transition: From the Pulpit to the Pedal
On the sidelines of the 20th Ordinary Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (#AMCEN20), something extraordinary unfolded.
It was not only the speeches inside the halls that spoke of urgency, it was also the roar of bicycles, the determination on young faces, and the prayers lifted under open skies.
Faith and action found rhythm on two wheels, through the Cycling4JustEnergyTransition campaign.
This wasn’t a mere ride. It was a pilgrimage on pedals, a procession of hope, and a public testimony that Africa’s future cannot and must not be mortgaged to fossil fuel interests.
Riding With Purpose
GreenFaith youth rode with a clarity of mission.
They were not just cyclists, they were advocates, prophets, and guardians of creation.
Their destination was not measured in kilometers but in justice. Each push of the pedal was a call for African leaders to shift gears, abandon harmful energy policies, and prioritize clean, renewable, and community-powered energy for all.
Placards raised high bore the rallying cry: #StopEACOP. Their voices echoed in unison, “No to fossil fuel dependency. Yes to renewable dignity.” The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a destructive project championed by multinational oil giants like @TotalEnergies and @Shell, stood as a stark reminder of climate injustice. Cycling 4 Just Energy Transition made sure that message reached the very doorstep of these corporations.
From the Pulpit to the Pedal
The power of this action lay in its symbolism. On Sunday, July 13th, people of faith across Africa—clergy, lay leaders, youth, and elders—joined the ride. They brought prayers, sermons, and songs from their pulpits, then carried them onto the streets with bicycles. This transition, from sacred space to public square, gave the campaign its heartbeat.
The pulpit reminded us why creation care is a moral duty. The pedal reminded us that duty is not passive—it demands motion. Together, they created a powerful chorus:
- From sermons came truth.
- From pedals came proof.
The cyclists declared: “Faith without action is dead. Faith with pedals is justice in motion.”
A Message at the Doorstep of TOTAL ENERGIES
Cyclists made deliberate stops, symbolic deliveries of truth to power. To @TotalEnergies, they declared: “Your pipelines destroy livelihoods, ecosystems, and our climate. We will not be silent.”
At every turn, the ride proclaimed a bold alternative: divest from fossil fuel projects like EACOP, and reinvest in renewable, community-centered energy that uplifts rather than exploits.
This was not just a ride in Nairobi , it was a continental message that multinationals cannot ignore. When faith communities ride together, when pulpits empty into the streets, when prayers find pedals, the message becomes impossible to silence.
Pedal by Pedal, A Future Is Born
Cycling4JustEnergyTransition showed the world that Africa’s faith communities are not waiting for saviors. They are leading. With every pedal stroke, youth declared:
- We choose solar over spills.
- We choose wind over pipelines.
- We choose justice over greed.
The ride was a living sermon—one that pointed beyond fossil fuels toward a just, renewable, and dignified future.
As the wheels turned, so did the tide of public opinion. This was more than protest; it was prophecy. It was proof that hope rides on two wheels, powered by faith, courage, and resilience.
Our Collective Call
From the pulpit to the pedal, from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, from Accra to Abuja, the message is united and clear:
Stop fueling climate injustice. Start investing in a future powered by justice, renewables, and human dignity.
The journey continues. The ride is not over. Until EACOP and all destructive fossil fuel projects are abandoned, until leaders commit fully to renewable energy, GreenFaith Africa and its allies will keep riding, with prayer in their hearts, courage in their bodies, and justice as their destination.
#StopEACOP #Cycling4JustEnergyTransition #Faiths4ClimateJustice
The Nairobi Convening from 14th to 16th July marked a profound moment of reflection and reconnection as we commenced our Midterm Review in Kenya’s capital.
It was more than just a meeting, it was a sacred gathering that brought together our passionate and dedicated staff from six African countries: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, DRC Congo, Ghana, and Nigeria. In the same room, voices blendead into one collective call for climate justice, anchored in shared struggles and shared hope.
The power of religion in such a space was undeniable. It stirred the soul, transcended borders, and rooted our actions in something far greater than ourselves. In a world gripped by climate crisis and injustice, faith emerged as the most potent driver for transformation.
As our Board of Directors Chairman @lethome_ibrahim affirmed, faith reminds us that we are not only responding to statistics or policies, but to the sacred duty of protecting creation, defending dignity, and securing justice for generations yet to come.
At GreenFaith Africa, what unfolded in Nairobi was nothing short of a spiritual and moral uprising. Communities and leaders rose together, declaring that silence in the face of climate and human injustices is no longer an option.
This is not just advocacy; it is sacred duty. This is not just action; it is faith in motion. “Let us harness the sacred power of faith to demand climate justice, uphold dignity, and build a future where both people and planet thrive. Because when faith moves, the world shifts,” echoed @PiusOko. Instead of fueling destruction, @TotalEnergies must invest in renewable energy solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal, that empowers our communities rather than displaces them. Voice by voice, we continue to demand a transition that serves people, not profit. #StopEACOP #PeopleOverPipelines
AFRICA CLIMATE SUMMIT 2
At the Africa Climate Summit 2 (ACS2) in Addis Ababa, GreenFaith Africa and its partners stood firm on a moral front: Africa’s future must not be written in the language of fossil fuels, but in the living words of justice, compassion, and sustainability. As faith leaders, activists, and youth converged, one message resounded “This is not just about policy. This is morality.”
We demanded that the Africa Climate Summit be grounded in moral obligation. We insisted that the Summit prioritize phasing out fossil fuels and center its negotiations on justice for Africa’s people. As guardians of faith and justice, we reminded leaders that Africa’s energy future is not chained to the greed of oil, coal, and gas, it is renewable, just, and sustainable.
Dr. Ali Adan, a respected Muslim Imam, voiced the essence of this moral conviction:
“Islam is a natural system revealed for humanity, a way of life that aligns us with the balance and beauty of creation. In the Qur’an, Allah reminds us: ‘It is He who has made you stewards upon the earth’ (Qur’an 35:39).”
His words echoed through the halls of the Summit, bridging faith and climate action, reminding the world that the fight for renewable energy is not just environmental — it is spiritual.
A Moral Awakening at ACS2
From the heart of Addis, GreenFaith Africa joined fellow Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) in delivering a powerful Interfaith Statement on Just Energy Transition. Bishop Coffi Roger Anoumou from Benin delivered the statement, calling upon African leaders to view energy transformation not as a financial or political agenda, but as a sacred duty.
The statement called for:
- An end to fossil fuel expansion, replacing it with renewable, affordable, and accessible energy for all;
- Centering communities and creation in energy decisions to ensure equity and justice;
- Amplifying the role of faith leaders in accelerating a just energy transition across the continent.
“Faith communities are among the wealthiest and most influential institutions in Africa,” the statement declared. “Not only in resources, but in trust.”
Imagine, it continued, if these institutions became living models of sustainability:
- When a church switches to solar, the whole village sees the future.
- When a mosque powers its madrasa with clean energy, children study without darkness.
- When a temple runs its health clinic on renewables, lives are saved with dignity.
These are not dreams , they are possibilities that GreenFaith Africa is helping to bring to life.
The Africa Energy Renaissance: A New Dawn
As the Africa Energy Renaissance Conference (AERC) kicked off during Africa Climate Week, faith leaders once again spoke in one voice:
“We will not inherit climate debt. We will not pass it on.”
From this conviction, a moral wave of energy justice surged through the conference. Faith communities reaffirmed their position at the forefront of defending people and protecting creation. The conversations at AERC deepened the call made at ACS2: renewable energy is not just a climate justice issue , it is a spiritual and ethical mandate.
GreenFaith Africa’s Director of Communications, speaking at the Faith Workshop, emphasized:
“Africa stands on sacred ground. Our ancestors lived in balance with creation. Our children deserve to inherit not smoke and smog, but sunlight and clean air. This is why our advocacy is moral, not optional.”
Youth and Universities Rise for Energy Justice
Beyond policy halls, the movement was alive in the hearts of the young. GreenFaith Africa, alongside its grassroots partners, mobilized ten universities in Ethiopia to raise a united call at ACS2. The message from students, young faith activists, and clergy was clear and unyielding:
“Africa deserves a fair and just energy transition — one rooted in morality, justice, and care for people and the planet.”
Through panel sessions, public marches, and interfaith dialogues, youth voices amplified the truth that the future cannot be powered by exploitation or false solutions. It must be powered by equity, dignity, and renewable energy.
One young climate advocate from Addis Ababa University said:
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. A just transition means ensuring we return it in better shape than we found it.”
Co-Creating a Just Future
At the close of the Africa Climate Summit, GreenFaith Africa reiterated its commitment to co-creating just energy transition models with faith communities , not for them, but with them. The belief is simple yet revolutionary: when people of faith lead, transformation follows.
The Summit reminded the continent that the road ahead requires courage, collaboration, and conviction. The moral voice of Africa’s faith communities has risen — calling leaders, institutions, and global allies to join in shaping an energy future that honors creation and restores justice.
In the words of GreenFaith Africa’s regional team:
“Faith without climate action is hollow. Climate action without faith is directionless. Together, we embody both , faith in action for a renewed Africa.”
The Africa Climate Summit 2 was more than a gathering , it was a declaration.
A declaration that Africa’s faith communities will not remain silent while creation suffers.
That the continent’s energy story will be rewritten , not in pollution and profit, but in justice, renewal, and divine stewardship.
THE GREENFAITH AFRICA WEBSITE LAUNCH: A NEW HOME FOR FAITH-DRIVEN CLIMATE ACTION
In an era defined by Environmental urgency and social awakening, the GreenFaith Africa website emerges as a vibrant digital home where faith and climate justice meet.
This newly launched platform is not just a website, it is a movement’s heartbeat, a space designed to amplify the voices, stories, and resilience of African faith communities on the frontlines of environmental transformation.
The GreenFaith Africa website provides a dynamic platform for faith voices across the continent to share their grassroots experiences and inspire collective climate action. From the smallest rural congregation planting trees by the roadside to regional interfaith networks leading policy dialogues on renewable energy, this platform ensures that no act of faith-based environmental courage goes unheard.
At its core, the website serves as a storytelling hub, showcasing initiatives and campaigns that embody GreenFaith’s moral call for climate justice. Among these are powerful movements such as STOP EACOP, KEEP OIL IN THE GROUND, LET THERE BE LIGHT, HEAL OUR LAND, OUR LAND WITHOUT OIL AFRICA, WOMEN OF FAITH IN ENERGY, CYCLING FOR JUST TRANSITION, THE CLIMATE QUIZ, and THE CLIMATE STAGE. Each of these campaigns carries a profound message: that people of faith, united by shared values of stewardship and compassion, can and must lead the moral charge for a just and sustainable future.
Spotlighting Faith in Action
The website’s heartbeat lies in its people, the mothers, youth, clergy, and activists whose faith propels them to protect creation. Through testimonials, photo essays, and documentary videos, visitors are invited into the lived realities of communities redefining what environmental justice means in an African context.
For instance, in Uganda and Tanzania, the STOP EACOP campaign chronicles the unwavering courage of faith leaders calling for an end to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, a project threatening ecosystems, livelihoods, and sacred lands. Through vivid photography and firsthand narratives, the campaign page captures both the pain of displacement and the hope of resistance, illuminating how faith can fuel justice.
In Nigeria and Ghana, the Women of Faith in Energy initiative is celebrated for empowering women to lead the clean energy revolution. The website showcases their leadership stories, how they are challenging patriarchal barriers, installing solar lamps in off-grid villages, and ensuring that no woman is left behind in the march toward energy equity. These stories, deeply rooted in faith and community, reveal the transformative potential of combining gender justice with climate action.
Meanwhile, campaigns like Cycling for a Just Transition bring a creative, youthful edge to advocacy. The campaign features young faith activists pedaling across cities and villages, spreading messages of renewable energy and environmental accountability. The website’s multimedia storytelling brings these journeys to life through route maps, reflection blogs, and community interviews, illustrating that faith activism can be both joyful and impactful.
A Digital Gateway for Advocacy and Action
Beyond storytelling, the new website is also a strategic advocacy tool. It offers direct access to digital campaign materials, including posters, toolkits, petitions, and policy briefs, empowering communities to take immediate climate action. Each campaign section links users to ongoing mobilization efforts—whether signing a petition to divest from fossil fuels, joining an interfaith webinar, or downloading a sermon guide on renewable energy.
The website’s structure is built to reflect inclusivity and interconnection. Faith organizations, journalists, researchers, and activists can all engage with its resources to learn, share, and collaborate. It also hosts updates from GreenFaith’s chapters across Africa, ensuring that insights from Nairobi, Lagos, Accra, Kampala, and Dar es Salaam reach a continental and global audience. By bridging local realities with regional solidarity, the platform creates a living network of faith-rooted climate leadership.
Each visit to the site offers an immersive experience—where art, faith, and advocacy intersect. From photo exhibitions of sacred tree-planting ceremonies to interactive quizzes testing climate knowledge, the website invites engagement that is both educational and spiritual. Visitors are not mere observers; they become part of a growing movement determined to reimagine what a livable, equitable future for Africa looks like.
Reimagining a Livable Future
The launch of the GreenFaith Africa website marks a significant milestone in the region’s climate justice journey. It symbolizes a new chapter in how faith communities communicate, organize, and influence change. As the climate crisis intensifies, threatening livelihoods, water sources, and biodiversity, faith voices are rising with renewed clarity and courage, reminding the world that ecological care is a sacred duty.
The platform champions a vision of “Our Land Without Oil”, a continent powered not by fossil fuels but by faith, innovation, and renewable energy. It reminds users that every click, every shared story, and every prayerful act contributes to a moral movement that transcends borders and denominations.
Through this digital home, GreenFaith Africa reinforces its commitment to nurturing moral leadership for environmental justice. By uplifting grassroots stories and providing tools for action, the website ensures that every faith-driven voice finds its audience, and every act of climate courage gets the visibility it deserves.
In the words of one featured faith leader on the site:
“We are not just preaching hope, we are building it. One solar lamp, one tree, one campaign at a time.”
The GreenFaith Africa website now stands as a living testament to that hope, a strategic space where belief becomes action, and action becomes transformation.
FAITHS FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN
Across Africa, a wave of moral courage rose once again under the banner of the Faiths for Climate Justice Campaign, a movement rooted in conviction, unity, and the unyielding call for a livable planet. From the bustling streets of Accra to the vibrant avenues of Nairobi, faith communities, youth, and women came together,marching, singing, and praying for climate justice. This year’s campaign reaffirmed a timeless truth: faith is not passive. It moves feet, lifts voices, and ignites hope.
In Ghana, the Draw the Line march painted the streets with color and conviction. Faith leaders, youth groups, and environmental advocates carried banners inscribed with powerful messages, “No Faith Stands with Destruction” and “Our Faiths Stand for Life.” Drummers echoed the heartbeat of a continent rising, while chants of unity filled the air. The march was more than a procession; it was a prayer in motion, a prophetic act of resistance against climate inaction and fossil fuel greed.
In Kenya, GreenFaith Africa joined hands with faith-based networks, schools, and grassroots organizations for a solidarity procession under the same campaign. Hundreds gathered in Nairobi and Mombasa, marching shoulder to shoulder in a powerful display of interfaith solidarity. “We are here because our faith demands stewardship of creation,” said Rev. Betty Wanjiku, a GreenFaith Kenya coordinator. “Our message is simple: leaders must act boldly, or our children will pay the price.” Young people led the chants, women carried symbolic seedlings of hope, and children lifted placards declaring, “Renewables for Life, Not Fossils for Death.”
Beyond the streets, digital actions brought the campaign’s spirit to millions more. Across GreenFaith Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Tanzania’s X and LinkedIn accounts, online communities united under the hashtags #Faiths4ClimateJustice and #DrawTheLine. Visual stories of marches, reflections from faith leaders, and testimonials from women and youth activists filled timelines and newsfeeds. Each post became a digital rallying cry, reminding the world that climate justice is both a moral and spiritual duty. The online campaigns amplified grassroots realities, spotlighted fossil fuel impacts, and showcased renewable energy success stories from communities who dared to reimagine their future.
In Nigeria, GreenFaith leaders shared compelling stories from women of faith in energy, calling for cleaner energy transitions and accountability in the fossil fuel sector. In Tanzania, interfaith dialogues and youth-led digital advocacy streams highlighted the intersection of faith, justice, and sustainable development. Meanwhile, Ghana’s online campaign celebrated creative expressions, spoken word, faith reflections, and artwork, emphasizing that every voice matters in the climate fight.
The outcomes of the #Faiths4ClimateJustice campaign were profound. Across borders, communities rediscovered the strength of collective faith and the transformative power of moral leadership. Faith leaders issued open letters to policymakers urging accelerated renewable energy investment. Youth networks formed coalitions for sustained advocacy. Women’s groups launched local clean energy projects inspired by the campaign’s momentum.
Together, these actions delivered a message that echoed through cities, villages, and digital spaces alike: No faith stands with destruction. All faiths stand for life.
The campaign was not merely an event, it was a declaration that Africa’s faith communities are awake, united, and ready to lead the moral call for a just and sustainable world.
As one GreenFaith Africa youth ambassador from Ghana summarized it, “We didn’t just march; we moved hearts. We didn’t just tweet; we transformed conversations. We stood for the planet, because faith without action is empty.”
Indeed, Faiths for Climate Justice continues to shine as a movement of hope, reminding the world that when faiths unite for creation, justice becomes not only possible but inevitable.
GREENFAITH AFRICA 2ND NEWSLETTER
Faith in Action, Hope in Motion — Across Africa! 🌍🔥
🌿 CELEBRATING OUR CLIMATE QUIZ CHAMPIONS!
Across six African nations, young people of faith are rising — turning curiosity into conviction, and knowledge into climate action. The GreenFaith Africa Climate Quiz Series has not only ignited learning but also built a community of spirited, eco-conscious youth shaping Africa’s clean energy future.
CLIMATE QUIZ ONE — “Clean, Renewable, Accessible, and Affordable Energy for Africa”
A thunderous applause to our trailblazers whose brilliance lit up the continent:
🥉 @Regina_Magoke (Tanzania) — Second Runner-up
Your insightful perspectives on clean energy and women’s empowerment reminded us that every action counts toward an inclusive transition.
🥈 @JudeMigz (Kenya) — First Runner-up
We’re thrilled to celebrate you, Jude! Your passion, knowledge, and unwavering commitment to environmental advocacy inspire a new generation of climate champions across borders.
🏆 @ghav_nah (Stanley Bonney, Ghana) — WINNER
Our Climate Quiz One Champion! Stanley’s bold voice for climate justice, his grounded activism, and his drive for youth-led advocacy continue to remind us that Africa’s power lies in its people.
Welcome to our GreenFaith Africa Youth Circles — where faith meets action and young climate leaders find their global family.
🌍 CLIMATE QUIZ TWO — RAISING THE BAR HIGHER!
The momentum carried on! With more contestants, deeper questions, and an explosion of creativity, our second Climate Quiz challenged participants to explore just transitions, community energy, and faith-based advocacy.
🎉 @MapekMapek (Kenya) Stephen Ouma Otieno — Third Place
Your innovative ideas on renewable solutions and community engagement show that every conversation shapes the climate narrative.
👏🏽 @MikeOyoo (Kenya) — Second Place
Stephen’s strong articulation of faith-driven energy justice keeps Kenya’s green spirit alive.
🥇 @KajumbaPrisca (Uganda) — WINNER
Congratulations Prisca! Your clarity, confidence, and heart for people-centered energy transitions made your voice stand tall. Uganda celebrates you , and so does all of Africa!
To all participants , your energy was contagious, your insights profound, and your unity inspiring. You are the heartbeat of a growing movement.
A WIN FOR THE GRASSROOTS — MACHAKOS LEADS THE WAY!
From the hills of Machakos, faith-driven action blossomed into continental recognition!
Our GreenFaith Africa Machakos Grassroots Circle has been voted Green Initiative of the Year 2025 at the prestigious ETA Awards.
This victory honors the tireless work of our local faith leaders farmers, students, clergy, and youth who’ve turned worship into environmental witness. Their tree planting drives, clean energy outreach, and interfaith collaborations stand as proof that grassroots faith is unstoppable.
Congratulations, Machakos Circle! Your faith and resilience have become a beacon of hope for all GreenFaith Circles across Africa.
“WHEN FAITH BLOOMS GREEN”
As we close this second edition, we celebrate every voice, every heart, and every hand that has shaped our collective journey.
From Lagos to Lira, from Dar es Salaam to Nairobi , faith communities are rising, women are leading, and youth are daring to dream of a greener tomorrow.
We’ve learned that when faith blooms green, change is inevitable.
When communities unite, hope becomes tangible.
And when the young lead with conviction , the Earth rejoices.
Stay tuned for Climate Quiz Three, new Circle Spotlights, and our upcoming “Voices of Faith” multimedia series.
Together, we are rooted in faith, powered by hope, and united for the planet.
#GreenFaithAfrica #ClimateJustice #YouthOfFaith #Faiths4Earth