It Takes A Village

They say it takes a village, not just to raise a child, but to solve the challenges that affect everyday life. In Uganda, addressing pollution is proving to be one of those challenges. 

Across the country, pollution is a growing concern, yet one that can feel distant or difficult to act on. For many communities, awareness of the risks remains limited, and opportunities to engage in solutions are not always accessible.

Change is already happening 

On 29 January 2026, the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) brought together civil society organisations, partners, and practitioners through a webinar focused on the role of communities in addressing pollution.

As a national youth-led network, the Youth Advocacy Development Network (YADNET) worked to connect Equal Lives Foundation, Hands of Hope Initiative, and Anai Climate Inclusion Network to lead a community awareness campaign in at-risk neighbourhoods in Kampala, Uganda.

Translating ideas into action

Through site visits, school activities, and community discussions, Equal Lives Foundation helped people identify everyday sources of pollution, from open burning to small-scale industrial activities, reaching 144 community members through awareness sessions. Their initiatives also engaged 115 students, including children with disabilities, in creating a school mural that highlights both pollution risks and solutions. 

These efforts are beginning to shift behaviour. Schools are committing to environmental clubs, and community members are making pledges to reduce harmful practices such as open burning.

By creating spaces for dialogue and bringing together local stakeholders, Hands of Hope supported communities in better understanding how pollution affects their health and what actions could be taken collectively.

Meanwhile, Anai Climate Inclusion Network focused on high-risk communities. Through workshops, school outreach, and targeted engagement with informal workers, their work reached 772 people across communities, garages, schools, and women’s groups, with women making up the majority of participants. 

These activities were bringing attention to risks that are often overlooked, while promoting safer practices among those most exposed.

It takes a village 

A common thread across all these efforts was Gender Equality Disability and Social inclusion. Each organisation was working to ensure that women, youth, and persons with disabilities are actively involved, not only as participants, but as contributors to solutions. 

The webinar provided a platform to share these experiences, bringing together different voices and showing what is possible when communities work together.