Project focused on renewable energy promotion launched in Bunyoro
HOIMA, March 14, 2025 – Women in the Bunyoro region have reason to celebrate following the launch of the “African Women of Faith in Energy” initiative, which aims to empower women faith leaders to champion renewable energy solutions in grassroots communities across Africa, fostering a just and inclusive energy transition.
The five-year project, which is being implemented in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria, is led by GreenFaith, an international, interfaith environmental organisation that inspires, trains, and organises people of diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds for environmental action, focusing on grassroots activism and climate justice.
The project was launched recently at Kyabahesi Church of Uganda, located in Kyabahesi Cell, Hoima West Division in Hoima City.
Speaking at the launch, Modeste Lynn, Regional Coordinator for African Women of Faith in Energy, explained that the initiative aims to promote renewable energy sources such as solar, hydropower, geothermal energy, and wind power, among others.
She highlighted that the project would train rural women to use available resources to develop their own energy solutions.
Lynn further emphasised that the project targets religious women because religion has a wide following, and they aim to leverage different faiths to create a significant impact. She also mentioned that the organisation intends to raise awareness on how local communities can access government funding for renewable energy projects.
“Globally, the conversation is about climate change, which is largely driven by energy-related issues. Fossil energy is one of the major causes of climate change, and that is why we need to have this conversation. One way to combat climate change is by promoting renewable energy and raising awareness within communities about the health hazards related to the use of fossil fuels,” she added.
Local women welcomed the project and urged the government to make renewable energy sources more accessible to them as part of the effort to combat climate change. They pointed out that a large percentage of the population in Bunyoro Subregion still relies on fossil fuels, which have a destructive impact on the local environment.
Jane Murungi, a resident of Buseruka Sub-county and farmer, said that there is a need for the government to subsidise renewable energy facilities so that they become accessible to every member of the community. She noted that as Uganda continues to depend on fossil fuels, women are the most affected by climate change, as they are the primary custodians of the environment and energy-related issues.
Beatrice Rukanyanga, a local partner of GreenFaith in Hoima District, stated that climate change is a real issue, and there is an urgent need for deliberate efforts to address the challenge. She added that some members of the community are still using candles at home, which negatively impacts their health. She called for the promotion of solar energy in rural areas to mitigate this problem.
Rev. John Nyakoojo, the priest of Kyabahesi Church, urged the planting of more trees in the region as the government prepares for the production phase of oil and gas in the Albertine region. He pointed out that oil and gas activities have led to the destruction of vegetation, and he believes that planting more trees will help restore the environment.
He also expressed concern about the increasing encroachment on wetlands by rice, beans, and maize farmers and called on the government to intervene.
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