Keza and the Green City PDF

Bugesera, Rwanda. After a long drought, Keza’s On that same day, arriving in Kigali. family have lost all of their crops and are moving to Kigali in search of a better life....

Bugesera, Rwanda. After a long drought, Keza’s On that same day, arriving in Kigali. family have lost all of their crops and are moving to Kigali in search of a better life. I know that you don’t want to go. But if we stay, we will have no Hey kids, food and water. sadly, the time has Is this the come, we must city? It’s so leave the farm. crowded here. I don’t like it! Mama, can we please go back? I want to go back home! The harvests have been very bad, we have no choice. What does Kigali look like? I feel scared… I don’t want to go. I know that you’re upset, but this is our new home. Me too, Keza. I don’t know, I’ve heard it has many big buildings, but no lake to swim in. Things will get better. Soon I’ll find a job and you’ll go to a new school. 66 7 Meanwhile, at the city hall, the Mayor and his team hear about the terrible drought affecting This is an the country… environmental disaster! Around the world, rain is becoming stronger. More We must do and more families are in something! danger of flooding. …and in other parts, the lack of rain is destroying harvests and depleting water reserves. The drought in Bugesera and Nyagatare is getting worse. The Mayor and his team are worried because many citizens have had to leave their homes. This is very worrying, people will struggle to find food… This is one of the reasons why so many people are moving to Kigali in hope of a better life. I fear this will overburden our city though and that’s a problem! 8 9 Keza and Ntwali in their new neighbourhood of Kinyinya. Look! That girl I think she goes has the same to our school, uniform as us! let’s go and say hi! Come on, Keza! SchooWl will be really fun! I hope I can join the football team. Hey, wait! Don’t worry, take a seat and try to relax. I don’t want to go! The bus is too full! Huh? Hi, I’m Keza and this is my No way! I’m in S2 brother Ntwali. as well. My name’s I’m in grade S2. Simbi. Ewww... there are so many cars and trucks! Nice to meet cough you, Simbi! cough !! 10 11  Hurry up, kids! Go to the water pump before it’s dark. Afterwards, you need to do your At school, two weeks later… Driiiiiiing ! homework. Hurry… it’s the bell, we’re It’s the late again! third time this week. Oh no! Look at that long line! We‘re going to get home way after dark. You two are late… again. ! Keza, I’m worried about you. You’re a good student, but you’re always late and your marks are dropping. I’m really sorry, Mr Kamanzi. I fetch water until it’s dark. When I get home, there’s no light so I can’t do my homework. There’s no way I can finish my homework tonight. My teacher is going to be disappointed again. I understand it’s not easy, but try to find a way. 12 12 13  Hey Keza, I heard that you can’t study because there’s I don’t know what no electricity in your The next week, at Keza’s house… to do! Now I’m in house? trouble because it’s too dark to do my homework. What are you doing? I’m harvesting rain so we don’t have to go to the water pump! Hmmm, is this one of the strange ideas from your environmental club? Wow, really… Have you heard about Simbi’s you always have crazy inventions? She light?!? brought her solar lamps to our environmental “Go Green Club.” Now we always have light! It is! And now we can finally study in the afternoon instead of late at night. Wow, so cool! This Go Green Club is awesome! Yes! Join the Go Green Club tomorrow so I can show you! 14 15 In the afternoon… I’m so The next day, the kids observe the damage happy to the storm has brought to Kinyinya. see you! Come in. Wow! Is this the solar lamp? Look how bright it is. The rain destroyed so much. Some of the houses even Yeah, the sun collapsed! charges it during the day and then This is terrible! I can use it to study at night. What do we do now? We will have to rebuild everything. I don’t want to leave our home again!! The sounds of thunder grow louder and louder. Oh no, the storm is getting I want to help! really crazy! But where do we start? I know… let’s use Simbi’s inventions! But we need more people, we can’t do it alone. 16 17 17 Later that afternoon… The next afternoon at school… Mine too, I can’t believe and the that my house roof fell How completely off. could this flooded. happen? It was soooo scary! The rain affected all of us. We need to work together. Calm down, everyone! Oh no… Keza, Simbi and the Go The house is Green Club have an flooded! idea on how to rebuild our homes! Noooo! My inventions are ruined! Ntwali is right, children. You’re probably wondering why these things are happening more often? It’s called climate change, and that’s why we have more droughts and heavy rainfalls. 18 19  Join the Go Green The emissions caused by Club and help people are changing the us fight climate climate all over the world. change! In the future, rain may get even heavier and the temperatures could rise. We can use them to build stronger walls Humans are and homes. polluting the air and the water, and Extreme heat and putting lives in drought is causing serious danger. terrible fires, But if we work threatening entire together, we ecosystems. can protect the environment. Natural materials like bamboo, clay and wood do less damage to the environment. Our neighbourhood will be clean and green! 20 20 21  … and this is how we can have green The Go Green Club goes back to electricity and Two public servants of the Mayor’s Office Kinyinya and explains their plan to fresh water. We don’t need attend the Go Green meeting in Kinyinya. their neighbours. to harm the environment to These children live a good life! Yes! He will be excited are doing amazing What is green things. The Mayor to hear that children electricity? should know about are developing ideas this! for a greener and better Kinyinya. Electricity that comes from the sun or is made with the power of water! This is our mission. Everyone can contribute in different ways from The public servants return to the Mayor’s reducing waste to office to bring him the good news. planting more Mayor! Something amazing is happening in Kinyinya. You need to see this! Let’s protect our planet. Let’s save Kinyinya! 22 23 At the city hall… The Mayor kept his promise and joined the Go Green WOW! Club in Kinyinya. They built new houses, schools and hospitals with clay, wood and bamboo… Can you believe that the Mayor wants to meet us? It’s so exciting! He liked the work of the Go Green Club! The new neighbourhood was green and environmentally friendly. Houses were stronger and could resist heavy rain. Nobody had to worry anymore. They’ve thought of everything, from clean electric buses and motos, to green spaces planted with many plants and trees. We want to use green technologies, natural materials and solar energy to build a sustainable neighbourhood in Kinyinya. Do you want to be part of it? Oh wow! Yes! We’d love to! 24 25 Clean solar energy arrived in Kinyinya. Keza’s family never had power cuts again, and the Great news kids could play and study any time they class, everyone wanted to … passed! Oh wow… I got 100%! Well done, Keza. And I have more good news! The First Lady wants to meet you. And they were not the only ones. Rwanda is so proud of you! 26 26 27 27 3 YEARS LATER... Kinyinya is now a green city and an inspiration to other Keza is now travelling all over Rwanda, teaching cities in Rwanda affected by climate change. Together, people about climate change and sustainable living. we really can save the planet! Moving here with my family changed our lives! Now every city in Rwanda is becoming a green city, just like Kinyinya. And you? Would you like to live in a green city? 28 28 29 29