Falling Walls Engage Hub Kenya
Bringing together Science Engagement Communities
After a successful launch in March 2020, where we explored the Science Engagement landscape in Kenya, the Falling Walls Engage Hub Kenya continues to bring together Science Engagement communities from around the world in partnership with Mawazo Institute in Nairobi. The Hub is managed by Kari Mugo, communications consultant at Mawazo Institute.
PAST EVENTS
Kari Mugo and Silvia Mwendia joined the Falling Walls Engage Hub Canada’s virtual series on Science Engagement around the world to discuss the work of Mawazo Institute.
The Falling Walls Engage Hub Kenya’s second event took place on 22 March 2022. The Quiz Night ‘It’s Getting Hot in Here’ was designed to explore how human behaviour is impacting human and marine health, livelihoods and ecosystems on the Western Indian Ocean.
The event was hosted as part of the Mawazo Institute’s Climate Week public engagement activities. Through a mix of in-person/hybrid events and virtual events, Climate Week shared local research, ideas, and approaches to planetary health that can strengthen community networks and instigate urgent action on climate issues for individuals and institutions in Eastern Africa, and beyond.
As a country at the forefront of African research into climate change, Kenya is an ideal location to explore the impacts of human behaviour on the region; and the potential challenges and opportunities arising. Kenya and South Africa are the only African countries among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of hosting institutions receiving funding for climate-related research on Africa (IPCC Report: Africa Chapter, 2022). Climate change adaptation is also legislated into Kenya’s development strategy through the Climate Change Act of 2016 which requires the Government to develop action plans to guide the mainstreaming of climate change into sector functions. The Act is the first climate change-dedicated legislation in Africa. As of this writing, only one other country in Africa – Benin – has a climate change framework law like this.
Hub participants took part in a quiz night with marine scientist Dr. Fiona Moejes and media personalities, Wanjira Longauer and Georgie Ndirangu. The format for the Quiz Night is inspired by SciCo’s Celebrity Science; a broadcast show aimed at distributing scientific knowledge into the wider public in a creative and inspiring manner so as to contribute to scientific literacy.
The webinar entitled “Eastern Africa Challenges & Opportunities to Planetary Health” was organised as part of Mawazo’s Climate Week. Melvine Otieno, founder of the Planetary Health Eastern Africa Hub (PHEAH), introduced the concept of planetary health, its relevance for the Eastern African region and the work of PHEAH – from education and community engagement to research and advocacy.
Engage Hub Kenya 2021
On 25 May 2021, the Engage Hub Kenya hosted the online webinar entitled “African in the Ivory” as part of the public engagement programme Nairobi Ideas Exchange. On the occasion of Africa Day, African scientists, innovators and storytellers discussed the issue of equity and the sciences.
The event brought together Dr. Fiona Moejes (Mawazo Institute), Anna Chisa (Root of the Science Podcast & Falling Walls Engage Finalist 2021), Dr. Esther NGumbi (University of Illinois) and Judy Ngina (Mawazo Learning Exchange Fellow).
Contact
If you have any questions or would like to connect with the Falling Walls Engage Hub Kenya, send us an email at [email protected].