By Correspondent Rose Ngunangwa in Mbinga
Stakeholders in Mbinga District have been called upon to preserve the environment and ensure it remains balanced with the growing population, as the geographical area continues to remain unchanged.
Mbinga District Commissioner, Hon. Kisare Makori, made the call over the weekend while officiating an empowerment workshop for women and youth leaders on water resource management in Tanzania.
The District Commissioner said addressing climate challenges requires joint efforts, noting that the environment is facing increasing pressure due to human activities. He added that failure to address these challenges will lead to serious problems in the future.
Earlier, in her welcoming remarks, Advocate Philomena Mwalongo, Executive Director of Youth Environmental Justice and Gender Equality (YOGE), highlighted water as a critical sector that requires special attention.
For his part, Ruvuma and Southern Coast Basin representative, Deusdedit Gonelamenda, appealed to stakeholders to protect the Ruvuma River, describing it as a vital resource. He expressed hope that all participants would become ambassadors for the protection of water resources.
“Women and youth are the ones who suffer the most when there is a shortage of water, as they are primarily responsible for fetching it,” he said.
The session was conducted by the Youth Environmental Justice and Gender Equality (YOGE), with support from IUCN’s BRIDGE Women Leadership Grants with the Tanzania Media for Community Development as one among the partners.
Using a socio-cultural approach, the workshop brought together women and youth leaders, representatives from Water User Associations, sub-catchment committees, the Office of the Regional Commissioner of Ruvuma, local government authorities, water resource management authorities, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, media practitioners, and other key stakeholders in water resource management.
This activity forms part of the Inclusive Freshwater Governance for Sustainable Communities in the Ruvuma Basin “Voices for Water” project, launched in early 2026. The project aims to strengthen inclusive, equitable, and gender-responsive water governance across the Ruvuma Basin by empowering women and youth to actively participate in decision-making processes at both community and basin levels.
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