Climate Just Communities (CJC) Rwanda

The Climate Just Communities (CJC) Rwanda programme empowered 64,000 marginalised people to lead climate action in rural Rwandan communities. With a goal of achieving big impact the project focused on helping everyone in the communities shape their own climate responses to flooding and landslides.

The programme worked with the most marginalised people in rural communities including teen mothers, single mother households, people with disabilities, youth, older people, survivors of genocide to design their own climate responses. The activities responded to people’s specific needs and priorities, including rebuilding houses (165), supplying rainwater harvesting tanks (165), terracing steep slopes (23Ha), cultivating and planting trees, distributing livestock (1782 livestock (836 goats, 946 pigs)), income generating activities, Village Savings and Loans (VSL), increasing gender equality, referring people for orthopaedic care, providing assistive devices such as wheelchairs (73), white canes and crutches (16), training youth to be climate ambassadors.

The CJC programme demonstrates that climate action is most effective when it is led by communities, inclusive of those whose voices are not always heard, and responsive to local needs. Rather than following a fixed blueprint, CJC worked in places and among groups that are often overlooked. The programme recognised that communities affected by climate change already hold valuable knowledge, strong social networks, and the ability to adapt. These strengths are essential for building meaningful and lasting responses to climate challenges. “CJC taught us about our rights. We now have no barriers preventing us from asking for what we deserve.” Older female participant.