The Restoring Fisheries for Sustainable Livelihoods in Lake Malawi program, or REFRESH, is conserving the freshwater biodiversity of Lake Malawi by restoring natural fisheries productivity in the lakeshore districts of Karonga, Rumphi, Likoma, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Salima, Dedza and Mangochi.
Bussi Island is located in the Wakiso district, which suffers a deforestation rate of 86.7 percent. The leading cause of deforestation is the increased demand for agricultural land, charcoal and fuel wood by a rapidly growing population. The majority of villagers often cook using the three-brick/stone method, which requires massive consumption of firewood, increases carbon emissions and has serious consequences for people's health. Over time, women that use this method of cooking may suffer blurred vision and lung disease.
The Health of People & Environment in the Lake Victoria Basin (HoPE-LVB) is a 3-year project in rural areas of the Lake Victoria Basin in Uganda and Kenya that aims to provide underserved families and communities with knowledge and skills to improve reproductive health, reduce levels of poverty through livelihoods_and sustainably manage local natural resources. In 2012, HoPE-LVB conducted a baseline study to inform project design and determine baseline values for key outcome indicators.
People living in the Lake Victoria Basin face urgent health, environmental, and economic challenges. They need the power to access sexual and reproductive health services and manage their natural resources sustainably. In two districts in Uganda and two counties in Kenya, the Health of People and Environment in Lake Victoria Basin (HoPE-LVB) Project is making sure they can.
Since the launch of the Health of People and the Environment in the Lake Victoria Basin (HoPE-LVB) project, staff and partners have engaged key district, national and regional health and environment officials in Kenya and Uganda. In this project, HoPE-LVB partners with community-level champions to spread the word about the benefits of the PHE approach. Champions were selected by the communities themselves to speak publicly about the project and PHE and promote the integrated approach to local governments and other development projects.