My success is climate change

The scene was catastrophic.

Sand invaded everything.

Villages were buried under glowing sand particles.

The villages of Bara in North Kordofan, western Sudan, were suffering from desertification caused by climate change.

Students dropped out of school due to the lack of breakfast provided by the local authorities and their inability to reach schools far from their villages to make the morning assembly. They were then beaten if they were late for class.

Women suffered miscarriages due to carrying water long distances from their villages after the village well dried up as a result of desertification and was buried by sand.

Livestock died, and cows, sheep, and camels died after the valley was devoid of grass and the well water dried up.

Poverty, disease, and malnutrition plagued children and residents, who fled their villages for new ones.

All of this catastrophe was caused by the high levels of desertification resulting from climate change. I used to travel from village to village, sometimes on foot, sometimes on a donkey, and sometimes in the organization's vehicle.

It became clear to me that the major problem caused by desertification was land degradation and the collapse of the region's economic structure.

To find solutions, I was part of a team working to combat desertification. I studied the land and climate in the region and discovered a need to plant drought-resistant trees and improve water use.

I worked with local communities to implement a tree-planting project and improve water use. I trained farmers in sustainable farming techniques, and we planted thousands of trees that helped stabilize the soil and improve air quality.

I then received a grant from the British organization Panos London to enter a competition with Ethiopian journalists to tell stories about the impact of climate change on farmers in Addis Ababa. The winning stories would be published on the United Nations Environment Programme website in New York.

I accepted the challenge and traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, there was a major problem: heavy rains caused flooding, drowning crops, and destroying infrastructure. Women were struggling to farm under heavy rains and crop failures.

I was part of a team working to find solutions to the problem of heavy rains. I studied rainfall patterns and the city's infrastructure and identified a need to improve drainage systems and flood early warning.

I worked with local authorities to implement a project to improve drainage systems and flood early warning. I installed flood early warning systems and trained emergency workers on flood response.

I documented the stories of farmers, their suffering, and the stress they endured when harvesting and trying to market their crops.

My stories, painstakingly crafted by Ethiopian women farmers, were published on the UN Environment website on Earth Day on June 6 in New York.

These stories then led to my selection for another grant from the Earth Journalists Network and InterNews Europe, funded by the UN, to cover the UN conference in Indonesia, specifically Bali, the island of Hollywood's rich and famous.

In Bali, Indonesia, I was part of a team of 40 journalists from around the world monitoring climate change and its impacts on fishermen. I studied weather patterns and changes in temperature and salinity in the water. I discovered that significant changes in weather patterns, temperature, and salinity were affecting fishing.

With my camera, I documented the fishermen's concerns about their future and the lives of their children, and with my pen, I documented their mortal fear for their livelihoods.

Then... I turned to solutions...

I worked with local fishermen to develop a climate change monitoring system and provide early warnings about changes in weather and salinity. I trained fishermen in the use of monitoring and analysis techniques, providing accurate information about climate change. My message...

Mother Earth, I'm trying to help you continue carrying our burden on your back with clean energy.

I pledge my pen and camera to you to expel the filth from the harmful waste and debris.

Activists and I strive to make your face brighter so your lungs can breathe.

Pure air prolongs your life...and our lives.

Nadra