The People's Health Hearing

Teatime: food for when you're feeling down

Submitted by Eleanor Begley, National Food Service London

London, UK

Eleanor Begley is an artist and researcher working on people-centred storytelling on climate and food justice.

www.instagram.com/el_begley
https://nationalfoodservice.uk

Health Impact of the Proposed Lamu Coal Plant

Submitted by Liza Mungatia, EcoMoran

Africa, Kenya, Nairobi

Back in 2018, a coal plant project was proposed in Lamu, which is in the coastal region of Kenya. Most importantly, it is one of the listed world heritage sites by UNESCO. Besides the foreseen impacts of the plant on the world heritage site, the community and biodiversity were at a risk. Coal being a black energy, it produces a lot of carbon emissions that not only have a greenhouse effect but also health consequences. Community members in Lamu are majorly indigenous people that are very innocent to me and it is not fair putting them in such a vulnerable situation.

Already, they are struggling with existing climate change impacts such as drought, famine, and heatwaves. Hence, bringing another problem that is health related does not sit right with me. Health issues related with coal power generation include respiratory complications. In addition, the materials that were to be used in this process would one way or another find their way into the water bodies (mostly the Indian Ocean) and through biomagnification and bioaccumulation they could cause adverse health effects to both the marine animals and the community members such as cancer which with time could affect a higher population.

These unforeseen health impacts are what drove me to get involved in the advocacy and capacity building campaigns against the coal plant project in Lamu. I am happy to report that eventually the court of law halted the project in June 2019. I will live to pride in that activity because I believe we saved a lot that could have affected the community in Lamu negatively.

https://ecomoran.wixsite.com/ecomoran
www.instagram.com/_ecomoran

My mother's struggle lives on

Submitted by Malungelo Xhakaza, Global Witness

Africa, KwaZulu Natal Province - South Africa, South Africa

Malungelo Xhakaza, anti-coal activist and daughter of MCEJO organiser Fikile Ntshangase, discusses the impact of a new coal mine on her community, including contaminated water, livestock deaths, violation of rights, building damage and ideological divisions.

saveourwilderness.org

People's Health Hearing LIVE — Session 1

With AkpoBari Celestine, Patricia Miranda, Gopal Krishna, Raki Ap and Mafel Macalanda.

India, nigeria, Philippines, Punganay, West Papua

We started the People’s Health Hearing with Baijayanta Mukhopadhyay from the People’s Health Movement and Rhiannon Osborne from Students for Global Health setting out the space and the intentions for the day. Abi Deivanayagam from Race & Health invited us all to light a candle to mark the opening of the hearing. In session 1, we heard testimonies from Patricia Miranda, Akpobari Celestine, Mafel Macalanda, Gopal Krishna and Raki Ap bringing together their reflections from the Philippines, Nigeria, India and West Papua. To close the session, we heard from two of the listener’s, Ken Henshaw and Maan Tablang.

Fumigated

Submitted by Exaltación Salud

Argentina, BuenosAires, Exaltación de la Cruz, South America

Exaltación Salud is a neighborhood group founded in 2012 that works for food sovereignty and to eradicate pesticides.

We work in order to live in a healthy environment. It is not possible to grow healthy food in diseased land. Through our struggle we have succeeded in completely banning aerial spraying.

We won a court case to successfully ban the application of hazardous agriculture substances within 1,000 meters of homes, schools and waterways.

We are currently involved in several criminal proceedings for attacks against health and the environment, against producers who use dangerous pesticides and the authorities that allow it.

@exaltacionsalud

People's Health Hearing LIVE — Session 3

With Yasunidxs Guapondelig, Damiàn Verzeñassi, Goran Zangana and Observatory of Political Ecology of Venezuela.

Argentina, Cuenca, Ecuador, Iraq, kurdistan, venezuela

Session 3 was introduced by Erika Arteaga Cruz from the People’s Health Movement Ecosystems & Health Circle and Kavian Kulasabanathan from Race & Health, re-sharing the candles lit in the first session, acknowledging all of us together coming into this space from across the world. We heard testimonies from Paulo Granizo and Nidia María Solíz Carrión from Yasunidxs Guapondelig, Damián Verzeñassi from InSSA, Goran Zangana and the Observatorio de Ecologia Politica De Venezuela, who shared their testimonies from Ecuador, Argentina, Iraq and Venezuela. We heard at the end of the session from Tatiana Garavito and Kanahus Manuel, who shared their reflections as Listeners.

People's Health Hearing LIVE — Session 4

Listener's Reflections with Tatiana Garavito, Ken Henshaw, Rosalinda “Maan” Tablang, Tammam Aloudat, Kanahus Manuel and Noemí Gualinga.

Amazon, Ecuador, First Nations territory, Niger Delta, Philippines, Syria, UK

Listener’s Reflections

Abi Deivanayagam from Race & Health and Ben Eder from Medact facilitated the closing session of the People’s Health Hearing. We welcomed all of the listener’s to share their reflection from the testimonies they heard throughout the day and from the online gallery, weaving in their own stories of resistance and visions for justice. Tatiana Garavito closed the hearing with an invitation to hold an object that will support us to remember the stories we shared and listened to together.

Kwentuhang Klima: Fishers Strike for Climate Justice

Submitted by Karlenma Mendoza, Climate Change Network for Community-based Initiatives, Inc (CCNCI)

Philippines, Quezon City

This is the story of the struggle of Filipino fisherfolk for their right to food, health, livelihood and climate justice.

ccnciphil.org
facebook.com/ccnci
[email protected]

Jarilla's Network of Healthy Plants from the Patagonia

Submitted by Red Jarilla de Plantas Saludables de la Patagonia

Argentina, South America

RED JARILLA DE PLANTAS SALUDABLES DESDE LA PATAGONIA

Somos guardianes de vida acuerpando el Küme Mongen (Buen Vivir). Gente hermanada, vinculada con los dones de las plantas, sin fines de lucro… sí en gratitud y reciprocidad.

Somos círculo que nos iguala, que reactiva memorias ancestrales y nos fortalece para el cuidado de los territorios, del agua, de las semillas.

Somos rizomas: no sabemos cuántas, pero siempre brotamos aquí y allá.

Somos insectos: zumbamos y picamos molestando, pero también besamos las flores y libamos su dulzura. Hacemos trabajo de hormiga y también volamos como panaderos de dientes de león a compartir causas otras.

Y aunque la digna rabia tantas veces sea el motor que nos moviliza, preferimos hacer viditancia desde la alegría y el placer. Así nomás… tranquilitas y constantes, hace ya unos veinte años de andanzas y juntanzas colectivas. Salud!

Desde territorio ancestral mapuche
Red Jarilla de Plantas Saludables de la Patagonia
Primavera de 2021

JARILLA’S NETWORK OF HEALTHY PLANTS FROM THE PATAGONIA

We are the guardians of life, supporting the Küme Mongen (Good Living). We are twinned people/women, linked to the gifts of plants, not for profit… but in gratitude and reciprocity.

We are a circle that makes us equal, that reactivates ancestral memories and strengthens us for the care of the territories, of the water, of the seeds.

We are rhizomes: we do not know how many, but we always sprout here and there.

We are insects: we buzz and sting annoyingly, but we also kiss the flowers and release their sweetness. We do ant work and also fly like dandelion bakers to share causes with others.

And although dignified rage is so often the engine that moves us, we prefer to do viditancia (lifeactivism) from joy and pleasure. Just like that… quiet and constant, for about twenty years of collective wanderings and gatherings. HEALTH!

From Mapuche ancestral territory
Jarilla Network of Healthy Plants of Patagonia
Spring of 2021