Dear friend,
“We are just living on borrowed time.”
Emem, a leader of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, our partner in Nigeria, shared this when describing the exorbitant levels of illnesses and deaths caused by pollution from oil and gas companies.
Over 2 million people in Nigeria and the Niger Delta live close to gas flaring sites, intentional burning of excess gas that releases massive amounts of pollutants.
Earlier this year, we visited our partner Kebektache in Nigeria. We witnessed firsthand the devastation wrought on community members and the Earth from oil and gas industries.
We cut open fish to find petroleum in their bellies, smelled the dizzying stench of toxic fumes in the air, and saw massive bodies of water reduced to thick sludge congealed on the river floor.
While the Niger Delta is one of the most polluted places on Earth, local communities are building a more just and sustainable future.
Our partner Kebetkache is a community action, education, and advocacy group committed to women’s rights and environmental justice in Nigeria. Since 2004, it has been fighting against oil and gas companies that have led a trail of devastation in the Niger Delta.
