According to the Green Climate Fund, more than 80% of the working population in Niger relies on agriculture and animal farming, which makes it vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In such context, historic mobility is part of the way of life in West Africa and the Sahel, where population movements must also be understood as an adaptation strategy in the face of environmental changes.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Niger is currently conducting a study to identify, qualify and quantify the effects of environmental changes on mobility patterns.
Driven by the motivation to support the project with a design-thinking strategy for humanitarian response, Nupur Gurjar joined the initiative as an Online Volunteer.
She is in charge of developing an interactive advocacy tool for policymakers, aid actors and communities to effectively source strategies for the ongoing climate crisis.
Over the last few months, Nupur has defined the scope, the methodology and a structure for the tool, with a strategic design-thinking approach to this complex issue.
The tool is being developed thanks to Nupur's great mind, motivation and skills. Her expertise increases the scope and content of our work and allows us to highlight local solutions to a global issue." -- Orlane Mathieu Maincent, IOM Project Officer
A Master's student at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in the USA, Nupur has already designed, as part of her master's thesis, the digital application 'Jeevika' for climate migrants in Bangladesh. The app aims to empower migrants to make informed decisions about livelihood diversification based on their vulnerability, skills and climate change risks.
I brought a wealth of knowledge on the subject matter through stakeholder engagement on climate migration around the world. This allowed me to design a dynamic, visual and educational tool that offers alternatives to migration adaptation strategies based on environmental, social and territorial parameters." -- Nupur Gurjar, Online Volunteer
In the Sahel region, already exposed to a challenging environment - further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic - communities are highly dependent on their environment for daily subsistence. Now, more than ever, traditional or innovative local adaptation models should be documented and promoted.
There is immense wealth to be tapped into from local adaptation records. An intuitive sense that encompasses design strategy and critical thinking will give a holistic lens for community-oriented research, analysis and meaningful delivery." -- Nupur Gurjar, Online Volunteer