DAY 1 - SUNCASA PEER LEARNING EVENT ON NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND GENDER EQUALITY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

These presentations were given as part of the SUNCASA (Scaling Urban Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa) Peer Learning Event, which took place in Kigali, Rwanda, from February 10 to 12, 2025.

1. The Year in Review:
Learning from SUNCASA
Peer Learning Event
Project partners
Day 1 | February 10, 2025
Funded byHost city

2. Welcome from our Hosts
Janina Schnick
SUNCASA Project Lead |
IISD
Marc Manyifika – Host Country
Lead for Urban Water
Resilience | WRI

3. Welcome from the Mayor, City of Kigali
Lord Mayor
Samuel Dusengiyumva

4. SUNCASA in Action | Driving Nature-Based Solutions for Africa’s Future

5. Meet the Facilitation Team
Alec Crawford
IISD - Lead
Facilitator
Sam Boardley
IISD - Lead
Facilitator
Lisa Beyer
WRI - Lead
Facilitator
Ana Balanean
IISD - Facilitator
Nicole Heaney
IISD - Facilitator

6. Meet the Communications and Public Engagement Team
Cesar Henrique
Arrais IISD
Eden Takele
WRI Africa

7. Meet the PLE Support Team
Kulupa Mkindlanyana
IISD - Project Manager &
Event Contact
M: [phone]
Tigist Bekele
IISD - Project Assistant &
Event Contact
M: [phone]
Meghan Stromberg
WRI - Urban Resilience
Project Coordinator

8. Introduction to the
Peer Learning Event
What is peer learning, what can we expect, and how will
we work together over the next 3 days?

9. What is Peer Learning?
•Peer learning occurs when two or more
people learnwith and from one
another.
•Peer learning is:
•reciprocal
•intentional
•focused on issues, challenges, or a
context that peers have in common.

10. Peer Learning Principles
•Sustained, continuous learning process
•Participatory, collective, emergent learning
•Joint ownership of equal peers
•Equal, transparent, open communications
•Inclusive, gender-responsive learning
•Emphasis on ‘tacit knowledge’ (i.e., knowledge that
has not been made explicit or codified)

11. Peer Learning Components
•Technical inputs from "experts" (local to global) that
enhance understanding and help frame discussions.
•Relational opportunities for participants to exchange
knowledge and experiences, and to learn from their peers.
•Reflexive activities where participants take time to unpack
what they have learned from the technical inputs and peer
interactions and to apply it in their city contexts.
•Experiential activities where participants observe and
experience the technical or theoretical concepts applied in a
real-world context.

12. Fostering Engaging
Exchanges
One of our priorities is to facilitate dynamic, engaging,
and participatory peer learning and exchanges.
Some of the facilitation methods that we will employ
include:
•Knowledge clinic
•Knowledge marketplace
•World café
•Fishbowl conversations
•Participatory timeline
•Structured self-assessment

13. SUNCASA PLE Objectives
•To engage in a peer-to-peer exchange of experiences
on the effective planning, design and
implementation of gender responsive and socially
inclusive NbS for adaptation in African cities
•To identify common challenges and lessons learned
from Year 1, as well as course corrections necessary
heading into Year 2 (and beyond)
•To strengthen the relationships between SUNCASA
peers and teammates

14. Our Collaboration Contract
How we commit to working together over the next 3 days
•Be present
•Practice active listening
•Share the air
•Stay curious about other peoples'
perspectives, feelings and lived
experiences
•Challenge yourself
•Be respectfully honest

15. Agenda
The full 3-day agenda can be found in your Participant
Pack

16. Agenda: Day 1
08:30 Registration
09:00 Welcome and opening remarks
09:30 Introduction to the PLE event
10:00 Icebreaker Activity
10:30 Break
11:00 Session 1: City Marketplace – Poster Session with City Leads
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Session 2: Celebrating SUNCASA – Looking back at Year 1
15:00 Break
15:30 Session 3: Planning for GESI-Responsive NbS for Adaptation – What are we learning?
17:00 Reflection session
17:30 Close of Day 1
19:00 SUNCASA Team Dinner, Khana Khazana Authentic Indian Restaurant

17. A Note on Logistics
For more detailed information, see Logistics Note
▪A buffet breakfast will be served at the restaurant starting at 06:00
▪Kindly note that we start at 09:00 each day, please!!
▪Lunch, as well as morning and afternoon tea breaks, will be provided
▪Dinner: Team welcome dinner on Monday (Feb 10). For Tuesday & Wednesday dinners, an
allowance will be provided to each participant in USD. See Logistics Note for more details.
▪Sign-in sheets and photography authorization
▪Washrooms & emergency exits
▪Connect with us on WhatsApp! Message Tigist ([phone]) to be added to the Group Chat

18. SUNCASA PLE on Social Media
Help spread the word — tag IISD and WRI Africa in your posts!
#SUNCASAPLE
#SUNCASA
#NatureBasedSolutions
#NbS
#ResilientCities
#NatureForResilience
#ResilientAfrica
#KubungabungaIbidukikije
#ResilientKigali
#AfricaAdapts
#Jukskei #JukskeiRiver #JoburgStorm #SaveJukskei
#RiparianBiome #RiparianUrbanism
#Flooding #WaterSafety #IllegalDumping
#Dechatu #DireDawa
#Nyabarongo #GreenRwanda #NyabarongoRiver
#SourceoftheNile
#GreenUptoCoolDown

19. Join the SUNCASA Community on LinkedIn
Keep up with SUNCASA updates, news, events and more!

20. Icebreaker Let’s get to know one another!

21. SUNCASA "Peers" - Who are we?
City of Dire
Dawa
Hararghe
Catholic
Secretariat
Haramaya
University
City of Kigali
ARCOS Network
Rwanda Young
Water Professionals
AVEGA
AGAHOZO
City of
Johannesburg
GenderCC
Water for
the Future
Alexandra
Water Warriors
Joburg City
Parks & Zoos
Johannesburg
Inner City
Partnership
Zutari
World Resources
Institute
International
Institute for
Sustainable
Development

22. Icebreaker
Getting to know each other
Find a partner that you don’t know. Using a pen and paper, you will draw your partner’s portrait.
BUT:
-You must not look down at the paper
-You cannot lift your pen
Once you have completed your beautiful portrait, please include on your portrait your partner’s:
-Name and organization
-A city you haven’t been to but would like to visit
-What they would be doing if they weren’t at work

23. Coffee and
tea break

24. Session 1 City
Marketplace
Learning Objectives:
1.To understand key context and characteristics of all 3
SUNCASA City-scapes; and
2.To identify key similarities and differences acrosss all 3
SUNCASA City-scapes
3.Stage setting: To set us up for success in learning from,
and sharing with, one another.

25. Session Details
Through this interactive exercise,
cities will showcase their
respective SUNCASA activities,
highlighting progress to date and
plans related to GESI-responsive
NbS for adaptation.
Session Format: City Marketplace
•Kigali
•Dire Dawa
•Johannesburg

26. Session Format: Knowledge-Sharing Marketplace
City teams set up a ‘market stall’ that showcases their own cities'
experiences. Market stalls will be "led" by WRI City Leads or
Managers.
Participants will circle the room and listen to a poster presentation
from other cities. Halfway through, groups will rotate so that all
have a chance to learn about the other 2 SUNCASA cities.
Of note:
•City teams will review their own poster for 5 mins
•Teams will split up to visit other city stalls. Each rotation lasts
approx. 25 minutes
•City teams are encouraged to compare, contrast, clarify, and ask
questions

27. Lunch

28. Session 2 Celebrating
SUNCASA – Looking
back at Year 1
Learning Objectives:
1.To review and reflect on the achievement of key
SUNCASA milestones to date
2.To identify common successes and challenges, and
pathways taken to achieve (or avoid) each.

29. Session Details
In this participatory timeline
activity, City Teams will work
together to create a historical
timeline of SUNCASA activities,
events, and major milestones over
the past year.
Session format: Participatory
Timeline

30. Participatory
Timeline
•Participants place sticky notes on the timeline;
•In smaller groups, each participant can explain their sticky note
as they put it up
•Participants gather around the timeline so all can see what
others have added.
•Participants respond to Q&Ain plenary

31. SUNCASA Accomplishments
October 2023: Project Inception Workshops
March 2024: Project launch
September - December 2024: Establishment of Advisory Groups (City government steering groups)
December 2024: Official PIP approval by GAC
Project Preparation
•Nursery Exceptions Memos (May, July, August) and Integrated Assessments (Kigali December)
•Grievance Mechanisms (October-November)
Trainings
•February, June, August 2024: Trainings on NbS, GESI, Comms, MEL, Econ/Fin for project partners
•October 2024-January 2025: GESI trainings for community members
Planting Progress
•Dire Dawa: 313,330 seedlings planted on 205 ha (first planting season complete)
•Kigali: 56,000 urban trees and 820 ha of agroforestry planted (first planting season complete)
•Johannesburg: 6,324 urban and buffer zone trees planted, 2 ha cleared of AIP, 1 ha of grass and tree
seeds planted

32. Coffee and
tea break

33. Session 3 Planning for
GESI-Responsive NbS
for Adaptation – What
are we learning?
Learning Objectives
1.To reflect on key planning processes central to
effective, equitable, and sustainable NbS
2.To identify lessons learned from SUNCASA,
including good practices and ‘fail forwards’

34. Session Details
In this session, we’ll reflect on key
planning and start-up activities,
identifying what worked, what
didn’t, and what good practices
SUNCASA can contribute to the
broader field of NbS.
Session format: World Café
•Risk responsiveness (Table
Host: Sam)
•Community engagement
(Table Host: Ana)
•Ecosystem restoration
(Table Host: Lisa)
•Sustainability: (Table Host:
Alec)

35. Session Format: World Café
In this widely popular format, participants move between
conversations around small tables, hosted by Table Hosts. Hosts
help to prompt conversation as well as identify patterns and help
build collective understanding of a specific topic.
How it works:
•A number of small tables will be set up, and an IISD/WRI
Table Host assigned to "host" each table
•Participants will have the opportunity tocirculate to 2 distinct
tables, for 20 minutes each.
•Following all rotations, Table Hosts will report out on the
results of their conversations in plenary

36. Reflection
Session
Key Reflections, Takeaways and Insights from the Day
•Silent reflection (5 minutes) ** Consult Learning Journal
(optional) **
•Reconvene in City Teams to discuss as a group, common
learnings, outstanding questions and follow-up actions
•City Teams report out to plenary a summary of their teams'
reflections

37. Preparing for Day 2
What you'll need for the site visit
•Light, waterproof jacket
•Comfortable walking shoes
•Umbrella (if you have one)
•Light, or quick drying clothing
•Sun protection (sunscreen, sun hat, sunglasses)
•Reusable water bottle (single use plastics are not allowed in the Park)
For group dinner tonight, please meet in the lobby at 18h45
For the Knowledge Clinic
•Start thinking about the challenges you’re facing in terms of NbS design, implementation and MEL

38. Thank You!
For more information:
[email protected]