Members of the security forces watch as sections of an illegal airstrip in Sheckles, Mocho, Clarendon, are destroyed by the Jamaica Defence Force's Engineering Division, in August 2006. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

When the United Nations hosts a meeting on global climate change in Nairobi, Kenya, next month, Mocho in Clarendon is one of the areas that will be highlighted.

Panos Caribbean, an information agency that does work on environmental, health and gender issues, has been working in the rural community for about a year, documenting climate change experiences, as well as information on disaster preparedness and land degradation.

Sharing our experience

"We will be sharing our experience with the project thus far at a panel discussion in Nairobi," explained Indi Mclymont, programme officer at Panos Caribbean.

"We are now preparing a policy briefing on Mocho which we will present in Nairobi. We will also talk about the awareness levels of the community on climate change coming out of the testimonies that we collected in the community," said Mclymont.

Over the next six months, residents of Mocho will be trained on issues such as climate change and community adaptation, photojournalism and the environment and energy efficiency.

"Through this project Panos will build the community's capacity to deal with its environmental issues," Mclymont said.