Environmental Resources and People of the Upper Nile River
Nile River
Where the Nile River meets the Mediterranean Sea can be seen from the International Space Station.

Sudan
Due to the warming Earth, desertification is already affecting water supply, crop production, and rural communities. The Sudan Sustainable Natural Resources Management Project (SSNRMP) created an incentive-driven model to sustainably manage natural resources while making an economic profit. Seeds were given out and as a result, 74.4% of beneficiaries in the White Nile region were able to grow enough food to feed their families (The World Bank).

Ethiopia
Ethiopia's fight is focused on alleviating climate change. They have been planting many trees and building a large dam that will provide electricity to almost the entire country. Unfortunately, this is a maladaptation, meaning by building this large dam, it will create undesirable consequences (drought) for Sudan and other neighboring countries. The dam will cut off water supply to the people downstream (Sudanese). The countries are currently working together to solve this issue before the dam is built.
South Sudan
In 2021, South Sudan was hit with a huge change in weather patterns which caused immense flooding. This storm left 5.5m homeless. South Sudan has many connections with the United Nations and are currently thinking of new strategies to combat climate change in regards to their large population.
Uganda
UgUganda is focused on improving their farming habits, especially by developing drip irrigation, solar heating, and using bore holes for water. I saw this firsthand when I visited Uganda in February 2022.
The future of the Upper Nile River and its inhabitants depends completely on us. We need to think about three transformation qualities, including practical, political, and structural. The most urgent issues of the Upper Nile River basin include pollution, and changes in water flow (which has adverse affects like decline in usable cropland and animal and people displacement). Pollution is an important issues that falls to the community. To counter pollution of the river, the surrounding countries must work together. On a practical level, for example, there has to be a system for disposing trash other than placing it in the river. Through politics, we can change the structure and appeal to many different people. I would suggest instead of offering a fine for illegal dumping, maybe offer a cash payout (or free meal) when trash is disposed of in the correct manner (such as a landfill). The personal type of transformation is going to be the hardest to implement on the Upper Nile River basin. Not only do we need to shift minds of one country into thinking about the environmental future, we need to influence eight different countries and help them learn to work together. This will not be an easy task and I do not believe that the United States needs to go "white savior" on these countries.
The best way to influence African countries towards a more sustainable future is to provide funding, education, vocational training, and learn about the existing practices and cultures of the specific countries. Let's make sure the consequences of polluting the Nile River are known the surrounding inhabitants. As for the consequences of climate change, the river flow will change affecting crops and displacing people and animals. It is important to keep educating people about the risks of climate change, and maybe that will push the inhabitants of the river to influence individual action and lead to collective action. Let's continue to advocate for clean, safe water sources and healthy, happy people.