Youth in Climate Action Small Grants Initiative in Ethiopia

Youth in Climate Action Small Grants Initiative in Ethiopia

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Project detail:
Timeframe:
-
Status: Active
Delivery Partners: SouthSouthNorth
Partners: Daayyaa Generation Network, Egre Menged Impact, Enderase Youth Association
Country: Ethiopia
Themes: Adaptation and resilience, Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA)

CONTEXT 

CDKN Ethiopia supports gender-equitable and socially inclusive climate-resilient action by strengthening the capacities and leadership of government and youth partners. From 2023, youth groups participated in Ethiopia's Gender Equality and Social Inclusion and Climate Change Community of Practice. A youth-led assessment subsequently mapped climate and environmental initiatives in Addis Ababa and identified limited access to finance, organisational capacity and networking opportunities as major barriers to youth-led action. 
 
In response, CDKN supported youth actors to co-create the Youth Canvas, a peer platform for networking, learning and collaboration. Training on knowledge brokering, inclusive project design, and resource mobilisation helped members develop stronger project ideas. The Youth in Climate Action Small Grants Initiative was then established as a closed competitive fund so eligible Youth Canvas members could translate these ideas into locally led climate action. Three youth-led organisations were selected to receive grants of up to USD 5,000, together with need-based mentoring and technical support.

 

PROJECT OBJECTIVES 

  • Provide financial, technical and mentorship support to selected youth-led climate projects. 

  • Enable youth groups to implement practical climate initiatives despite limited access to finance. 

  • Strengthen youth leadership and showcase impactful youth-led climate action in Ethiopia. 

 

PROJECT ACTIVITIES 

  • Engaged youth partners through the national GESI and climate action Community of Practice and a youth-led assessment of climate initiatives in Addis Ababa. 

  • Co-created Youth Canvas and convened networking and capacity-strengthening sessions on knowledge brokering, inclusive project design and resource mobilisation. 

  • Ran a closed competitive call for eligible Youth Canvas members, including virtual guidance and proposal-development support. 

  • Provided grants of up to USD 5,000 per project, alongside need-based mentoring, technical guidance and co-developed monitoring and reporting arrangements. 

  • Supported grantees to document and share their experiences, results and lessons with Youth Canvas members and other stakeholders. 

 

PROJECT OUTPUTS 

The three grant-supported initiatives are generating practical experience in pastoral resilience, gender-responsive active mobility and youth-led climate adaptation. Photo stories from these projects will be added as implementation concludes. 

 

CONTACT 

For more information, please contact: 

Robi Redda, CDKN Ethiopia Country Engagement Lead: robi@southsouthnorth.org 

Arsema Andargatchew, CDKN Ethiopia Country Manager: arsema@southsouthnorth.org 

CDKN Ethiopia team: cdknethiopia@southsouthnorth.org 

 

RELATED PROJECTS 

Ethiopia Community of Practice for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in climate change