Climate justice awards: Youth leaders announced
Climate justice awards: Youth leaders announced
CDKN, the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) and the Youth in Landscapes Initiative (YIL) have announced the 30 sponsored participants to attend the Landscape Leadership Workshop and Global Landscapes Forum from 9-12 October 2023. Of these participants, 11 are recipients of CDKN's climate justice awards, supporting young climate leaders in Africa to implement an activity or process in their communities, landscapes or seascapes that envisions or advances climate justice. Find out more about the awardees below.
Through this sponsorship of USD 2,000 per awardee, 11 youth leaders have joined a cohort that will benefit from mentorship, capacity strengthening, training and peer learning activities while implementing their project on climate justice. Additionally, awardees will have the opportunity to attend relevant local, regional and international events, including the Landscape Leadership Workshop currently being held in Nairobi ahead of GLF Nairobi 2023.
Aida Namukose, Nature's Yetu
Aida Namukose is a 24 year old eco-feminist and climate justice storyteller from Jinja, Uganda. Her photo essays on the experiences of African women living and working through climate change won her the 25 under 25 Young Climate Prize by the World Around and an exhibition in the Guggenheim Museum. She has also worked with Future Rising and Minority Africa to tell African stories. She is passionate about human rights, sustainable living and breaking out of the matrix.
Nature's Yetu, a community group and garden, seeks to awaken a conversation and ignite a deliberate connection between the women and nature of Tiwi village, Ukunda, through creativity and gardening. It brings women together to restore an abandoned piece of land whilst also engaging and creating artistic work that speaks to the power and status of women.
Get in touch with Aida at nanamukose7@gmail.com or find out more about her and her project on instagram @aidahaze and @natureyetu.
Deden Ramadani, The Lost Colours: A short documentary film
Deden Ramadani is a young and accomplished filmmaker and researcher from Indonesia. His filmmaking journey began in high school, leading to his award-winning documentary exposing cheating in national high school exams. Beyond accolades, the film ignited nationwide discussions on educational transparency. Deden's passion for research shines through in his paper on local wisdom's role in addressing climate change, which was published in an international symposium. Currently, he serves as the Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager for the Voice for Just Climate Action project, aspiring to merge research with his lifelong passion for audiovisual storytelling.
Through research engagements and ultimately a documentary film, The Lost Colours project aims to provide in-depth information through visual storytelling. It delves into climate change and its impact on the gradual disappearance of natural colours from traditional weaving, which has been a symbol of kinship, brotherhood, and community identity for generations on the island of Sumba, Indonesia.
Get in touch with Deden at deden.ramadani@penabulu.id.
Edwin Odhiambo, Youth and Urbanism Online Radio
Edwin Odhiambo, a 25 year old Kenyan, is a dedicated advocate for urban and environmental planning, particularly for the youth. As a recent graduate of Kenyatta University, Edwin is deeply committed to empowering future generations and is involved in several youth-led initiatives. He founded the Youth and Urbanism Organisation, focusing on urban community development and climate justice through programmes like Voices for Just Climate Action. Edwin also leads the Generation Shapers Youth Group, which supports young people in Mathare Slums and serves as the Chief Operations Officer of Motobrix Social Enterprise, promoting renewable energy and climate change awareness. Additionally, Edwin is involved in the Motobrix Innovation Center and has been recognised for his efforts by UNICEF and various human rights organisations. Edwin's multifaceted approach to community growth, research and sustainability makes him a passionate and ambitious advocate for positive change.
Through an online radio station, this project offers an underrepresented demographic a powerful platform to share their stories and perspectives. It bridges the divide between entertainment and social discourse, to ensure concerns are heard and foster a sense of belonging and empowerment amongst youth. The curated content ranging from talk shows, poetry, storytelling, and focus group discussions to youth-led projects will drive positive societal change. It positions youth at the forefront of this transformation with a key interest in climate justice and art.
Get in touch with Edwin at edwin@youthandurbanism.org or find him on Twitter and LinkedIn. Find out more about his project on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram or on the official project page.
Elethu Nkala, Green Rest
Elethu is a community and environmental activist and urban farmer from Gugulethu, South Africa. He currently works as a social impact designer and participatory research advocate with the Pivot Collective, where he co-develops and applies creative methodologies to build agency and social resilience. Elethu is also a co-founder of Newlife Activities, where he connects youth through creativity and bridges them to opportunities to upskill, develop agency and resilience in the face of adversity.
Green Rest is a gateway for a community to understand the source of the challenges they face when it comes to the undignified circumstances of their landscape. It seeks to leverage existing knowledge to inform approaches to introducing climate justice, connect the community to key players who are at the forefront of advocating for a climate-just world, address environmental inequities, and promote sustainable practices to inspire responsibility amongst citizens to champion their landscapes. Furthermore, Green Rest has transformed an illegal dumping site into a green space to enhance community aesthetics and simultaneously rectify environmental injustices. The project has a proactive approach that introduces people to sustainable practices while developing a community of practice for those who take part.
Get in touch with Elethu at elethu@pivotcollective.org or find him on Facebook.
Juvenal Vitalis, The Crossroad: Voices of Justice
Juvenal is a 21 year old Tanzanian storyteller and podcast producer who has a deep passion for contemporary African culture. Driven by a genuine desire to make a difference, Juvenal established The Unapologetic Human podcast as a platform for discussing climate justice and other social issues. He is also committed to his work with the African School of Storytelling, where he helps empower grassroots voices to share Africa's cultural and natural heritage. Juvenal has been recognised with grants from the African Investigative Journalism Conference hosted by Wits University and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He is currently working on a critical project examining mental health care in Tanzania. His mission is to inspire action for a sustainable future in the face of the climate crisis.
This project utilizes climate storytelling to illuminate the experiences of BIPOC communities, who are often most impacted yet least heard in climate discussions. Through the Crossroad podcast, these voices are amplified, turning statistics into relatable narratives that foster a deeper understanding of climate justice. Each episode delves into how climate change affects the livelihoods, mental health, and cultural heritage of these communities. As a bridge between awareness and action, the podcast will ensure that BIPOC concerns are central to climate dialogues. Ultimately, this initiative seeks to shift the climate change narrative from abstract data to human-centered stories of justice and equity, particularly resonating with youth.
Get in touch with Juvenal at juvenalvitalis@gmail.com or find him on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter.
Khawla Hwiji, Dar Fatma Wetland
Khawla Hwiji, born in Soliman Nabeul, Tunisia, has been a member of the environment and development association in Soliman since 2012. She worked as a documentarian and videographer after completing her studies in film at the ISAMM Higher Institute of Arts and Multimedia Manouba and in 2020 she started her career as a documentary editor. Khawla created her own photographic exhibition, which aimed to guarantee sustainable development by promoting sustainable consumption of natural resources. She also created a short video, a fiction-experimental essay that aimed to convey glimpses of everyday farmers' lives as they overcome the challenges of global change.
Beyond visual capture, the fundamental objective of this project is to raise deep and documented awareness of the crucial importance of the peatlands of Dar Fatma, Tunisia. This involves shedding light on the intimate relationship between this natural expanse and the inhabitants of the region, while comprehensively exploring the human activities that shape and are shaped by this unique ecosystem
Get in touch with Khawla at Khawla.hwiji29@gmail.com
Nancy Barisoa Andriamiarimbola, EcoShe
Nancy Barisoa Andriamiarimbola is a dedicated young leader and changemaker from Madagascar with a Bachelor’s degree in computer science. Currently pursuing her Master’s degree, Nancy has a deep commitment to driving positive change through leadership. She has received recognition, including the Team Leader Award from HUAWEI's Seeds For The Future programme for her team's innovative AI project combating poverty. Nancy also represented Madagascar as the sole delegate at the 2023 International Youth Forum organised by UNESCO, fostering cross-cultural dialogue. In her capacity as the founder and CEO of The Tanora Revolution Podcast, she addresses the issues affecting African youth, particularly Generation Z. In various roles, such as National President of the Mamelona Association and Regional Coordinator for Youth Opportunities in Africa, she has made significant contributions to skill development, community assistance, environmental awareness and disaster relief, positively impacting numerous lives and contributing to sustainable development.
The EcoShe project aims to conduct fun, engaging and supportive knowledge-based workshops on climate justice and gender equality, primarily for women, with the welcoming embrace of the “HeForShe” movement. Spanning multiple cities, it prioritizes marginalized and indigenous communities in Madagascar, fostering inclusivity. These workshops cover climate justice, gender equality, storytelling, and advocacy. The Tanora Revolution Podcast extends the project's reach globally, with multilingual online workshops in Malagasy, French, and English.
Get in touch with Nancy at barisoa.nancy@gmail.com or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Ndimuh Bertrand Shancho, Putting Community Kids and Young Adults on the Frontline of Climate and Environmental Actions
Ndimuh Bertrand Shancho is a Cameroonian conservationist, climate activist and environmental journalist. He holds a Master’s degree in Natural Resource and Environmental Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. Ndimuh has over 15 years of experience in journalism and environmental reporting, species conservation, landscape restoration and climate action across different landscapes in Cameroon. His passion for a greener, safer and more sustainable planet for wildlife and humanity led him to found a non-profit organisation, Voice of Nature in 2019. Ndimuh is also the Publisher and Managing Editor of Voice of Nature News and Magazine, a source for environmental news.
This project enhances the understanding of 50 kids and young adults about climate change and climate justice, it empowers them in raising their voices for climate justice using media arts tools, it engages them to raise and plant at least 100 indigenous trees in public spaces as their solution to the climate crisis, and it has begun establishing a network of climate action youth in Buea to champion the cause for climate justice and solutions.
Get in touch with Shancho at nbshancho@vonat.org and find project updates and more at https://vonat.org/.
Pedro Alace, Hey sis, take care of your river! (Ei mana, toma conta do teu rio!)
Pedro Alace is an agronomy student, visual artist and socio-environmental activist. He lives in the rural community of Itaqui in Castanhal – Pará, Northern Brazil, where he co-founded and works as a coordinator of the Mirí Collective.
This project engages communities from the Amazon region, specifically from Itaqui farm village, located in Castanhal, a city in the state of Pará. It is developing activities with the communities of Quilombola Trindade and São João. The beneficiaries include children, teenagers, and young people from these communities. The activities are based on artistic interventions to give visibility to the struggles in defense of water courses and water security in these historically neglected territories. The project is developing a network of young artivists who are engaged in the fight for climate justice.
Get in touch with Pedro via email at pedrosantos.ala@gmail.com or on Instagram
Sylvia Hagan, Climate Mental Health Initiative Project
Sylvia Hagan, an industrial and organisational psychologist from Ghana, boasts a diverse background encompassing research, academia and human capital consultancy with over four years of professional experience. Currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at the University of Ghana, Legon, Sylvia delves into the intricate relationship between psychology, climate change adaptation and organisational sustainability. Beyond academia, she imparts her knowledge as a part-time lecturer at Regent University College of Science and Technology and has held pivotal roles at Deloitte & Touché Ghana, GCB Bank Limited in Ghana and the University of Ghana Business School.
The psychological toll on urban poor communities, particularly the Shiabu community, Accra-Ghana, has become increasingly evident because of climate change impacts and the government’s inability to build a sea defence for the community. The project aims to alleviate the mental health impacts of climate change within urban poor settings in Ghana. It explores climatic and non-climatic stressors, mitigates depression, anxiety and psychological distress associated with climate change impacts, and provides psychoeducation on how to build psychological resilience and cope with climate-related stressors (psychological first aid). Through psychotherapy and psychoeducation, residents will be better equipped to cope with the mental health challenges associated with climate change impacts and have improved wellbeing.
Get in touch with with Sylvia at shagan003@st.ug.edu.gh and find her on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Toini T.D. Amutenya, Educating and Empowering Marginalised Namibian Youth towards Climate Action In Omaheke Region Campaign
Toini T.D. Amutenya is the founder and director of the National Youth Climate Action Network of Namibia. Through this position, Toini focuses on promoting radical youth-led climate action towards sustainable development across Namibia. She is Namibia's 2021 Youth Action for Sustainable Development Champion and was recognised as a Top 100 Young African Leader in Conservation by the Africa Wildlife Foundation and the World Wide Fund for Nature, Africa. Her background studies are in natural resource management at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. In her role as a 2022 Max Thabiso Edikens Global Climate Ambassador, she is a dedicated youth climate and social justice activist and a young negotiator on climate change, passionately advocating for environmental, social and biodiversity conservation.
This project builds the capacity gap of a marginalised community. It empowers and promotes marginalised youth engagements in climate change discussions and activities through raising awareness and introducing climate action small-scale activities. It will also train these youth to facilitate discussions at the local level and ensure their representation at a national level in decision-making contexts. The project further seeks to ensure continuous learning on climate change at the marginalised grassroots level and expose these communities to innovative approaches to adapt to climate change impacts.
Get in touch with Toini at toinitdamutenya@gmail.com or find her on Facebook
Sydner Kemunto, Kijani Yetu
Sydner Kemunto is a Climate Advocate and passionate Environment Educator. As a founder of Kijani Mtaani, she has committed to empowering communities, especially young people, to become active agents of change in addressing climate change and promoting environmental justice. Sydner has previously worked to develop and implement innovative programs that integrate environmental education, sustainable agriculture, and water conservation. She has also committed to environmental advocacy as evidenced by her active involvement in advocacy campaigns, community projects, and collaborations with like-minded organizations.
This project seeks to instill a profound sense of environmental awareness and responsibility among children aged 9 to 17 years in rural communities. Through engaging workshops, hands-on activities, and collaborations with educators, these young minds will be empowered to become proactive environmental stewards, fostering a generation that actively contributes to a more sustainable future.
Get in touch at sydnerkemunto@gmail.com