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The overarching goal is to enhance the resilience, adaptive capacity, and oversight of communities to manage climate variability and environmental risks in the south coast of Bangladesh, through the active and informed engagement of young people.
Bangladesh is one of the most climate-affected countries in the world which also experiences frequent natural disasters. Most government and non-government disaster and environmental management processes exclude youth, despite their potential as change agents and despite the fact that it is the younger generation who face the future impacts of climate change. To address these challenges, the most cost-effective and context appropriate approach is to engage in resilience building activities that are specific to the rural communities, and which also build on the strengths of these communities, using the energy and imagination of young people andtapping into the significant social capital that exists amongst the youth population.
The project will start by forming and working directly with six adolescent and youth-led Climate Change Adaptation and Environmental Stewardship clubs (shortened to YES4ECO Clubs) comprising 180 Adolescents and Youth (A&Y) from six communities. They will be equipped with the concepts, capacity, connections and leadership confidence to mobilize their communities to roll out a plan of ‘Environmentally-sensitive and Climate-smart Operations’.
The A&Y will motivate their peers online via social media and offline using motivational methods such as drama and participatory research to school/community audiences, to influence many thousands more adolescents and youth through in- and out-of-school activities, educating them on the importance of climate action, and to promote environmental stewardship.
Further 12 youth-led small YES4ECO projects (examples include plastic recycling, tree nurseries etc. will be implemented. These grants could be to varying amounts and will be awarded to each youth group based on the initiatives they identify as important to achieving the project’s goal.
YES4ECO clubs will also be linked to other local/district and national youth-led climate action networks to ensure sustained support and engagement.Meanwhile, the above activities, supplemented by community vulnerability assessments, will inform the development of Climate Change Adaptation and Stewardship Action plans developed in collaboration with the community.
The social research and plans will provide leverage for A&Y’s meaningful participation with Upazila Parishad (local decision-makers and purse-holders for community-level planning). In this part of the project, A&Y will be supported to encourage other community members including parents and neighbours to influence and negotiate access to funding for community assets related to their Action Plans
Implemented in collaboration with Barnfonden, Educo Bangladesh, Nazrul Smriti Sangsad (NSS) and Shariatpur Development Society (SDS).
The project is funded with support from The Swedish Postcode Lottery Foundation.
Youth have knowledge on climate and environmental issues, helping them assess risk and develop and implement action plans & micro projects to further spread awareness of the issues and promote positive solutions.
Youth are connected with local-level, national and international contemporaries who are also focused on climate change and environmental care, protection & improvement, to foster policy improvement.
Youth promote use of smart technologies to reduce each household's and community's carbon footprint.
Youth identify water issues and promote improved water cathment, management and irrigation.
Youth teach communities to reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose (e.g. transform their organic waste into compost;establish proper waste-water drainage systems; promote re-usable bags).
Youth help communities to establish green spaces for biodiversity improvement and encourage the planting of drought and salt-tolerant fruit trees, vegetables and other resilient, nutrious foods.
Youth encourage people to raise their houses, garden bds and animal shelters to withstand floods and other hazards.
Youth activities promote the active participation of females.
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Join us in this vital mission to empower children, protect our planet, and ensure a brighter future for generations to come. We remain committed to agility and adaptability, prepared to seize opportunities alongside partners who choose to collaborate with us and supporters dedicated to our efforts. Join us at your preferred partnership level – Amplifying Partner, Solution Partner, or Funding Partner.
