NGO plans engaging Nigerian youths in climate change mitigation

A non-governmental organisation, Sustain Africa Earth Initiative (SAEI), last week held its annual programme targeting climate change mitigation.

According to the organiser, SAEL’s goal essentially, is to raise 100,000 climate change youth ambassadors that would be trained on the basics of climate change, adaptation and mitigation, using a unified training module distilled from the UNCClearn module.

The convener of the programme, Mrs Fadera Adebimpe Williams, stated that the strategy is ‘train the trainer’ model, where about 100 people have been trained, with the hope that each of them will train five people each, thus providing  500 climate change ambassadors.

“The ultimate goal of 100,000 climate change ambassadors will be reached in 2019, with 500 ambassadors to be inaugurated on 2nd day of the coming  Nigeria Youth Climate Change Summit.

“To ensure effectiveness, these 500 ambassadors will be grouped into 10 each, and they will embark upon 50 climate change adaptation innovative projects,” said Williams, adding that  the project would attracts funding.

In attendance at the event were various sponsors,  including representatives from Hermon Empor Landscape ltd, GTBank, Zeepad Craft, Vconnect, Excellincoln Video & Photography, Larry Spice & Small Chops, as well as True-Vine Concepts, among others.

Williams, while expressing her gratitude to those that have supported the past programmes, especially, the Inter-University Green Debate, said the NGO has tied its programmes to three of the Sustainable Development Goals, namely: Goal 2 of Zero Hunger, Goal 12 of Responsible Consumption and Production, and Goal 14 of Climate Action.

“Based on these goals, we have the Sustain Africa Earth Initiative, including the Africa Green Dream Initiative (Tree Festivals, Every House a tree), the Africa Youth Green Debate, The 3-Million P.E.T.S Clean-up campaign, the 100,000 Climate Change Ambassadors Program among, some others,” she said.