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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) officially launched Phase II of the Youth Climate Action Fund, which seeks to empower young people to take meaningful action plans towards combating climate change in the capital.
The initiative, powered by Bloomberg Philanthropies and in collaboration with United Cities and Local Governments as well as the Bloomberg Centre for Public, will be accepting proposals from beneficiaries between the ages of 15 to 24 years to come out with sustainable projects on climate change to qualify for a grant.
Speaking at the launch in Accra yesterday, the Presiding Member of the AMA, Mr Alfred Asiedu Adjei, called on the youth to partake in the exercise by bringing their proposals for the grants.
He explained that the reason for choosing the ages between 15 to 24 was to monitor the beneficiaries’ project for many years and inculcate climate change conversation in their lifestyle.
Mr Adjei said the programme, which will run for the next six months, was expected to provide young residents of Accra, with the necessary resources and support needed to implement climate action projects in the city under the Accra Climate Action Plan (CAP).
He said the Assembly had successfully secured $ 100,000 under phase II to scale up the youth climate change initiatives within the metropolis and further strengthen community-based participation.
Mr Adjei said a workshop would provide participants with mentorship, technical guidance, and skills training to refine their project ideas for potential funding.
He added that the initiative would help the young people to take the lead in developing practical solutions to climate change to win “something” and champion climate innovation and conversation.
A Ghanaian rapper and businessman, Okyeame Kwame, who is also a Climate Change Ambassador, said climate innovation was the way forward and asked the youth to take advantage of it.
He said there was the need for children to learn more about climate change because they appeared to be more affectionate and stressed that with their compassionate hearts, they could help spread information rapidly while significantly affecting change.
“You can’t teach new tricks to old dogs. Some of us are old and stuck in our ways, and our habits have become integral, but for children, they are seeds, and we have the opportunity to plant into children consciousness, love, kindness as well and compassion for nature.
They will then go home and affect their parents and friends and also grow up knowing the right things to do. Truly our leaders have a role to play but I believe that we should focus on the children and I believe they are the seeds and when they germinate love, nothing can stop them from becoming climate change ambassadors,” he said.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
