ChildFund Ethiopia is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the welfare of youth and children in Ethiopia. ChildFund recognizes that young people are central to addressing the climate crisis. As the generation most affected by climate change, youth also possess the creativity, energy, and innovation necessary to drive sustainable solutions for the impact of climate-induced disasters that affect the lives and livelihood of millions of people.
Among the recent challenges more vulnerable communities faced are the disastrous consequences of climate change like floods, erratic rainfall, drought, loss of biodiversity, environmental degradation, reduced agricultural productivity, food insecurity, water scarcity, and conflicts over natural resources that adversely affect vulnerable members of the communities, specially the youth and children.
Side by side with its commitments to improve the lives of most affected members of communities, ChildFund Ethiopia is also engaged in the arduous task of addressing emergency needs as well as implementing long-term livelihood improvement programs, targeting the youth and children in the context of unpleasant climate events in many localities of the country. ChildFund Ethiopia works on building knowledge, skills, and leadership among youth to take proactive roles in climate resilience, advocacy, and sustainable development.
ChildFund Ethiopia’s action plan focuses on climate education and awareness among communities, strengthening school-based environmental protection programs, capacity-building training on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, environmentally friendly-entrepreneurship, tree planting, recycling, climate-friendly farming practices. ChildFund Ethiopia also supports the communities in natural resource manage, formation of child/youth climate & environment clubs and advocacy platforms that engage in local and national policy dialogues. Moreover, its action plan emphasizes on enhancing sustainable livelihood programs that have already proved effective strategies against adverse climatic conditions.
Based on ChildFund’s experience, this approach needs to consider at least 3 core elements
under its Livelihood Program. The 3 core elements include improving child and youth centric information and skills development, improving household livelihoods for economic and environmental resilience and taking a systems approach across communities to strengthen structure’s ability to support children and youth among the compounding crises.
There are practical examples that can be mentioned in this context. These are the integration of Environment and Climate Change Education (CCE) into school curricula and supporting the formation of school clubs. These clubs serve as platforms for children to learn, lead and disseminate climate knowledge within their communities.
These tasks are implemented through advocacy networks and training in natural resource management and climate-smart agriculture. In this process, the youth have become confident leaders, actively influencing policy and community practices by conducting training in green skills for youth.
These green skills include technical vocational, business and environmental awareness skills. These skills prepare the youth for eco-friendly job opportunities and promote self-employment because of which youth are now more proactive in seeking innovative and sustainable livelihoods in their communities. Speaking at the recent forum on 2nd Africa Climate Summit, the representative of the Child and Youth Forum from Ethiopia has emphasized the importance of climate solutions that focus on children and youth as well as on community initiative.
It is relevant here to highlight the practical experiences of some of the youth who witnessed the consequences of a recent flooding and the actions taken by the youth of a rural locality in Ethiopia in a recently held summit the Africa Children Climate Summit 2 (ACS2) hosted by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) in collaboration with the African Union (AU), that marked a pivotal moment for Africa to reshape its role in the global climate finance landscape. In the summit both are committed to advancing Africa’s climate agenda and sustainable development priorities representative Children and Youth presented their voices. Abdulkehar Sule, a17-year-old youth from Siliti Aynage Child and Family Development Organization, ChildFund’s Local Partner says, “When the flood struck, we lost not only people and animals, but also the land that gave us food. Our crops were ruined, the soil washed away.
Abdulkehar recalled walking through the fields where they had once harvested maize and teff. After the flood, there was nothing left—only mud and broken soil. Families who had depended on farming were left without food, and children like the speaker often went to bed hungry. Even at school, concentration had been difficult because everyone was worried about survival at home.
He explained that climate change was not just something people heard about on the news—it was something they experienced every single day. However, they had not given up. Together, they had chosen to act. The Environmental Protection Committee in their Wereda and Kebele had encouraged them to act. Families had begun planting trees in their compounds and on bare land. At school, students planted seedlings, watered them, and learned how to care for the environment. Farmers had also started practicing smart agriculture, using compost and vermicompost to restore the soil and enhance soil fertility.
Abdulkehar said that slowly, hope had begun to return. He had seen young trees growing, the soil becoming healthier, and people beginning to believe that change was possible.
Tariku Dechu, a youth participant from Dugda Children and Family Charitable Organization, ChildFund Local Partner, expressed the desire for a clean, safe environment where children could grow up without fear of floods, droughts, or pollution. According to him this could not be achieved alone and urged leaders to listen to young people and engage them in climate action. He asked to be given the chance to plant more trees, share their ideas, and protect their future. He added that if children and farmers in one small village could take such steps, governments and world leaders could achieve even more with greater resources and commitment.
Rediet Behailu, the representative for the Child and Youth Forum from the Future Hopes Integrated Development Organization (FHIDO) the other ChildFund Ethiopia’s local partner actively participating in the 2nd Africa Climate Summit. She impressed attendees by emphasizing the importance of climate solutions that focus on children and youth, as well as community-led initiatives. Rediet conveyed these pressing climate-friendly issues through her innovative painting that showcased a change from climate affected land to green that in turn contributed to the Children’s Climate Declaration.
ChildFund Ethiopia shares the visions expressed by these youth Tariku and Rediate not only because they form their eyewitness account but also because they come from the place where they endured the devastating effects of climate change and its aftermath, including the struggle to reclaim the land and allow life to continue once again in that remote locality where sheer human endurance has produced amazing results.
ChildFund Ethiopia believes that these efforts will have to continue in a sustainable way so that climate action would not remain only an emergency concern but also a permanent fixture in the rural communities’ permanent efforts to overcome the vicissitudes of nature and their impacts on community livelihoods. We also share the vision of the youth and call on governments and leaders to get actively involved with greater resources and commitment.
