Empowering South Saharan Youth: ActionAid’s Initiative to Combat Climate Change

Actionaid, along with the South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO), organized a workshop in Enugu State focused on climate change policies and environmental concerns. This event brought together young people from six local government areas.

The workshop tackled various pressing issues, such as illegal mining, deforestation, and activities that harm the environment. Udochukwu Egwim, SSDO’s Head of Programs, spoke about this initiative during the “Youth Dialogue on Enugu Climate Policy” event, which celebrated World Environment Day 2025.

Egwim highlighted the importance of understanding how engaged youths are with the Enugu Climate Change policy that was recently unveiled. He emphasized the need for young people to learn how to advocate for their communities using digital platforms.

The discussion aimed to explore how youths fit into the policy framework and to empower them to hold the government accountable on environmental matters. Egwim encouraged attendees to report any threats they might face while advocating for these issues, stressing the need for accurate information sharing.

However, he noted a disappointing lack of participant feedback regarding critical local issues. He stressed that wider information dissemination is essential for sustaining advocacy efforts.

Deforestation emerged as a significant concern in the Southeast and South-South regions of Nigeria. According to a recent report from the Global Forest Watch, Nigeria lost about 15% of its tree cover between 2001 and 2021. This highlights the urgency for community engagement in environmental conservation.

This sentiment is echoed in social media trends, where hashtags like #SaveOurForests are gaining traction. Young activists are using these platforms to raise awareness and mobilize local actions against deforestation and pollution.

By fostering youth engagement, organizations hope to create a more informed and active generation ready to tackle environmental challenges head-on. The future of the planet depends on their involvement.

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