Walvis Bay launches Youth Climate Action Fund

The Municipality of Walvis Bay officially launched the Walvis Bay Youth Climate Action Fund last week. Trevino Forbes, Mayor of Walvis Bay, explained that Walvis Bay was selected tp join Bloomberg Centre for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins’s new Youth Climate Action Fund in April 2024. Forbes highlighted that the fund Bloomberg Philanthropies launched the Youth Climate Action Fund earlier this year, “This is to provide technical assistance and funding for 100 mayors to activate tens of thousands of young people ages of 15-24 years to design, produce, and govern urgent climate solutions in their communities.”Thirty-eight (38) countries across six continents, representing over 62 million residents. Walvis Bay being one of the chosen ones are benefiting from the fund.“As part of this program, Walvis Bay has received US$50,000 (close to N$1 million at current exchange rate) to distribute micro grants to fund youth-led climate initiatives.” Forbes added.Fisabo Mapalo, Junior Mayor who also served as part of the selection team, was delighted with the awarded projects emphasizing that the projects will teach young people that little things can have a great impact in the long run. “It teaches us how to start our own gardens and become self-sufficient and help our communities as food is becoming very expensive.”Part of those who received the microgrant was 22-year old Brandon Snygans, who received a total of N$100 000 for his project ‘Hanan Green Acres Youth Project’. Which he said will focus on educating the youth, “This project will equip the young minds on how to sustain themselves by providing them with training on agricultural techniques”Additionally, the 17-year old Emma van der Westhuizen, received N$100 000 on behalf of Walvis Bay LEO’s for their project ‘Young Citizens Green Economy Conference’. She highlighted that their project focuses on education and raising awareness of how impactful the climate change is and how it will have an effect on every generation to come, “If we take this initiative into action and expand it, it could make a huge difference for the youth not only in Walvis Bay, but across the country”Van der Westhuizen added that there will be a conference which will take place in September over 2 days and is aimed at educating the youth on the principles of a green economy, transitioning to sustainable practices and global cooperation.The 15-year old Martha Kanyemba, who is an agricultural student received a micro grant of N$14 000 for her project Etuhole Group. She said that her project is intended to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in the community, “My goal is to conduct more practical agriculture sessions in schools to educate the youth about how food is grown and sustained”. “We aim to produce food that will be supplied to the markets and the community of Walvis Bay”, Kanyemba added.Trevino Forbes further encouraged the youth to apply for funding as he would like to see additional funding contributed to support climate change related projects.Additionally, Forbes called on all Local Authorities to become involved with Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA), “Africa contributes the least to global warming, but we suffer the most. We benefit the least, but the little that we do benefit, we appreciate.” “We need to know how to tap into these funds so we can come to the aid of the grass roots people”, he added.The deadline for youth to apply for a microgrant is 26 July 2024.

Walvis Bay launches Youth Climate Action Fund

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Republikein 2025-11-04

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Walvis Bay launches Youth Climate Action Fund

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