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Supporting youth climate leaders: Philanthropy and UNICEF unite for grassroots impact

Supporting youth climate leaders: Philanthropy and UNICEF unite for grassroots impact

India Today02-07-2025
UNICEF YuWaah and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies co-hosted 'Shaping the Future with India's Youth,' to spotlight stories of ten Green Guardians, youth-climate leaders and volunteers from across India driving change in their communities. The event featured keynote addresses by Uma Mahadevan, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka; Rohini Nilekani, Chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies; and Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative. It brought together leading civil society organizations, climate sector experts, and youth leaders, all committed to advancing climate solutions and civic action. advertisementUma Mahadevan, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka said "Individual action is the foundation on which lasting change is built. When every citizen has skin in the game; engaged, invested, and involved, we witness powerful transformation. It becomes a collective force that reshapes communities and redefines what's possible."The highlight was ten inspiring stories of grassroots youth climate champions who are bringing impact through their dedication. From Pune, Ojas Phatak, a young environmental advocate and the founder of Ecoforce, a student-led initiative dedicated to fighting pollution and protecting nature has grown Ecoforce into a movement that has removed 2.75 tons of trash from Pune's hills through 150 clean-up events. Similarly, 29-year-old Afsal Mohammed B from Kochi, founder of Captains Social Foundation, a youth-driven platform dedicated to mobilizing young people to create sustainable change has inspired thousands of youth across India, focusing on environmental conservation, community empowerment, and education. advertisement
His work includes transforming 13 schools into plastic bottle-free zones through the BottlesUp campaign, developing a plastic bottle shredding machine, and leading beach cleanups that removed 30,000 kg of waste. Also, Barsha Rani Maharana , a passionate volunteer and youth leader from Berhampur, Odisha, committed to community development, women's empowerment, and education has conducted free pad distribution campaigns and raised awareness on menstrual hygiene in rural areas. She is also an advocate for climate action and has earned her recognition, including the Rajya Puraskar Award from the Governor of Odisha. Dedication of Dwishojoyee Banerjee , a young climate advocate and social entrepreneur from Patna and the founder of The Soft Movement has mobilized over 15,000 volunteers across 51 cities in India to replace 200,000+ single-use plastic bags through her innovative Paper Bag Project. The other extraordinary stories included youth from Punjab, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Chattisgarth, Gujarat , West Bengal Rohini Nilekani, Chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies said "I congratulate Team YuWaah on the Green Guardians program. This will inspire many more young people become a force for positive change. Young people today face so many unprecedented challenges, climate change being a major concern. It is important that they are empowered with the skills needed for active citizenship. I commend the collaborative initiative by UNICEF and the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change to create a safe space, and an enabling platform, to advance youth-led solutions at scale."advertisementA practical workbook titled 'Pathways: From Leadership to Advocacy' to equip young people to take local civic and climate action was launched at the event. The workbook was co-developed by Bring Back Green Foundation and young practitioners with support from UNICEF YuWaah, designed to build youth capacity in identifying local challenges, applying problem-solving approaches and advancing their journey in climate action. Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF Representative to India and Co-chair, YuWaah Board said, "Children and youth-led climate advocacy drives UNICEF's work in climate change in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. We are committed to working in partnership for a safer cleaner healthier environment for children and young people. The partnership with Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies is a step forward in supporting action for, with and by young people for a sustainable future. Investing in youth today, helps build a better future for children and young people in India."Youth led pro-plant actions have contributed to the national citizen engagement movement in the now 50 million action-strong MeriLiFE national portal, developed two years ago in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. MeriLiFE documents and encourages sustainable lifestyle action across India under the Mission LiFE. - Ends
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Supporting youth climate leaders: Philanthropy and UNICEF unite for grassroots impact
Supporting youth climate leaders: Philanthropy and UNICEF unite for grassroots impact

India Today

time02-07-2025

  • India Today

Supporting youth climate leaders: Philanthropy and UNICEF unite for grassroots impact

UNICEF YuWaah and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies co-hosted 'Shaping the Future with India's Youth,' to spotlight stories of ten Green Guardians, youth-climate leaders and volunteers from across India driving change in their communities. The event featured keynote addresses by Uma Mahadevan, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka; Rohini Nilekani, Chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies; and Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative. It brought together leading civil society organizations, climate sector experts, and youth leaders, all committed to advancing climate solutions and civic action. advertisementUma Mahadevan, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka said "Individual action is the foundation on which lasting change is built. When every citizen has skin in the game; engaged, invested, and involved, we witness powerful transformation. It becomes a collective force that reshapes communities and redefines what's possible."The highlight was ten inspiring stories of grassroots youth climate champions who are bringing impact through their dedication. From Pune, Ojas Phatak, a young environmental advocate and the founder of Ecoforce, a student-led initiative dedicated to fighting pollution and protecting nature has grown Ecoforce into a movement that has removed 2.75 tons of trash from Pune's hills through 150 clean-up events. Similarly, 29-year-old Afsal Mohammed B from Kochi, founder of Captains Social Foundation, a youth-driven platform dedicated to mobilizing young people to create sustainable change has inspired thousands of youth across India, focusing on environmental conservation, community empowerment, and education. advertisement His work includes transforming 13 schools into plastic bottle-free zones through the BottlesUp campaign, developing a plastic bottle shredding machine, and leading beach cleanups that removed 30,000 kg of waste. Also, Barsha Rani Maharana , a passionate volunteer and youth leader from Berhampur, Odisha, committed to community development, women's empowerment, and education has conducted free pad distribution campaigns and raised awareness on menstrual hygiene in rural areas. She is also an advocate for climate action and has earned her recognition, including the Rajya Puraskar Award from the Governor of Odisha. Dedication of Dwishojoyee Banerjee , a young climate advocate and social entrepreneur from Patna and the founder of The Soft Movement has mobilized over 15,000 volunteers across 51 cities in India to replace 200,000+ single-use plastic bags through her innovative Paper Bag Project. The other extraordinary stories included youth from Punjab, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Chattisgarth, Gujarat , West Bengal Rohini Nilekani, Chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies said "I congratulate Team YuWaah on the Green Guardians program. This will inspire many more young people become a force for positive change. Young people today face so many unprecedented challenges, climate change being a major concern. It is important that they are empowered with the skills needed for active citizenship. I commend the collaborative initiative by UNICEF and the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change to create a safe space, and an enabling platform, to advance youth-led solutions at scale."advertisementA practical workbook titled 'Pathways: From Leadership to Advocacy' to equip young people to take local civic and climate action was launched at the event. The workbook was co-developed by Bring Back Green Foundation and young practitioners with support from UNICEF YuWaah, designed to build youth capacity in identifying local challenges, applying problem-solving approaches and advancing their journey in climate action. Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF Representative to India and Co-chair, YuWaah Board said, "Children and youth-led climate advocacy drives UNICEF's work in climate change in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. We are committed to working in partnership for a safer cleaner healthier environment for children and young people. The partnership with Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies is a step forward in supporting action for, with and by young people for a sustainable future. Investing in youth today, helps build a better future for children and young people in India."Youth led pro-plant actions have contributed to the national citizen engagement movement in the now 50 million action-strong MeriLiFE national portal, developed two years ago in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. MeriLiFE documents and encourages sustainable lifestyle action across India under the Mission LiFE. - Ends advertisement

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1 2 Patna: The inspiring works of Dwishojoyee Banerjee from Patna and Barsha Rani Maharana from Odisha were prominently featured at an event titled 'Shaping the Future with India's Youth,' co-hosted by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and UNICEF YuWaah in Bengaluru on Thursday. The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including civil society organisations, climate sector experts, and youth leaders, all united in their commitment to advancing climate solutions and civic action. It showcased the stories of young climate leaders and volunteers from across India, highlighting their significant contributions to local communities. Dwishojoyee (19), a young climate advocate and social entrepreneur, was recognised for her innovative efforts through the soft movement. Her paper bag project mobilised over 15,000 volunteers across 51 cities in India, replacing more than 2,00,000 single-use plastic bags. Similarly, Barsha (25), a dedicated volunteer and youth leader from Berhampur in Odisha, was lauded for her commitment to community development, women's empowerment and education. Her initiatives, such as free pad distribution campaigns and raising awareness on menstrual hygiene in rural areas, made a significant impact. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Paras Sector 59 Gurgaon | Paras Floret Low-Rise Flats Paras The Florett Book Now Undo Speaking at the event, Uma Mahadevan, additional chief secretary of Karnataka, emphasised the power of individual action in driving lasting change. "When every citizen has skin in the game; engaged, invested, and involved, we witness powerful transformation. It becomes a collective force that reshapes communities and redefines what's possible," Mahadevan said. Rohini Nilekani, chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, praised the Green Guardians programme, stating, "This will inspire many more young people to become a force for positive change. Young people today face so many unprecedented challenges, climate change being a major concern. It is important that they are empowered with the skills needed for active citizenship." The event underscored the significant role of youth-led climate actions, which account for 20.6 million of the 50 million pro-planet actions reported on the national Meri LiFE portal. This initiative, developed in partnership with the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, documents and encourages sustainable lifestyle actions across India under the Mission LiFE.

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