how young people in africa are safeguarding their futures

My name is Emmanuel and the Research Coordinator at Links Research & Evaluation. As a young person myself, I believe in championing and sharing the skills and talent of the youth and how they can make a positive impact on the people around them, their country and globally. The recent climate change action in Kenya is an opportunity for me to do that.

I would be grateful if you take a couple of minutes to read about what has been happening recently here in Kenya and across the African continent. I have written briefly below about some of the important work and efforts of the youth, in taking part in key platforms and summits that in turn focus on some of the issues that affect us all.

These different events highlight how, with access, support and decision makers that are prepared to listen, young people can collectively make a positive difference and contribute towards safeguarding their futures.

The last few years have increasingly shown how Africa is one of the leading continents in ensuring different platforms to empower young people to get involved, network, share their views and take action on climate change. Looking at Kenya, my home country, the last couple of years have also seen high levels of activity and momentum, which continues to build. In November 2023, I wrote a blog about the the changing role of Africa in fighting the global climate crisis. I wrote about the first ever African Youth Climate Assembly (AYCA), in September 2023 in Kenya, which preceded and contributed to Africa Climate Week and the Africa Climate Summit (to agree the Nairobi Declaration).

Youth Connekt Africa

Further to this, in December 2023, the 6th edition of Youth Connekt Africa was also hosted in Kenya (hosted by the Kenyan President and the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Sports and the Arts). This key annual event rotates to a different Africa country each year. It aims to drive strong policy influence and increased investment. This is relation to the creation of opportunities for young people in Africa, in the framework of young people and policy makers addressing the climate crisis together .

Youth Connekt Africa aims to help youth to ‘innovate a borderless African renaissance’. It offers tangible benefits to the young people attending, as they can learn about emerging job sectors, new technologies, innovations to support the environment and the opportunity to mingle/meet/network with hundreds of other young people. Overall, the summit puts a spotlight youth leadership and innovation for Africa's integration through policy discussions, storytelling and networking and entrepreneur focused programmes including a marketplace and investor meetings. Some more key facts:

• The next Youth Connekt Africa summit will be Rwanda, 8-10 November 2024. Youths and partners can find out how to get involved by visiting the website. At the time writing, registration was still open.

• Look out on X for announcements about the 2025 Youth Connekt Summit and which country will be hosting! Usually you can apply to attend as a group or an individual.

• In 2023, Youth Connekt Africa was hosted by the Government of Kenya and other Heads of State, in partnership with the YouthConnekt Africa Hub and UNDP.

  • In Kenya, more than 20,000 young people, government officials, corporate leaders, policy makers, Sports & Creative Industry Leaders, academia, innovation labs and development champions attended Youth Connekt Africa.

  • Areas of focus included sustainable green livelihoods; climate adaptation; resilience; leveraging Innovation; enterprises and the digital era; sustainable peace, security and reconciliation; vulnerabilities around mental, sexual and reproductive health - and more!

What else has been going on across the continent?

• In February 2024, to drive action, during the AU Assembly, the Africa Youth Climate Assembly (AYCA) published AYCA outcomes into a handbook for young people. It contained exercises and action points to engage key stakeholders to adopt the outcomes - and was translated into different languages. In addition, here is their statement that fed into the Nairobi Declaration in 2023.

• In South Africa, the Cabinet has approved several key climate actions, including creating a Presidential Climate Commission, South Africa's Low Emissions Development Strategy, a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, a carbon tax and a Just Transition Framework.

• In 2024, Rwanda hosted the Africa Food Systems Forum, which called for Radical Transformation of African Food Systems.

• In 2023, the Climate Chance Conference Africa took place in Cameroon.  800 African actors from the "climate community": high-level personalities, experts, actors in the field, representatives of local governments, businesses and organised civil society.

• Going back even further, in 2022, Africa Climate Week (ACW) was hosted by the government of Gabon. ACW 2022 aimed to engage and empower stakeholders to drive climate action across countries, communities and economies. It brought together more than 2,300 stakeholders for five days of discussion in more than 200 sessions, with many more joining through virtual participation.

• Recently, in Kenya, Climate Resilience Services Programme, also known as WorkX Mtaani, was announced. This initiative aims to tackle climate challenges, whilst at the same time providing sustainable employment opportunities for young people. By engaging in vital activities like river clean-ups, tree planting and improving sanitation, young people are invited to contribute to building a more resilient and greener Kenya.

I will continue to bring you updates about the great work taking place across African countries, which is addressing the climate issues affecting us all. I especially focus on the platforms, initiatives and events that enable young people to connect with policy makers. Platforms that not only support young people/their futures but also enable their voices and views to be heard and amplified.

Thank you, Emmanuel.

Young people attended Youth Connekt Africa, from different African countries (Nairobi, Kenya. Dec 2023).

Council of Governors Chairperson Anne Waiguru, President William Ruto, Sports CS Ababu Namwamba and Second Lady Dorcas Rigathi at KICC for the Youth Connekt Africa summit (Nairobi, Kenya. Dec 2023).

About Links Research & Evaluation

Links Research & Evaluation is an independent consultancy agency, providing tailored support to humanitarian and resilience focused actors. Specialising in evaluations, assessments, studies, M&E systems and MEAL strategies, in a range of sectoral and thematic areas. We bring together consultants from around the globe to offer impactful, quality and evidence-based research, based on up to date practices and methods. Based in Kenya, with an international focus.

Links Research & Evaluation focuses on the humanitarian sectors of: food security, livelihoods, health, nutrition, multi-purpose cash assistance, education in emergencies and protection. Thematic areas are: climate change adaption, resilience, natural resource management, level of localisation, migration, safe access to assistance, feminist approaches and gender. Links Research & Evaluation has experience and works in the East and Horn of Africa, Central Arica, West Africa, Ukraine, Syrian Crisis Response & South East Asia. We work in partnership with consultants around the globe to enhance the range and depth of services we offer.

We work to ensure a participatory research design process, as well as training enumerators in-person or remotely. We prioritise robust qualitative and statistical data analysis, as well as inclusive, ethical and quality data collection.

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