Unite4Climate and Conservation (U4CC) is one of UNICEF’s signature child-led advocacy programmes and is implemented by the Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia ( WECSZ).
Climate change is already impacting Zambia, creating unprecedented droughts, floods, and heat with dangerous consequences for our health, agriculture and our economy. Read more about climate change in Zambia.
We have trained over 1,600 children and youth as climate ambassadors across all 10 provinces of Zambia. We empower our climate ambassadors to be agents of change ready to combat climate change and inspire their peers. Our multi-day intensive trainings include presentations by climate experts, field visits, action planning, and workshops learning skills from radio to theater. Students are also trained on conservation issues such as deforestation and waste. Our ambassadors gain not only an awareness of climate change, but skills in leadership and communication to be lifelong leaders for change.
After our trainings, we support our ambassadors to implement action projects and educational campaigns in their communities. Our climate ambassadors are putting young people at the forefront of climate action in Zambia. Some accomplishments of our programme include:
Over 1400 climate ambassadors trained
Planting over 30,000 trees in over 200 schools countryside
Innovative waste management projects
Students from Lusaka Boys Secondary School created bins for schools from plastic bottles
Student-led radio shows on climate change and action
Leading community education in over 450 schools
In implementation of the program, WECSZ collaborates with local stakeholders such as the Ministry of General Education (MoGE), the Forestry Departments, Agriculture and the Local Councils as well as other organizations whose focus is well aligned with the program framework.
