The first cohort of the Youth Summer Climate Champions (YSCC) Programme, organised by Soft Power Global, has ended in Yaounde after one month of training and community-based climate action. Soft Power Global, a registered not-for-profit organisation committed to harnessing the transformative energy of young Cameroonians, was proud to launch the Youth Summer Climate Champions (YSCC) First Cohort Programme, a pioneering initiative designed to equip young advocates, communicators, and environmental enthusiasts with the knowledge, tools, and platforms they need to drive meaningful climate action in their communities and beyond.
Launched on July 18, 2026, in Yaounde, the programme brought together 20 young participants from diverse regions and backgrounds, including indigenous communities, for learning sessions focused on climate change, environmental challenges, and community engagement. The initiative sought to equip young people with practical knowledge and encourage them to develop solutions to environmental problems within their communities. Participants were introduced to concepts that aimed at building their capacity in climate science, climate justice, waste management, climate finance, negotiations, and environmental communication. This fostered creative, solutions-oriented thinking that translates knowledge into actionable, community-relevant outputs.
After two weeks of learning sessions, participants were tasked with identifying environmental challenges in their communities and taking practical action to address them or raise awareness. Their activities formed part of the programme’s competency-based assessment and were complemented by an online engagement component.
The programme concluded on August 15, 2026, with participants receiving certificates after completing the training and practical challenge. At the end of the assessment, Soft Power Global rewarded the first three winners of the content challenge, including Mbasso Violet Lale, who emerged first and was crowned winner of YSCC Cohort 1, 2026, while Hure Hamidou Abdu finished second and Esunghe Blandine, who emerged third, was offered a paid volunteering opportunity with the Green Initiative organisation. The first-place winner will also serve as a brand ambassador for Soft Power Global for one year.
This program exposed and challenged fellows to bring out innovative solutions their communities need to mitigate climate change impacts. For instance, most fellows identified problems that challenged them to look at the environmental and climate-related problems around them and think about what they could do to address them. Their proposed solutions reflected the different realities of their communities, and the many ways young people can contribute to climate action.
For some fellows, technology became a tool for climate resilience. Nde Fru Blessing developed the Ecolink App, a digital solution designed to support weather prediction, community flood reporting, and climate awareness, helping communities access information that can support better preparedness and response to climate risks. For others, the challenge was closer to home. Violet Mbassa took action in the Bonas neighbourhood of Yaoundé by carrying out a drainage activity aimed at reducing the environmental and health risks associated with waste being dumped in gutters. Similarly, Hure Hamidah proposed mobilising residents to raise awareness about the health and environmental dangers of dumping waste into rivers, while encouraging regular clean-ups and the conversion of waste into manure for agricultural use.
Other fellows demonstrated that climate action can begin with simple, practical steps by keeping their street free from plastic bottles and other plastic waste, as well as practicing nature-based approach by planting trees and seedlings around at home.
Meanwhile, some fellows focused on building longer-term community resilience. A fellow proposed the Mvog-Betsi Resilient project to improve access to water in the Mvog-Betsi neighbourhood of Yaoundé, where residents face water shortages, rainwater runoff and increasing climate-related pressures. For some fellows, climate action also meant making climate knowledge more accessible and relevant to local communities.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate an important lesson from the first YSCC cohort: young people are not simply recipients of climate knowledge; they can become problem-solvers, communicators, innovators, and community actors. From a mobile application and early-warning systems to tree planting, waste management, water resilience and climate education, the fellows showed that climate action can take many forms, and that meaningful change can begin with the challenges communities experience every day.
The successful completion of Cohort 1 marks another step towards empowering young Cameroonians to translate climate knowledge into practical action within their communities.
For me, the best part was that we were not just treated as trainees; we were trained as those who are already engaged in climate change management. The tools provided, the curriculum, and advice made me feel like I was already a climate advocate, which I am.
YSCC Cohort 1 Fellow.
We noticed a significant gap between climate education and action among Cameroonian youth, which is why the Youth Summer Climate Champions (YSCC) programme was initiated. My vision is to ensure young Cameroonians are educated on environmental matters from a young age, both inside and outside the classroom, through community clubs and digital platforms. By providing green skills training, we empower young people to identify opportunities, respond effectively during disasters, and build their advocacy and communication capabilities. Through YSCC, we provide them with a dedicated space to develop locally grounded, sustainable solutions to the environmental and waste management challenges they face in their own communities.
Mponwe Minette Nwabe, Founder/Executive Director, SPG.
