Meg Wah's EcoKids are Growing Cameroon’s Next Generation of Climate Leaders

Ecokids, Meg Wah’s flagship annual program, jointly developed and implemented by Meg Wah and Voice of Nature (VoNat), has run for five consecutive years, training more than 950 young climate ambassadors from the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.

The mission of Ecokids is to train children ages 5 to 15 to champion the cause of a greener, more sustainable, and safer planet. Through storytelling, climate education, climate media and arts sessions, climate information gathering, tree planting, and watershed restoration, Ecokids inspires youth ambassadors to take action for the climate and their futures.

Earth Rising has been a proud supporter of Ecokids since 2020. The most recent iterations of the Ecokids project educated, mentored, and engaged an additional 120 children and young adults from ten communities within the Mount Mbam area of Cameroon. The project raised awareness about climate change, promoted climate action advocacy, and strengthened youth-led environmental stewardship in one of the country’s most climate-impacted landscapes.

Over the course of the project, participants planted 500 climate-resilient trees on public lands. These plantings were accompanied by climate-related messages that not only beautified the spaces but also provided information about climate change and its impacts on local communities.

In addition to tree planting, the project focused on educating participants in political advocacy. Youth participants wrote open letters to key policymakers about climate-related challenges in their communities and shared messages of support for pro-climate policies. They also engaged with government institutions, hospitals, places of worship, and local markets to raise awareness about climate change and potential adaptation strategies.

Notably, this past year marked a major step toward the long-term vision of developing 500 young climate ambassadors across Cameroon. Additionally, the impact of this program extends beyond its direct participants. Knowledge-sharing activities expanded learning opportunities to parents and broader community members, encouraging the adoption of sustainable farming and climate-smart household practices.

Earth Rising is proud to have supported this important and impactful work for more than five years. To learn more about Meg Wah and Ecokids, visit their website here.