Climate Change Advocacy : Here Comes The Time For Action!

The Non-governmental Organisation, Actions for Development and Empowerment, ADE on Friday 13, 2024 in Yaounde launched the project, Media for Climate Action. The 8-month project is financed by the French Embassy in Cameroon at the cost of 6,000 Euros (just over 6 million FCFA). Through the Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects, FSPI Ecological Transition, and developed by the French Embassy and the Conseil Nouveau Sommet Afrique France, NSAF Council.

Climate Change Affects, Concerns Everyone
Addressing a press conference to mark the launch, Ndi Nancy Saiboh, the Founder and Executive Director of Actions for Development and Empowerment, said climate change was the most urgent issue of our time. Because it affects various aspects of life. “It is an honour for us to have been amongst the six projects that were selected from the 126 organisations that applied for funding. It is indeed a privilege for Actions for Development and Empowerment,” Nancy Saiboh said.

Call For Applications For Workshop
She explained that Media for Climate Action focuses on training 10 journalists, bloggers and influencers based in the Centre Region. During a three-day intensive workshop in the second week of February 2023. After which participants will produce advocacy articles on climate change and how it affects health. “We also launched a call for applications for those to be trained in the workshop (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfzjgw07AB8yaUN8rDfAR_wGHaSFn201FEfhb_lS2P9p8j2A/viewform). Applicants are expected to be practising journalists, bloggers and influencers who are passionate about climate change issues. This is the pilot phase; the project will hopefully grow and be extended to other regions with time. For now, only applicants based in the Centre Region are concerned,” Nancy clarified.                

For The Deserving, Only
“Only ten top notch applicants will be retained for the workshop because we are looking for concrete results to attract our donors to offer us more funding to spread the project to the other regions of Cameroon,” Nancy noted. In all, five journalists, three bloggers and two influencers – based in the Centre Region - will be trained.   

Traditional, New Media Involved
According to Rocou Anaelle, the Head of Cooperation in the French Embassy in Cameroon, the Embassy has been investing in ecological transition with local civil society organisations. “We found the Media for Climate Action project interesting because it will work directly with the media – both the traditional and new forms of media (journalists, bloggers and influencers). It is important for us to see the right information dished out,” Anaelle pointed out.

Getting Right Information To Right People
“We also have projects on the fight against disinformation. Bloggers, journalists and influencers and others are needed to publish the right information to get to the right people … The issue of climate change and adapting to it, and ecological transition, concern everyone. Thus the role of journalists,” Anaelle said.

Support, Training For Civil Society
"We hope to continue to support local civil society organisations like Actions for Development and Empowerment, ADE. Our contribution is mainly in terms of financial and technical support, training local organisations in project management, financial reporting, narrative reporting, accountability towards international donors, sourcing for funding from international partners…” Rocou Anaelle concluded.

Rallying Cameroon CSOs For Energy Transition
“Media for Climate Action project seeks to take stock of the activities the French Embassy has carried out in Cameroon in the area of ecological transition by training civil society stakeholders to adapt to climate change and protect the environment. The project is part of efforts by the Frenc...