Forum empowers youth to act on climate change

By Adel Fruean 24 August 2019, 10:00AM

Youth are being encouraged to lead action on climate change in their villages. 

A forum at the Tuutuuileloloto Hall this week was organised by the Samoa National Youth Council (S.N.Y.C.). More than 40 participants attended.

According to the president of the S.N.Y.C., Kevin Lucky, the goal of the forum is to push youths to be leaders within their villagers to start campaigns in combating climate change.


“The theme for the forum is ‘empowering youths to lead with action as climate change champions,” he said.

Mr. Lucky said that youth must lead with actions that can make an impact.

“Climate change actions do not need millions in funding to start because it is small things, like picking up rubbish, that does not require a lot of equipment to carry out; you only need people to be involved and that is your contribution to climate change," he said.

“We are also trying to organise a competition for the youth representatives to compete over a six month period to see who has the best climate change project implemented and have really made an impact on their surroundings as a way to have them involved.”

A representative from the United Nations Development Programme within the Global Environment Facility of Small Grants Programme, Ofusina Toamua Ieremia, said that they have provided S.N.Y.C. with funding of US$20,000 for their activities.

“It was specifically through waste management for young people to take the lead in going back to their communities,” he said.

“Everyone wants to make a difference especially contributing to tackling climate change and its very simple, one of the easiest ways to protect your environment is picking up the rubbish because waste management is a big issue in Samoa and around the world.

“It affects our eco-systems in forests and turtles in our marine life is heavily affected which directly impacts our lively hoods through dumping rubbish in forests will sometimes end up in our rivers which connects to our water supply.

“This is the youth’s opportunity to rally all their community members and make a difference. So far, the youths are doing very well in terms of implementation.

“The implementation period is two years and so their project will conclude at the end of the year.”


The Samoa National Youth Council, in brief

  • The S.N.Y.C.  is a Non Government Organisation established in 2012 to be the focal office for youth-led activities in Samoa. 
  • Currently there are 132 Village Youth Representatives who are members of the Council. 
  • Every quarter the Council carries out Quarterly Forums with its members to discuss youth issues and projects that the Secretariat takes carriage of.
By Adel Fruean 24 August 2019, 10:00AM

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