By Ndumiso Tshuma
The City of Bulawayo has received a US$50,000 grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund, encouraging youth-led organisations to apply for the fund.
These organisations will receive between US$1,000 and US$5,000 to develop solutions for the city’s climate change challenges.
Speaking at the project launch held last Friday in Pumula, the Director of Housing and Community Services, Dictor Khumalo, announced that applications will close on July 1, 2024.
“One can also apply online, and these applications can be found at City Hall Tower Block, recreational centers, and suburban municipal libraries across Bulawayo. All council institutions have this information for easier access to where you stay,” said Khumalo.
Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart stated that the project is part of a global initiative involving 100 cities worldwide, where young people are encouraged to participate in designing, producing, and governing urgent climate solutions.
“The City of Bulawayo is calling on all young people to take up the space and join other youths from 100 cities around the world in designing, producing, and governing urgent climate solutions in Bulawayo and globally. This fund is specifically for young leaders between the ages of 15-24 years, recognising that about 84 percent of young people worldwide report that they are worried climate change threatens people and the planet. Their anxiety is largely due to their limited power to make positive changes, making them highly vulnerable. Therefore, it is our role as governments to ensure that our response to climate change helps alleviate their fears and anxiety,” said Coltart.
Coltart encouraged the youths to think of projects addressing the challenges faced by the city, including water scarcity, droughts, and climate change.
“The City of Bulawayo invites you to consider the challenges we face daily. Bulawayo is located in a drought-prone region, and its water shortage problems are perennial, with weather patterns characterized by low rainfall compounded by seasonal droughts. The El Niño and La Niña effects and climate change have affected the region’s rainfall patterns.
This situation calls for the city and its citizens to adopt resilient strategies to extend the water supply each season. As you make your applications, I encourage you to think of projects on how you can be part of climate change solutions by ensuring we conserve water and make our water usage efficient. We must strive to make water conservation a culture and way of life in Bulawayo,” said Coltart.
Coltart highlighted that the council has shared its climate priorities, which include increasing renewable energy production, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change, promoting green mobility, and accessing climate finance.
“The city has shared its climate priorities in the application forms to assist you in considering areas to focus on. These priorities include increasing renewable energy production, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change and building resilience, promoting green mobility, adopting an inclusive citizen participatory approach, and accessing climate finance.
I encourage new and ambitious climate efforts led by young people, such as youth-led awareness, education, research, and development initiatives, including climate surveys and research, youth-informed clubs or curricula, and youth-designed public art and awareness campaigns. Youth-driven climate mitigation and adaptation projects, including community gardening, tree planting, reforestation, and urban farming campaigns, as well as recycling and waste reduction programs and climate resilience workshops and disaster preparedness, are essential,” said Coltart.
