Green_Africa_Youth_Organization_(GAYO)

Green Africa Youth Organization

Green Africa Youth Organization

Ghanaian youth-led advocacy group

Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) is a youth-led advocacy group based in Ghana. It was founded in 2014 by Joshua Amponsem and Desmond Alugnoa.[1][2] The group focuses on environmental sustainability and community improvement.[3][4][5] GAYO aims is to inspire young people to participate in climate activism and foster climate leadership in Ghana.[6] GAYO also provides environmental blogs.[7] GAYO established the first Youth Climate Council in Africa to provide climate skills to young people when it launched the council in 2021 in Ghana.[8][9][10]

Quick Facts Formation, Founder ...

Founders

Joshua Amponsem[11][12] is a Ghanaian climate activist[13] and the Climate Lead at the UN Secretary General’s Youth Envoy office.[14] Since a young age, he has been assisting climate-affected communities in Ghana.[15] Being an advisor to the UN Youth Envoy’s office, he facilitated the first UN Youth Climate Summit.[16] Joshua was one of the speakers[17] at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos in 2022.[18][19]

Desmond Alugnoa was a farmer in northern Ghana.[20][21][22] His work started in 2012 with an emphasis on environmental preservation, climate adaptation, and community development.[23]

Projects and Initiatives

Sustainable Community Project

GAYO’s sustainable community project[24] is a community-based waste management project in the South district of Ghana.[25][26] The project includes members-led activities such as composting, recycling arts, and producing charcoal briquettes from agricultural waste.[27][28][29]

The project aims to create a zero-waste model for African rural-urban areas.[30][31]

The project has achieved significant results within the short period of its initiation.[32] The project also procured safe water to over 100 women within the Kandiga-Kurugu rural population.[33]

Zero Waste Strategy

GAYO has been working with La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA) to implement Zero Waste Accra Project to promote zero waste practices across municipalities.[34][35]

Sustainable Sanitary Products & Period Poverty

GAYO partnered with PeriodLink for the menstrual justice movement.[36] Both youth-supported organizations raised funds to train women in Northern Ghana to build better careers.[37] The project educated teachers and pupils on menstrual health and period poverty across the upper-east region of northern Ghana.[38][39]

Campus Eco Clubs

GAYO initiated campus echo clubs in Ghanaian universities to educate youth on environmental problems.[40] Some of the participating universities were the University of Cape Coast (UCC), the University of Ghana (LEGON), the University of Developmental Studies (UDS), and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).[41][42] The GAYO eco clubs called for drastic action on plastic waste[43][44] as a part of the Zero Waste Strategy.[45]

References

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    "Rural Innovation – A Story of Green Africa Youth Organization". ClimaTalk. 7 July 2020.
  2. [2]
    Suzuki, Mayumi (2021-07-28). "In Ghana, two young men are shaping climate justice for the Global South". Landscape News. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
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    "Green Africa Youth Organization: Climate action in Ghana and the Global South". The Green Zine.
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    "Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO)". World Cleanup Day.
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    Yin, Millicent. "Climate Groups in Ghana to gather in Accra to develop Ghana's National Youth Statement on Climate". Filla House.
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    Sato, Mayumi (29 July 2021). "In Ghana, two young men are changing what climate justice looks like in the Global South". LANDSCAPE NEWS.
  7. [7]
    Sodeinde, Solomon (5 March 2018). "Africa's top five environmental blogs". Deutsche Welle.
  8. [8]
    "Ghana institute Youth Climate Council". Ghana News Agency. 25 September 2021.
  9. [9]
    "WikiForHumanRights Workshop". Open Foundation West Africa.
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    "Ghana launches Youth Climate Council". GhanaWeb.
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    "Joshua Amponsem". Earth Charter.
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    "State & Trends in Adaptation: Governance & Young People" (PDF). Adaptation Futures 2020.
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    "Ghanaian climate activist wants mandatory climate change education for youth". Graphic Online: Ghana news. 27 January 2021.
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    "Joshua Amponsem". Bloomberg.com.
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    "The hidden truth: Solutions for a youth-driven bioeconomy in Ghana". Forests News. 6 November 2021.
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    "Global Youth Call to Action Adapt for Our Future" (PDF). Global Center on Adaptation.
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    "Meet our speakers and jurors". The Home of Climate Cinema.
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    Cheam, Jessica (1 June 2022). "The Global Plastics Treaty: We need speed, standards, scale and teeth". Eco-Business.com.
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    "Joshua Amponsem". Climate Interactive.
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    Sato, Mayumi (29 July 2021). "In Ghana, two young men are changing what climate justice looks like in the Global South". Landscape News - Global Landscapes Forum.
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    Musmanni, Gabriela Díaz (9 September 2021). "Newly formed Youth Advisory Panel to help GCA steer the course of Global Adaptation". Global Center on Adaptation.
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    "Youth from the Global South reflect on multisolving". Multisolving Institute. 30 January 2022.
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    "Rural Innovation – A Story of Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO)". ClimaTalk. 7 July 2020.
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    "GAYO SEEKS TO RESEARCH AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO PRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES". KidsRights Changemakers.
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    Clayton, Taylor (22 Jan 2021). "Meet the next generation turning the tide on plastic pollution". The World Economic Forum.
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    SANO, MAX (6 March 2022). "Green Africa Youth Organization: Climate action in Ghana and the Global South". Planet Forward.
  27. [27]
    "Sustainable Community Project (SCP)". Climate Chance.
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    Jean-Gervais, Alloh (20 April 2021). "Cape Coast: Green Africa Youth Organization organizes clean up and waste audit exercise". ATL FM NewsRoom.
  29. [29]
    "20 Youth Organizations Transforming Food Systems". Food Tank.
  30. [30]
    "Should Ghana Ban Plastic?". Deutsche Welle. 13 January 2017.
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    "GAYO LAUNCHES CAMPUS ECO-CLUBS". Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives.
  32. [32]
    "Sustainable Community Project". Climate Chance.
  33. [33]
    Amponsem, Joshua. "Sustainable Community Project: A Zero Waste Motive". Frontrunners Innovate.
  34. [34]
    "Gayo works with ladma to implement zero waste accra project". NewsGhana24.
  35. [35]
    Magoum, Inès (9 September 2021). "GHANA: A new solid waste recycling initiative in Accra". Afrik 21.
  36. [36]
    Raghunath, Ruchita (1 March 2021). "Artists and Activists: In conversation with Peace Silly on fighting period poverty". The Oxford Student.
  37. [37]
    "Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO): Water4Adaptation and Period Poverty". UpLink.
  38. [38]
    "In Ghana, two young men are changing what climate justice looks like in the Global South". LANDSCAPE NEWS.
  39. [39]
    "Period poverty and menstrual belonging: a matter of climate justice" (PDF). The Lancet.
  40. [40]
    Marnce, Carissa. "GAYO LAUNCHES CAMPUS ECO-CLUBS". Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives.
  41. [41]
    Yeboah, Yaw (15 October 2021). "GAYO Eco-Club UG-Legon Campus Chapter Participates in the "Good Food For All Forum"". EBO SAFO.
  42. [42]
    "Break Free From Plastic Youth Ambassadors 2021". Break Free From Plastic.
  43. [43]
    Cheam, Jessica (1 June 2022). "The Global Plastics Treaty: We need speed, standards, scale and teeth". Eco Business.
  44. [44]
    "GAYO ECO-Club calls for drastic action on plastic waste; break free from plastic". ElectionSinGhana.
  45. [45]
    "GAYO ECO-Club calls for drastic action on plastic waste". Ghana Education News.
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