Africa Climate and Environment Foundation mobilized resources and supported 5 grassroots youth leaders from Cameroon 🇨🇲, Uganda 🇺🇬, Nigeria 🇳🇬, Kenya 🇰🇪, and Sierra Leone to attend UNFCCC COP27 in Egypt 🇪🇬. These young leaders shared their experiences, highlighted community-led climate solutions, and made sure African voices were heard on issues that matter most: climate change, plastic pollution, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable resource use. Their participation showed how local action connects to global solutions and reflected ACEF’s mission: empowering youth to tackle the planet’s biggest challenges, from their communities to the world stage.

At COP28, the Africa Climate and Environment Foundation (ACEF) worked at the practical intersection of on-the-ground action, research, and policy, bringing real experiences from African communities into global climate discussions. ACEF shared lessons from grassroots climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods, while engaging with policymakers, researchers, and partners to ensure these realities informed conversations on loss and damage, climate finance, nature-based solutions, and a just transition. Through dialogue, knowledge exchange, and youth-led advocacy, ACEF helped bridge the gap between what communities are already doing on the ground and the policies and investments needed to scale effective, inclusive, and lasting climate solutions beyond COP28.

At the global stage of the COP29, the Africa Climate and Environment Foundation (ACEF) amplified the voices of grassroots communities from coastal Kenya and across Africa. Represented by youth climate advocate Sharrif Injamu, ACEF showcased practical, community-driven solutions addressing marine conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. Through strategic engagements with global partners, policymakers, and civil society organizations, ACEF highlighted the urgent need to invest in locally led climate action, particularly initiatives empowering youth, women, and coastal communities who are on the frontline of climate impacts. During the conference, we successfully positioned grassroots innovation within global climate conversations, sharing experiences from mangrove restoration, marine litter management, and ocean literacy programs implemented along Kenya’s coast.

The Africa Climate and Environment Foundation (ACEF) was proud to engage with inspiring young women leaders during the Young Women Leaders in Agri-Food Systems Program organized by the Pan African Farmers Organisation in Kigali, Rwanda. The program brought together emerging women leaders from across the continent and equipped them with the knowledge and skills needed to influence policy advocacy within agri-food systems, strengthening pathways toward sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient agriculture in Africa. At ACEF, we recognize that women are central to Africa’s agricultural productivity, yet they continue to face systemic barriers to land ownership, finance, and market access while remaining underrepresented in key decision-making spaces. Through our engagement in this program, we continue to reaffirm our commitment to championing gender equality and climate resilience in agriculture by supporting policies and initiatives that empower women farmers and leaders.

In March 2026, the Africa Climate and Environment Foundation (ACEF) formalized a strategic partnership with the South West Development Authority (SOWEDA) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in Buea, Cameroon. The partnership seeks to strengthen climate resilience and sustainable rural development in the South West Region by advancing ecosystem restoration, climate-smart agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and community capacity building. Through this collaboration, ACEF and SOWEDA will jointly mobilize resources, develop innovative projects, and leverage opportunities such as carbon markets to support climate action and sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

The Africa Climate and Environment Foundation (ACEF) participated in the CAADP Kampala Declaration Workshop held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 11–13 March 2026. The workshop, convened by CAADP Non-State Actors, GIZ, and CARE Cameroon, focused on supporting Cameroon in translating the Kampala Declaration into national actions that strengthen resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.

During the workshop, ACEF was honored with the responsibility to serve as the representative organization for the CAADP Kampala Declaration Youth Constituency in Cameroon. Through this role, ACEF is committed to amplifying youth voices, strengthening collaboration among youth-led organizations, and contributing to inclusive solutions that advance food security, climate resilience, and sustainable development across Africa.