By Zaharaddeen Ishaq Abubakar
UNICEF, in partnership with the Katsina State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, has launched a two-day workshop to engage young people in climate change action across the state.
The event, themed “Youth Action on Climate Change: Tree Planting and Plastic Waste Management”, began on Thursday, April 10, 2025, drawing youth leaders and stakeholders from various local government areas.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Muhammad Rabi’u, while declaring the event open, urged participants to lead in addressing climate-related issues and broader development goals. “Youths are the leaders of tomorrow,” he said, encouraging them to apply lessons from the workshop to combat the impact of global warming.
The first day featured lectures and group discussions focused on plastic waste recycling, tree planting, and coping with extreme heat conditions.
UNICEF WASH Officer, Stella Ifeoma Okafor-Terver, stressed the importance of youth participation in environmental protection. She highlighted the dangers of open defecation and its connection to waterborne diseases like polio and cholera.
“Youth are key to achieving and sustaining an open defecation-free environment,” she said.
Stella also introduced participants to the Youth Opportunity Marketplace (YOMA), a digital platform for acquiring climate-related skills and entrepreneurship training. She said 80 youths from across the state are participating, with hopes of scaling youth engagement in future interventions.
“Our target is to help young people see climate action as a space for growth, innovation, and impact,” she added.
