Across Africa, young people are trying to change the world around them by speaking up about issues they care about, organising in their communities, and finding practical ways to respond to challenges. Christopher Arunga, a Kenyan youth advocate, is one of them. He has seen how climate change affects communities far from global decision-making rooms and wants to make a difference. Arunga's advocacy deepened after attending the first Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, where Africa presented itself as a source of solutions.
The Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi marked a decisive shift in Africa's approach to climate change. The continent was no longer a passive recipient of aid but a source of solutions, particularly in green energy, adaptation, and climate-smart development. This reinforced Arunga's belief that African voices must shape the global climate agenda, not just react to it. However, being inspired by global summits is only the beginning; the real test is what happens when one returns home and tries to make the conversation meaningful to their community.
Arunga learned to think about advocacy as more than speaking up; it's about understanding the issue, knowing where decisions are made, identifying who has the power to act, and creating opportunities for collective action. As a ONE Champion, he organised an event in Murang'a County, "People, Power and Processes in the Climate Conversation," to bring global climate conversations closer to the people experiencing climate change daily. The event aimed to share key outcomes from climate summits, popularise COP30, and create space for participants to develop messages to decision-makers.
The event in Murang'a County was successful, with 20 messages drafted, including one that stated, "As you meet in Brazil for COP30, we continue to bear the heavy consequences of climate change in the Global South. Act now!" These messages were forwarded to policymakers. Additionally, 50 assorted improved fruit tree seedlings were planted on community land, generating over 30 social media posts, bringing 30 new supporters into the movement, and driving new traffic to the ONE website.
The experience changed Arunga's perspective on advocacy, showing that communities and young people are ready to take action; they need opportunities to develop skills to turn their ideas into effective action. Change does not have to begin in a conference room; it can start at a community gathering, with people learning together, writing messages to decision-makers, and deciding their voices deserve to be heard.
Arunga is excited about what comes next, as thousands of young Africans want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. ONE Academy is now offering opportunities for young people to discover what they care about, understand how change happens, and develop the ability to contribute effectively. Arunga believes that with the right platform, skills, networks, and opportunities, young people can make a significant impact.
The goal is to help create a platform for young people to develop skills and put them into practice. Africa has a growing ecosystem of young people already taking action; the excitement is in seeing what happens when many more get the opportunity to do it well. Christopher Arunga is a Kenyan youth advocate and ONE Champion passionate about climate justice and community-led action, focusing on connecting global climate conversations with the lived realities of communities in Kenya.
Key points
- African voices must shape the global climate agenda, not merely react to it.
- Young people are ready to take action against climate change in their communities.
- ONE Academy is offering opportunities for young people to develop skills and contribute effectively to climate action.
