Three among 15 Bangladeshi youth organizations received grants from the US Embassy for developing innovative solutions to protect natural resources, improve waste management, curb plastic pollution, and create awareness about the need for urgent action to mitigate climate threats.
The 15 youth organizations from different universities and community environmental conservation groups from around the country participated in the USAID's “Saving Mother Nature, Saving Us” initiative over the past several months, says a press release.
During this time, they learned how to develop effective project plans and proposals and pitched their project ideas to a panel of judges at a special event at IUB in Dhaka on Saturday.
In the event, US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Helen LaFave joined PM's Special Envoy for Climate Change Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Independent University and Bangladesh (IUB) Vice Chancellor Tanweer Hasan.
They presented awards to the top three Bangladeshi youth organizations.
The youth-led campaign, organised by the US Agency for International Development, was meant to mobilize action to mitigate climate change and protect the environment.
“Climate action is a lot of work -- but if we work together, we can make a difference. This is why we emphasize the need to mobilize youth leaders. They are not only future leaders of Bangladesh; they are already talented leaders in their schools and in their communities now,” said LaFave.
The grand-prize winner of the project proposal competition was the Sharub youth group from Satkhira for their innovative idea to provide remote villages in their district with safe, saline-free drinking water.
The second-place winner was PCycle for their idea to promote sustainable waste management in schools and universities. The Bangladesh Youth Environmental Initiative won third place for their project proposal to increase climate literacy and create a climate-based school curriculum for young Bangladeshi students.