Development of Educational Action Network (DEAN Initiative) is proud to announce its selection as one of the 4 recipients of the Climate Justice Resilience Fund (CJRF) 2024 Global Open Call grant. DEAN Initiative joins a group of 4 prestigious organisations worldwide as the only Nigerian organization and West African entity to be shortlisted as a winner. The three other organisations are from Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Kenya. The Climate Justice Resilience Fund (CJRF) received 513 expressions of interest, which led to 274 groups submitting applications. DEAN Initiative received the highest number of votes, emerging as one of the 4 winners.
The CJRF grant aligns with DEAN Initiative's mission to promote climate justice and resilience reforms through capacity building and youth leadership. The funded project, The Lake Chad Climate Justice Fellowship, will empower 20 young climate activists from the Lake Chad region with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities required to advocate for climate justice, address gender-based violence, and mitigate the insecurity caused by climate change in their communities. Participants will gain the skills and knowledge to advocate through advocacy, capacity building, and network development. DEAN Initiative will work closely with local, regional and global partners to implement the project.
"We are thrilled to be selected for this grant and excited about the possibilities it brings for young people in the Lake Chad region," said Doreen Oho, Technical Programs Lead. "This funding will allow us to provide marginalised youth in the Lake Chad Region with the knowledge and skills they need to become agents of change."
Ngozi Edum, DEAN's Partnership and Innovation Manager, stated that the fellowship will challenge colonial narratives and promote social justice by centring indigenous knowledge systems and prioritising locally led solutions. "True climate justice cannot be achieved without addressing the structural inequities that have historically excluded marginalised communities," she said.
DEAN Initiative remains committed to supporting youth empowerment and advancing the rights of marginalised communities through sustainable development and climate action.