Climate Impact Fellowship

Launching Soon!

The Climate Impact Fellowship is an initiative that aims to foster climate-positive growth by engaging young people in Africa with thought leaders and strategically positioning young people within major institutions to drive a global climate agenda. The Fellowship will provide pathways for university students to serve as advisors in major global organizations and will provide young people with multi-disciplinary training, focusing on areas such as sustainable development, climate finance, equity-focused policy design, and systems thinking.

Background

Young people around the world are witnessing the impacts of climate change in their daily lives. For example, farmers in Uganda are struggling as rainfall patterns have become increasingly unpredictable. Staple crops such as maize and beans are failing, leading to widespread food insecurity and hunger. This issue extends far beyond local boundaries and undermines any economic development initiatives that aim to improve their livelihoods and dignity. Scientific evidence demonstrates that global warming is a primary driver of such disruptions. Uganda and other African nations contribute less than 4% of global greenhouse emissions, yet they are disproportionately burdened by the consequences, including droughts, floods, and heightened food insecurity. At the same time, incredible gains and investments have been made to strengthen the economic development of many African regions to improve their daily lives. However, this will be undermined by climate disaster if there is no investment in climate-positive and climate-resilient growth.

Strategy

The Climate Impact Fellowship seeks to empower youth by equipping them with the necessary skills to support business and policy institutions in adopting climate-positive solutions to human prosperity. The Fellowship aims to bridge three schools of climate leadership to create skilled, connected, and knowledgeable climate impact professionals who will lead the future:

• Climate Justice is a human-rights-based approach that not only addresses the root causes of climate change but also ensures that the voices and needs of the most affected communities are prioritized in policymaking and resource allocation. By driving an equitable climate agenda, we can create a future where the most vulnerable have the resources and opportunities to adapt and survive.
• Systems thinking is a school of thought that seeks to address complex challenges by understanding the components, relationships, functions and leverage points of a system. It is the discipline of navigating complexity and scale when approaching wicked challenges such as ensuring global prosperity on a finite planet. By enabling young people to learn and think in systems, they can build unique and impactful solutions to long-standing challenges.
• Climate in business and social business: Business is a key component in today’s economy. Understanding how to bridge the viability of a business and its ambitions to champion a social cause is an important factor in climate-positive growth. Similarly, by strengthening the climate outcomes in business, Climate Impact Fellows can become key innovators and enablers for climate-positive growth.

Timeline

• March 2025 - Organize a series of online workshops to engage stakeholders in dialogue and exchange about the possibility of a Climate Impact Fellowship.  These workshops will enable co-creation as stakeholders explore the core assumptions and ambitions of the fellowship
• April 2025 - The fellowship will provide opportunities for 10 young leaders to implement and facilitate the series of online workshops (described above) and collect and synthesize stakeholder recommendations.
• May 2025 - Participants will travel to Lagos, Nigeria to contribute to global discussions at the intersection of sustainability, climate justice, technology, and economic resilience.

Several young leaders will contribute to shaping the Climate Impact Fellowship through collaborative planning, strategic discussions, and engagement with key stakeholders. They will use their expertise and commitment to climate action and sustainability to develop a multi-year grant proposal that supports youth leadership in climate justice and sustainability.

Hellen Irungu is a climate justice advocate and legal professional dedicated to shaping equitable policies that protect vulnerable communities, particularly women and girls. As a Research Assistant at Strathmore University, she spearheaded research on integrating climate resilience into Kenya’s public-private partnerships, contributing to World Bank-endorsed recommendations aimed at mitigating climate-driven economic losses. At the Parliamentary Service Commission, she played a key role in strengthening Kenya’s Biodiversity Bill by identifying gaps in environmental governance to enhance ecosystem protections. Beyond policy, Hellen has led grassroots climate advocacy through the Talloires Network’s Next Generation Leaders’ Cohort, where she examined gendered climate inequalities during COVID-19. She has worked directly with Nairobi’s Kibera slums, campaigning against gender-based violence, and has mentored girls in rural Kenya through Equity Bank’s Wings to Fly initiative. Currently consulting for the Climate Impact Fellowship, she applies her expertise in climate justice, systems thinking, and policy design to co-create inclusive solutions for Africa’s most climate-vulnerable populations. A Strathmore University Law graduate and Advocate-in-training at the Kenya School of Law, Hellen bridges legal expertise, grassroots mobilization, and global partnerships to drive impactful climate action.

Steve Mwangangi is a Next Generation Leader alumnus from Nairobi, Kenya currently working in venture capital and impact investing. A lawyer by training, he is passionate about entrepreneurship, climate justice, impact investing, and community building. Steve has cultivated expertise in climate advocacy through fellowships with the United Nations Academic Impact, Restless Development, and ONE.org, where he learned to analyze complex issues and develop integrated solutions. He also co-founded Asili Nomads (formerly Nature Lovers KE), a social enterprise promoting outdoor experiences and environmental conservation among Kenyan youth. Outside work, he enjoys vintage photography, hiking, and exploring new ideas at the intersection of tech, social entrepreneurship, and finance.

Mahugnon Samuel Ahossouhe is an engineer in Water and Sanitation. He’s passionate about solving climate challenges and is currently conducting engaged research on e-waste management in West Africa to reduce e-waste, promote a circular economy and raise awareness of sustainable practices to reduce dependence on natural resources and emissions due to poor e-waste management. He worked on the Water, Climate, Development, Environment and Gender Equity (WACDEP-G) program as a Young Leader of the African Union AIP Fellowship to Transform Gender Inequalities in Climate Resilient Water Investments. Mahugnon is a Next Generation Leader (NGL) alumnus of the Talloires Network of Engaged Universities where he contributed to developing civic engagement of students at universities by participating in discussions within the Pandemic Recovery and Resilience working group. He also participated in the For Youth, By Youth (FYBY) Movement, working within the grant planning team.

David Niyitanga is a dedicated professional specializing in community resilience building, with expertise in climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental conservation, food security, and social protection. He is a Next Generation Leaders Alum from Rwanda and holds a master's degree in environmental studies (with a specialization in Environmental Economics and Natural Resources Management). David has a strong research background, including his master’s thesis on community perception and adaptation to extreme weather patterns in Rwanda. With experience in project design and management, policy advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building, and participatory action research, he has worked with private institutions and national and international organizations operating in Rwanda’s civil society space. David is actively involved in volunteer initiatives and civic leadership at the grassroots level. He is the founder and first coordinator (2018–2019) of Rwanda Village Community Promoters.  Passionate about sustainable and innovative solutions, David is committed to strengthening community resilience and fostering inclusive development, empowering individuals to reach their full potential.