YouthNet for Climate Justice, in collaboration with the British Council, has officially launched 'YouAdapt,' a transformative youth empowerment initiative to strengthen local leadership in climate adaptation.

Jatrapur Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Ghafoor was present as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the  workshop on youth empowerment and climate advocacy recently, said a press release on Saturday.

Funded from the proceeds of Britain's King Charles III's birthday and coronation reception in Dhaka last June, the project is designed to empower the youth most affected by climate change, with a particular focus on those in the Char areas, natural islands formed in river basins from sand and silt deposition due to melting glaciers and riverbank erosion of Kurigram district. 

The 'YouAdapt' project is poised to lead local-level advocacy, youth-led climate justice campaigns, and the facilitation of Char conferences on climate risk reduction, emphasisng loss and damage mitigation.

It is expected to engage approximately 3,000 youths in Kurigram, offering specialised training, climate sessions, and community radio programs to augment their knowledge, skills, and leadership capabilities, as confirmed by official sources.

Reflecting on the initiative, YouthNet executive coordinator Sohanur Rahman underscored Kurigram's susceptibility to natural disasters, especially floods.

“Char possesses its own power and community resilience, particularly the indomitable energy of unbeatable youth.

The 'YouAdapt' project aims to harness that energy to combat the adverse effects of climate change,” he said.

The project's inception owes itself to the generosity of donations received during King Charles III's birthday and coronation celebration in Dhaka.

YouthNet district Coordinator Sujan Mohanto,  programme coordinator SZ Apu, Arifur Rahman Shuvo, along with journalists, teachers, Union Parishad members, and representatives from various youth-led organizations joined this inception workshop.