The Dhaka Times Desk 2022 Imagine Ventures Youth Challenge Implementation of boot camps on climate change in 6 divisions of Bangladesh Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions.
UNICEF Bangladesh, Jago Foundation Trust, Bangladesh Brand Forum, Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) Bangladesh, International Labor Organization (ILO) and Technovation Girls Bangladesh organized the Generation Unlimited (GenU) Youth Challenge. The Imagine Ventures Youth Challenge is a global GenU flagship initiative, and this year has been implemented in more than forty countries around the world.
In Bangladesh, a call for applications to participate in the Youth Challenge reached nearly 8 million young people. After evaluating the applications received, 350 participants aged 15 – 24 participated in a three-day boot camp to develop solutions to their climate concerns in 62 teams. A boot camp participant said, “Climate Change Boot Camp was an experience that showed me the power of youth to make a difference in the world. I learned a lot about the impact of climate change and am creating a project that can make a real impact in my community.”
The Imagine Ventures Youth Challenge provides a platform for young women and men to collaborate and design climate-conscious solutions with the potential to address the most pressing environmental challenges and, at the same time, gain critical knowledge, skills and experience to become social entrepreneurs, Youth leaders and positive change makers. UNICEF Bangladesh Representative, Sheldon Yate, visited the boot camp in Dhaka and shared his thoughts: “It was inspiring to meet young people in Bangladesh who have designed solutions to waste management, urban pollution, lack of clean drinking water and the devastating effects of floods and droughts. Their hard work, team spirit and innovative approach to tackling climate and environmental challenges highlights the need to give more opportunities to youth to express their creativity.”
After a 3-day boot camp in each of the 6 divisions, twenty prototype solutions were selected for incubation with seed funding and mentorship support. Twenty teams currently incubating will showcase their final prototype solutions at the JNU Bangladesh High-Level Steering Committee meeting in February 2023.
As decided by the JNU Steering Committee meeting in March 2022, the JNU Foundation, with the support of partner Jago Foundation Trust, UNICEF, has established the Bangladesh Youth Action Team (BYAT) to ensure direct and meaningful youth partnership and leadership with JNU's agenda. The 80 BYAT members met for the first time in Dhaka as a group in November to discuss their roles and responsibilities at the national and local levels. Md Abul Kalam Azad, President of JNU Bangladesh and Chairman of its Steering Committee, met the 80 members and said: “Meeting the BYAT members from the eight divisions of Bangladesh has rekindled in me the hope and confidence that we, public and private partners, when we are with the youth. By partnering directly, we can tackle any development challenge. I look forward to engaging with these promising youth leaders so that together we can ensure positive change in the development issues that matter most to the youth of Bangladesh and a better and smarter Bangladesh by 2041.
Karvi Raksand, founder and executive director of Jago Foundation, said, “Today's youth are the most powerful agents to combat climate change. There are still many of us who have to admit this problem. The Imagine Ventures Youth Challenge Boot Camp gave these youngsters a great opportunity to take matters into their own hands Moreover, I believe Bangladesh Youth Action Team (BYAT) members are future changers, and will pave a path that will be a milestone for thousands of people.” -News press releases.
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