NYCAGG Project Empowers Youth in Climate Action
Nepali Yuwa in Climate Action and Green Growth (NYCAGG), the YouthCAN.org project is funded by the European Union to promote the involvement of young Nepali people in green growth, environmental protection, and combating climate change. NYCAGG started its implementation in Madhesh Province in 2022, Karnali Province in 2023 and is currently ongoing in Sudurpaschim Province. NYCAGG envisions increased participation of Nepali youth in governance, entrepreneurship, and advocacy for climate action through the intervention.The project is led by Youth Innovation Lab and implemented by consortium partners Restless Development, CREASION, and the Centre for Disaster Management Studies (CDMS).
TagMe: Digital Advocacy for Policy Change
TagMe is a digital advocacy (one of the crucial components of the project) campaign to collect evidence of environmental and climatic issues to advocate for policy change. The assessment was carried out to identify the major environmental and climatic issues of Sudurpaschim province that could be advocated by the TagMe Campaign for policy change. ‘Landslides’ has been identified as a key environmental issue for digital campaigns.
Data-driven digital advocacy emerges as a vital tool, amplifying local voices and disseminating evidence backed by data to influence policies and plans. This approach empowers duty bearers with contextualized strategies and provides communities with transparent access to information, fostering local engagement. In line with the TheYouthCan project, Data-driven Advocacy will involve local youths selected through networking and open calls across Sudurpaschim Province. Leveraging the TagMe app’s gamified approach, these individuals will gather evidence of landslides, including type, mitigation measures, risk factors, and human settlements. The collected data will be presented to the provincial government through policy dialogues, enhancing accountability and urging action on identified issues.
The campaign utilizes a mobile app called TagMe, which allows young people to report and document waste and landslides within their communities. This data collection effort will take place from June to November 2024.
The collected data will serve a crucial purpose of acting as evidence to advocate for policy changes that address these environmental concerns. This empowers young people to become agents of change in their communities.
Digital Volunteers Onboard
The TagMe initiative has onboarded ten digital volunteers. These volunteers will be responsible for:
- Stakeholder mapping,
- Initiating conversations and coordination with identified stakeholders to introduce the campaign,
- Conducting an outreach session with a mapped target group using the provided outreach materials,
- Encouraging and engaging a group of local young people to collect landslide data via the TagMe app,
- Promoting the TagMe app.
I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to this important cause and look forward to making a positive impact.
Shushila Kumari Bhatta, TagMe Digital Volunteer
Orientation Session Equips Volunteers
On June 28th, 2024, Swastika from Youth Innovation Lab led an orientation program for the 2024 TagMe digital volunteers. The orientation covered various aspects of the TagMe app, including its functionalities, data collection procedures, and data analysis processes. Discussions were also held between the digital volunteers and participants from Restless Development to ensure a smooth understanding of the app’s usage.
This initiative highlights the growing role of digital tools and youth participation in environmental activism within Nepal. By empowering young people with technology and knowledge, TagMe is paving the way for a more sustainable future.
