Over 70 Youths Trained on Accessing Climate Change Information Through Project Green Citizens

Over seventy youths across Ghana have received practical training on how to effectively access and disseminate information on climate change and related environmental issues. Organized under the theme "Project Green Citizens," the training aimed to equip participants with the skills needed to understand and engage with the climate change narrative more explicitly.

The 2024 annual Wiki-Green conference was a focal point of the initiative, bringing together young people from various backgrounds, including academics, researchers, practitioners, and environmental advocates. The event provided a platform for participants to explore the damaging effects of pollution and climate change on the rights and freedoms of Ghanaians, while also discussing potential solutions to the country’s environmental challenges through open projects like Wikimedia.

Stephen Dakye, a Wikipedian and one of the founders of the Wiki Green initiative, highlighted the conference's mission to promote equality in accessing climate information. He pointed out that many communities affected by climate change in Ghana do not speak English, yet most of the literature and discussions on the issue are in English. Dakye emphasized that language barriers are hindering the effectiveness of climate action, and the Wiki Conference aims to bridge this gap while training young people on how to utilize these resources.

Participants were encouraged to harness the power of the open digital movement to enhance their environmental activities and broaden their outreach. Young people were challenged to use their phones, social media platforms, and free access to open platforms like Wikipedia to contribute to the global sustainability campaign.

A practical session led by Otuo-Akyampong Boakye, a co-founder of the Wiki Green Initiative, guided participants on how to use the audio feature in Wikipedia articles to raise awareness of environmental pollution and climate change in local languages. Prior to the conference, Wiki Green volunteers had been trained to translate and record audio content of articles on climate change and environmental sustainability. This new content, available in languages like Twi and Ghanaian pidgin, was added to existing Wikipedia articles to improve accessibility.

The conference also provided an opportunity for the Wiki Green team to showcase their work and train industry players on how to effectively use open projects like Wikipedia to increase their reach and impact.