The Youth Climate and Health Consultation Series is a youth-led initiative by Cimilo iyo Caafimaad that creates space for Somali young people to shape conversations at the intersection of climate and health. While climate-related challenges continue to affect communities across Somalia, opportunities for young people to inform research, policy, and advocacy remain limited. This initiative was created to help bridge that gap. Through a series of community consultations across Somalia and with members of the Somali diaspora, we are gathering perspectives on how environmental change is affecting health, livelihoods, and everyday life. Rather than beginning with predetermined solutions, the consultations are designed to listen first—identifying community priorities, documenting lived experiences, and understanding what resilience looks like from the perspective of young people themselves. The initiative is currently in its early stages, with pilot consultations underway and the first in-person consultation scheduled for August 2026. Insights gathered throughout the series will be synthesized into a community-informed report and policy recommendations that can support advocacy efforts and elevate Somali youth perspectives in regional and global climate and health discussions.
As an early-stage initiative, our current focus has been on building a strong foundation for meaningful community engagement rather than pursuing rapid expansion. Over the past several months, we have developed the consultation framework, designed participatory activities, identified priority communities, and begun building relationships with youth leaders and local partners across Somalia and the Somali diaspora. Pilot consultations are currently underway, with our first in-person consultation scheduled for August 2026. These early conversations are helping us refine our methodology, ensuring that future consultations are inclusive, culturally relevant, and responsive to community needs. Beyond the consultations themselves, the initiative has also created opportunities to connect young people who are interested in climate and health but have had few spaces to engage with these issues collectively. As the series grows, insights gathered through the consultations will inform a public report and a set of community-informed policy recommendations intended to support advocacy at local, national, and international levels. While our impact is still emerging, we believe that investing in a thoughtful, participatory process now will lead to stronger evidence, more representative recommendations, and more meaningful long-term engagement from Somali youth.
Project information correct as of September 2026