At Green Totos Uganda, we believe that youth leadership and environmental accountability are the foundation for building a sustainable and greener future. That’s why we are incredibly proud to announce that our Co-Founder & Lead, Thembo Johnson Puruka, has been selected as one of the top five winners of the Global Youth Leadership Center (GYLC) Small Grant for Social Accountability! 🎉🌍

This prestigious recognition is a testament to our commitment to fostering youth-led climate action and social accountability in schools across Entebbe, Uganda. With this grant, we will embark on a transformative journey to equip student leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to become climate champions and accountability advocates within their schools and communities.

🌿 Why Social Accountability Matters in Environmental Action

At a time when climate change is one of the biggest global challenges, it is crucial to ensure that institutions, policymakers, and local communities take responsibility for their environmental impact. Schools, as places of learning and transformation, must lead by example—implementing eco-friendly practices, being transparent about their policies, and involving students in decision-making processes.

Through this initiative, Green Totos Uganda aims to build a movement of empowered student leaders who can hold their schools accountable while driving meaningful climate action. The project will focus on three key areas:

📍 Demanding Social Accountability

For environmental change to be effective, schools must be transparent, responsible, and accountable in their policies and actions. This program will equip students with advocacy skills to:

• Engage with school administrators to push for environmentally responsible policies.
• Monitor and assess how their schools manage waste, energy, and other environmental resources.
• Use their voices to demand better environmental practices, ensuring their schools are held accountable for their impact on the planet.

By fostering a culture of open dialogue and responsibility, we aim to create school environments that are not only green but also governed by ethical and sustainable principles.

🌎 Championing Climate Action

The fight against climate change requires action at every level, including within schools and communities. This initiative will:

• Inspire students to take practical steps toward sustainability, such as reducing waste, conserving energy, and participating in reforestation programs.
• Encourage peer leadership, where students motivate and educate their classmates about the importance of eco-friendly practices.
• Create eco-clubs and green teams in schools, allowing students to collaborate on sustainability projects and implement environmental solutions.

By empowering students to lead by example, we hope to create a ripple effect where climate-conscious actions become the norm in schools and beyond.

🌱 Promoting Green Innovation

Innovation is a powerful driver of change, and young people are full of creative ideas that can transform the way we approach sustainability. Through this project, students will:

• Be encouraged to develop their own green solutions for environmental challenges in their schools.
• Learn eco-entrepreneurship skills to turn their ideas into real-world projects.
• Engage in hands-on sustainability initiatives, such as upcycling waste, setting up school gardens, and experimenting with renewable energy solutions.

By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to inspire students to see environmental sustainability not just as a responsibility but as an opportunity to develop impactful solutions that benefit their communities.

🌍 Beyond the Grant: Building a Movement of Youth Climate Leaders

While winning the GYLC Small Grant for Social Accountability is an incredible milestone, this is only the beginning of a larger movement. This initiative is not just about one-time training sessions or short-term projects—it’s about nurturing a generation of young leaders who will continue to advocate for social accountability and climate action long into the future.

We envision a future where:
✅ Students play an active role in shaping school policies that promote sustainability.
✅ Young people feel empowered to speak up and demand climate action from their leaders.
✅ Innovation and creativity flourish, leading to greener schools and communities.

This movement goes beyond Entebbe—we hope to inspire youth across Uganda and beyond to take ownership of their role in building a more sustainable and accountable world.

This journey would not be possible without the generous support of the Global Youth Leadership Center (GYLC) under the visionary leadership of Ejaj Ahmad, along with The World Bank and The Global Partnership for Social Accountability. Your belief in young changemakers is helping to shape the future of climate action and social accountability.

As we embark on this exciting project, we invite you to follow our journey, support our initiatives, and join us in empowering youth for climate action.

Stay connected with Green Totos Uganda for updates on our progress, success stories from student leaders, and ways to get involved. Together, we can build a future where schools, communities, and young leaders work hand in hand for a greener, more sustainable world.