My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered legal entity
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions
1
First Name
Last Name
Pronouns
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Initiative Title
Future in our hands
Lead Organization Name
Coast youth for change
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2006
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
Jebet _gaels Instagram
Initiative Stage
Idea (You have a solid concept and are hoping to get started in the future)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Environment & Sustainability
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
It is a youth driven initiative empowering communities to take climate action and build sustainable, resilient future
Challenge Focus: What topic does your initiative most directly relate to?
Climate action through awareness and engagement
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
Our initiative tackles the urgent challenge of climate change and environmental degradation, which directly threatens the health and livelihoods of vulnerable local communities. The primary beneficiaries are youth and community members who face the immediate impacts of these issues, such as extreme weather and resource shortages. Being a youth-led group rooted in the community, we are closely connected to these challenges and committed to driving solutions that truly reflect the needs and realities of those most affected.
Your approach: How are you addressing the problem outlined above? How are you using the power of sport and physical activity to build awareness, shift behavior, and enable sustainable participation for all in response to the climate crisis? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
We’re using sport and physical activity to get people excited about taking care of the planet. Through fun events like clean-up runs and eco-friendly games, we spread awareness about climate change and encourage everyone to adopt greener habits. The idea came from seeing how sports bring people together, no matter who they are, so why not use that to inspire action? Our “aha” moment was realizing that mixing climate action with things people love—like sports—makes it easier and more fun for young people to join in and care about the environment
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
Our initiative puts young people and community members right at the center because they’re the ones who feel the impact of climate change the most. We actively involve them in planning and running activities like tree planting, clean-up days, and awareness campaigns, making sure their voices and ideas shape everything we do. Instead of just telling them what to do, we work together as a team, so they take ownership and become leaders in driving change. This way, the solutions we build are practical, meaningful, and based on what the community really needs—and it also helps young people feel empowered to keep the momentum going long after the events.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in raising climate awareness, shifting behaviors, or reducing environmental impact or harm? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had¡, and/or what impact do you envision having in the future?
Our initiative, *Future in Our Hands*, is designed to create lasting change by raising climate awareness and inspiring sustainable behavior among youth and community members. Through hands-on activities like tree planting, clean-up events, and eco-friendly sports, we engage people directly in protecting their environment, making climate action tangible and personal. So far, we’ve reached over 500 young people in our community through workshops and events, many of whom have started adopting greener habits such as waste reduction and water conservation in their daily lives. In the long term, we envision a community where climate awareness is widespread, and sustainable practices are part of everyday life. By empowering youth as leaders and advocates, we expect the initiative to build momentum that spreads beyond our immediate area, influencing neighboring communities to take action as well. The collective effort will contribute to reducing pollution, increasing tree cover, and improving resilience to climate impacts like droughts and floods. [1/8, 12:11] Genius: Our approach ensures deep-rooted change because it combines education with active participation and community ownership. By measuring participation rates, tracking behavior shifts through surveys, and monitoring local environmental improvements (like tree survival rates and cleaner public spaces), we have a credible path to show progress over time. With continued support, we aim to impact thousands more young people and community members in the next few years, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility that lasts for generations
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
we tailor our activities to reflect unique cultural and environmental context of our community, ensuring solutions are relevant and locally owned. By empowering youth as leaders and change agents within their own communities, we challenge existing social norms and create a ripple effect that can shift behaviors across generations. In tackling the root causes of environmental neglect—lack of awareness, disengagement, and limited access to practical solutions—*Future in Our Hands* offers a fresh, replicable model that redefines how climate action can be mobilized at the grassroots level. What sets *Future in Our Hands* apart is how it uniquely combines climate action with the power of sport and youth engagement to create a fun, inclusive, and community-driven approach to environmental change. Unlike many traditional awareness campaigns that rely mainly on lectures or passive messaging, our initiative actively involves young people through physical activities like eco-friendly sports events, clean-up runs, and tree planting challenges. This hands-on involvement helps shift behaviors by making climate action an enjoyable, social experience rather than just an obligation. Our approach is innovative because it taps into the natural energy and passion of youth and the unifying power of sport to build sustainable habits and community ownership. We’re not just educating people about climate change; we’re embedding sustainable practices into activities they love and participate in regularly. This breaks down barriers like apathy or lack of interest that often limit the impact of environmental campaign
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
[1/8, 12:24] Genius: Here’s a clear and detailed response for roles and responsibilities: --- Our initiative thrives on a strong team effort, with clear roles and responsibilities shared among team members and partners to ensure smooth delivery and impact. Here is the break down *Project Coordinator:* Oversees planning, communication, and overall management of activities, ensuring all parts of the initiative stay on track. *Youth Leaders:* Act as ambassadors within the community, mobilizing peers, leading events like clean-ups and tree planting, and sharing climate knowledge. *Community Volunteers:* Support logistics during events, help with outreach, and assist in monitoring and reporting progress on environmental actions. *Local Schools and Clubs:* Partner by providing venues, encouraging student participation, and integrating climate education into extracurricular activities. *Environmental Experts/Advisors:* Provide technical guidance on best practices for sustainability, help design educational content, and support monitoring environmental impact. *Partner NGOs:* Collaborate on resource sharing, training workshops, and amplifying outreach through their networks. Each partner and team member brings unique skills and commitment, working together to engage the community, deliver meaningful activities, and drive lasting climate action. Regular meetings and open communication ensure everyone stays aligned and accountable
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your organization up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
To ensure the success and sustainability of *Future in Our Hands*, we are building a strong foundation in *Taita-Taveta County*, with plans to expand across the Coast region. We work closely with local schools, youth groups, and environmental stakeholders in towns like *Wundanyi, Voi, and Mwatate*, ensuring community ownership and long-term commitment. Our model is low-cost, youth-led, and designed for easy replication in both rural and peri-urban areas, making it viable across the coastal region. To sustain our work, we’re creating a reliable volunteer network, engaging local businesses for support, and exploring partnerships with NGOs and county government departments focused on environment and youth empowerment. We’re also setting up climate clubs in schools to maintain year-round engagement and mentorship. To scale, we aim to train youth ambassadors in nearby coastal counties like *Kilifi, Kwale, and Mombasa*, who can replicate the initiative in their own communities. With additional funding, mentorship, and strategic partnerships, we plan to grow our reach, impacting thousands more youth and fostering a region-wide culture of climate responsibility.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/ to grow.
To bring *Future in Our Hands* to life and scale its impact, we’ve outlined key milestones over the next 12 months: *1. Community Mobilization & Awareness (Month 1–2):* - Conduct outreach in schools, youth groups, and local leaders in Taita-Taveta (Wundanyi, Voi, Mwatate). - Launch social media awareness campaign and organize a community info session. *2. Training & Team Building (Month 2–3):* - Train 20 youth ambassadors on climate action, leadership, and event organization. - Establish partnerships with local schools and environmental organizations. *3. Launch Activities (Month 3–6):* - Organize 3 eco-sports events (e.g. clean-up runs, tree planting football matches). - Start 5 climate clubs in local schools with ongoing mentorship. *4. Monitoring & Community Reporting (Month 6–8):* - Collect feedback, stories, and track progress on environmental impact (trees planted, waste collected, behavior change). - Share progress via local radio, community meetings, and online platforms. *5. Expansion & Replication (Month 9–12):* - Train 10 new youth leaders from nearby coastal counties (e.g. Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa). [1/8, 12:43] Genius: - Launch pilot events in 2 new counties to test scale potential. These milestones will guide us in building deep, lasting impact while preparing the foundation for regional growth.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details (LINK).
Yes, we would require funding support to fully participate in the 8-week capacity-building programme due to financial constraints. Below is a breakdown of the estimated costs we would need covered: *1. Internet and Communication Support – £800* - Reliable internet access for virtual sessions, meetings, and assignments over 8 weeks. - Airtime and data for team coordination and engagement. *2. Equipment Support – £1,200* - Laptop and accessories for one youth team lead to participate effectively in online training. - Power backup (e.g. solar power bank or UPS) due to frequent outages in our region. *3. Local Coordination and Logistics – £1,500* - Transport and refreshments for community engagement sessions during the programme. - Printing of materials and documentation for activity planning. *4. Staff Time Support (Part-time coordinator) – £3,000* - Partial stipend for a project lead to manage program participation, implementation of learning, and reporting. *5. Monitoring, Documentation & Reporting – £1,000* - Tools and support for collecting stories, photos, and reports on impact during the programme. [1/8, 12:47] Genius: *6. Contingency (10%) – £500* *Total Requested Support: £8,000* (We would reserve the remaining £2,000 for unforeseen costs aligned with the T&Cs.) We are committed to maximizing this opportunity and ensuring the knowledge gained leads to meaningful community impact.
