Youth Action for Climate Change (YACC): Linking Environmental Protection with Sustainable Livelihoods in Morogoro

Youth Action for Climate Change (YACC): Empowering Communities to Restore the Uluguru Ecosystem

In Morogoro, communities living around the Uluguru Mountains are experiencing increasing environmental pressure. Once a strong natural resource base, the area is now facing visible degradation driven by unsustainable practices such as tree cutting and the extraction of construction materials, including sand and stones. These activities, often carried out as a means of survival, are contributing to deforestation, soil erosion, and declining water sources.

The Community Youth for Transformation and Development (CYTD), through the Youth Action for Climate Change (YACC) project, is working to address this challenge by placing young people and local communities at the center of environmental restoration and sustainable development.

The project is currently being implemented in Kilakala and Bigwa Wards, where CYTD is combining environmental education with practical action. Through school-based and community learning sessions, young people and residents are gaining knowledge on climate change, environmental conservation, and sustainable practices. This awareness is critical in building long-term behavioral change and community ownership.

However, CYTD recognizes that knowledge alone cannot solve the problem. Many households depend on environmentally harmful activities because they lack alternative sources of income. Without viable economic options, environmental degradation will continue.

To respond to this reality, YACC is integrating environmental protection with livelihood support.

In its first phase, the project has already delivered tangible results. More than 2,300 trees have been planted across Kilakala and Bigwa Wards, contributing to ecosystem restoration and improved climate resilience. Community clean-up campaigns have also mobilized local residents, creating cleaner and healthier environments while strengthening collective responsibility.

Building on this foundation, the next phase of the project focuses on equipping communities with the tools to protect their environment while sustaining their livelihoods. This includes training youth and women in environmentally friendly income-generating activities such as tree nursery development, sustainable agriculture, and recycling initiatives. In addition, the project aims to provide startup capital to support small green enterprises, reducing dependence on destructive practices.

This integrated approach positions communities not only as beneficiaries, but as active agents of change, protecting the Uluguru ecosystem while improving their economic well-being.

The need is clear, and the opportunity is significant. Investing in sustainable livelihoods is essential to breaking the cycle of environmental degradation. By supporting youth-led climate action and green entrepreneurship, CYTD is creating a model that delivers both environmental and economic impact.

CYTD invites partners and donors to support the expansion of the YACC project. With increased investment, the initiative can scale its reach, restore more degraded areas, and empower more young people to lead climate solutions in Morogoro.

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