Meet the Youth Clean Cooking Delegation CCA will send to the One Young World Summit
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 2, 2022 — The Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) recognizes that youth voices are critical for achieving universal access to clean cooking. As such, CCA has partnered with One Young World (OYW), an organization that promotes and connects youth leaders from around the world.
A key component of OYW is its annual Youth Summit, which brings together 2,000+ of the brightest young leaders from numerous countries and sectors, working to accelerate social impact. This year, CCA will send a Clean Cooking Delegation to the OYW 2022 Summit from September 5-8 in Manchester, UK to highlight the benefits of clean cooking.
Ninety percent of the world’s 1.8 billion youth live in developing countries where 2.4 billion people still rely on polluting fuels and stoves to cook their food, and the negative impact of traditional cooking on young people is substantial. CCA recognizes the vital role of youth in achieving universal access to clean cooking, contributing to the cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future that young people need to thrive.
“Young leaders from around the world are pivotal to meet SDG7 by 2030. What they bring to the table is critical to ensure universal access to clean cooking and modern energy,” said Dymphna van der Lans, Chief Executive Officer of the Clean Cooking Alliance. “That’s why we must empower and support them with opportunities and knowledge to become the world’s energy professionals and leaders of tomorrow.”
This Clean Cooking Delegation consists of seven clean cooking youth advocates from around the globe, supported by CCA and its partners, including Girl Up, Modern Energy Cooking Services, and Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Meet the participants of the first-ever Clean Cooking Delegation participating at the One Young World Summit 2022:
Kakembo Galabuzi Brian (27, Uganda) – Founder, WEYE Clean Energy Company; Project Coordinator, Waste to Energy Youth Project; Board Director, Student Energy:
“Clean cooking is a human right. Meaningful youth inclusion creates a sustainable succession plan by developing a critical mass of future human resources to sustain the current efforts and future innovations.”
Sasha Lawson (22, UK) – Politics and International Relations student, Loughborough University:
“Clean cooking for all can help us overcome two of the greatest challenges caused by climate change – premature death from air pollution and deforestation. Younger generations are key in ensuring more people access life-changing clean cooking equipment by spreading awareness of the danger of indoor air pollution and how sustainable cooking methods can help save lives.”
Shannon Lloyd (25, USA) – Senior Associate, Evidence & Impact, Clean Cooking Alliance:
“Clean cooking is a catalyst for women’s empowerment and necessary for a healthy global community.”
Elizabeth Oladepo (27, Nigeria) – Founder, 07 Foods:
“Youth engagement in clean cooking is critical at all levels to ensure sensitization and innovation of implementable solutions to help reduce the negative effect of traditional cooking mostly found in rural communities in my country.”
Mofiyin Onanuga (18, UK) – STEMinist; Founder, ‘Teach It In 10’ Curriculum; TA & Coalition President – Girl Up:
“Clean cooking is fundamental to offering a safe and sustainable environment. It is vital to increase the support of ongoing youth engagement to further educate communities on its importance and create space for innovative solutions.”
Andrea Stanisic (28, Montenegro) – Global Networks & Partnerships Coordinator, Clean Cooking Alliance:
“Clean cooking is a youth issue! Raising youth voices and increasing youth participation in clean cooking can drastically contribute to the strengthening of the clean cooking sector.”
Jessica Vargas (22, Mexico) – Climate Associate, Clean Cooking Alliance:
“Clean cooking is an overlooked solution to reducing poverty, combating climate change, and contributing to gender equality and human well-being.”
CCA hopes the delegation’s participation at the One Young World Summit will mark the beginning of an active community of young changemakers who understand the importance of clean cooking and are dedicated to advocating for universal access while inspiring others to take action.
