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By Nadine Ingabire
Children from across Kigali are stepping up to protect the planet, and they want the government and private sector to join them.
Young representatives from the city recently participated in national and international forums on climate change, where they made a heartfelt appeal for greater support in turning their environmental ideas into action.
The group attended the African Climate Change Conference, held in Ethiopia in September 2025, which focused on amplifying children’s voices in the fight against the climate crisis. The event was organized by Save the Children.
“We have ideas, but we need support.”
One of the delegates, Ange Aline Abijuru, said that young people across Rwanda are full of creativity and determination but often lack the resources to make their projects sustainable.
“The government should create a fund to help children respond to the impacts of climate change,” she said. “We are already planting trees, managing waste, and running other eco-friendly projects.
When children come up with ideas to solve problems, putting those ideas into practice benefits the whole world.”
Turning children’s ideas into real action
Benigne Shami Rindiro, who won a national competition last year for her project on reducing plastic pollution, echoed that call. She said children’s projects often end after competitions because they don’t get the follow-up support needed to make them long-term solutions.
“My wish is for the government and other institutions to truly listen to children and implement their ideas,” she said. “Our projects should be reviewed, monitored, and supported so that they can grow and have a lasting impact.”
Partnering to amplify children’s voices
Marcel Sibomana, Program Manager at Save the Children, said the organization is working with several local partners to help children gain the skills, funding, and networks they need to make a difference.
“We work with youth clubs and organizations like Youth Empowerment, Children’s Voice Today, and Nature Rwanda,” Sibomana explained. “We provide them with financial support, training, and connections to policymakers.
All these efforts are designed to make sure children’s voices are included in national environmental strategies. So far, we’ve supported over 500,000 children.”
A national commitment to youth in climate action
According to David Ukwishaka, a greenhouse gas monitoring officer at the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), the government is increasingly recognizing children’s role in environmental protection.
“In our new 10-year national strategy, we’ve introduced a special focus on children,” he said. “We’re ensuring their participation in climate action is tracked and strengthened. We also organize training sessions to help them understand environmental issues and how to collaborate with the government.”
In the 2025/2026 national budget, the Rwandan government allocated 16.3 billion francs to support ten state-led projects dedicated to environmental protection.
Over the past 13 years, Rwanda has invested more than 355 million U.S. dollars in initiatives aimed at preserving the environment and reducing the effects of climate change, a clear sign of the country’s growing commitment to a greener future.
