The Youth Cafe Becomes A Member of The Global Waste Cleaning Network

The Youth Cafe Becomes A Member of The Global Waste Cleaning Network

Certificate of membership

The Youth Cafe has been a member of the Global Waste Cleaning Network for 36 months, from 01 August 2022 to 30 September 2025. The Global Waste Cleaning Network (GWCN)  plays a vital role in the growing worldwide movement to reduce the impact of Environmental pollution on society via advocacy and the implementation of evidence-based programs to reduce pollution in Oceans, Coastlines, Lands, and the Atmosphere

The purpose of the Global Waste Cleaning Network (GWCN) is to support environmental activities, showcase, connect and train the network members, contribute to ecological debates, foster environmental research, and spread environment-related information.

GWCN is an international non-profit network of NGOs, Educational institutions, and private and public sector companies that are active and interested in environmental issues related to the management and reduction of waste, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous. Global Waste Cleaning Network organization members are spread across 173 countries.

A man carrying sorted wastes at Dandora dumpsite.

Global Waste Cleaning Network includes a research center (and an associated journal) served by PhDs and other academic and professionals from around the world researching and writing articles about 20 areas of specialization, either globally or with a focus on specific geographical regions and countries. GWCN is currently in partnership with the Eminent School of Water, Energy, and Environment of Cranfield University in the UK on research projects.

African youth continue to face many challenges: unemployment, low literacy rates, inadequate access to funding, violence, conflict, insufficient medical services, poor mentorship, policy limitations, poor governance, and corruption (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa [UNECA] 2017)

Experts from the Youth Cafe visit the Youths at Dandora Dumpsite

Since issues such as climate change tend to be very distant and abstract, and the science of pollution can be challenging to understand by non-experts, they need to be repackaged in relatable and personalized ways for young people to grasp.

The Youth Cafe works to advocate for better understanding and increased response to climate change vulnerabilities.

Efforts to reduce climate vulnerabilities require public awareness that can lead to demands for practical policy actions and climate-smart private investments, personal actions, and cooperation across sectors, disciplines, and institutions.

The efforts also require the engagement of diverse audiences, particularly young people who form part of 60 percent of the continent's population. The Youth Cafe utilizes practical climate actions that engage with data scientists, innovators, businesses, and different public groups.

The Youth Cafe is excited to join the network due to the works of the Global Waste Cleaning Network in conserving clean earth and maintaining healthy oceans, coastlines, lands, and the atmosphere for both people and nature. Increasing climate change literacy programs and so much more.

Fish and coral reefs in an unpolluted ocean (Source: National Geographic)

Through this partnership, we look forward to benefits that include the opportunity to be featured in the members’ directory of the Global Waste Cleaning Network Website and to get the support of GWCN for conferences/webinars. Network with environmental organizations and specialists worldwide through the Global Waste Cleaning Network social app. Through the network, the Youth Café will be able to attend the Global Waste Cleaning Network annual conference, get the chance to meet other member organizations, and get the opportunity to develop a research project through a research center. The Youth Cafe will access the GWCN online information library about environmental events and grant opportunities worldwide.

While active on cross-sectional topics, the Youth Cafe works on the environment, involve increasing climate change literacy programs, advocating for the creation of more green jobs, and creating a collaborative platform where young people can actively participate in finding solutions to environmental challenges. Ultimately it hopes to improve access to knowledge on environmental and climate adaptation (climate change literacy), including green jobs.

The members of the networks spun across the world, including the Americas, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. In Africa, the network has an active presence in all countries. Some notable network members include Ocean Global Foundation, Environmental Project in the Caribbean, E-waste Initiative Kenya, The Greener Earth Project, and Bluetopia, among others. These organizations work in fields such as Blue economy, Deforestation, Agriculture, climate change, Solid Waste, and sewage treatment.

The Youth Café is participating in the Global Waste Cleaning Network, an organization which seek to reduce the impact of environmental pollution on society. The Youth Cafe is thrilled to join the Global Waste Cleaning Network. Together we can make the world a better place.