Ecosmart Club, a youth-led grassroots initiative committed to equipping young Nigerians with the knowledge, skills, and community to lead climate action, has conducted a two-day training on climate disaster preparedness for 45 young people with disabilities in Oyo State.
The training, held in Ibadan, was supported by the Global Youth Mobilisation Youth Empowerment Fund and the African Climate Alliance.
Hannah Omokhaye, founder of EcoSmart Club, emphasised the importance of inclusive climate action.
She said that people with disabilities, especially youth, are often more vulnerable during climate disasters such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, not only due to physical risks, but also because of the systemic inequality and exclusion they face.
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“According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, people with disabilities are four times more likely to die in climate disasters like floods and heatwaves, often because evacuation plans, shelters, and emergency services are not accessible,” Omokhaye said.
She added: “Unfortunately, many disaster policies fail to include the voices and experiences of young people with disabilities.”
According to her, the training aimed to equip participants with foundational knowledge on climate change and climate justice.
Ojuolape Busari, the administrative secretary of Oyo State Emergency Management Agency, during her facilitation on inclusive climate disaster response in the state, praised the initiative, stating that it has shed light on the overlooked needs of people with disabilities in disaster planning.
Busari affirmed the agency’s commitment to working with the government to improve policies that support persons with disabilities during emergencies.
Similarly, Olanrewaju Kazeem, assistant director of Disaster Risk Reduction at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), commended the club’s intentional inclusion of people with disabilities in climate disaster education.
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He expressed NEMA’s readiness to collaborate with the club to reach even more communities.
Each participant received a climate disaster preparedness kit customised to their needs. Deaf participants were provided with flashcards on climate disasters, developed by the EcoSmart Club, to improve communication with emergency responders.
Ajayi Olaoluwa, a participant with albinism, expressed his gratitude for the training, stating that he now feels more confident in navigating the risks of climate disasters, especially heatwaves.
Another participant, Praise Ife, who is visually impaired, shared that the training was a turning point for her.
“As a person with visual impairment, I am more at risk in disasters. This workshop has not only taught me about climate change but has also opened my eyes to my rights as a person with a disability during emergencies, and how to advocate for those rights,” she said.
