The two youth-led initiatives awarded through the 2025 Global Integrated Flood and Drought Management Competition for Youth-Led Projects have now concluded, demonstrating how young innovators can help communities better prepare for and respond to climate-related hazards.
GreenQuest: Flood Resilience through Gamification and Community Action (Nigeria)
GreenQuest combined gamification, storytelling, and community engagement to improve flood preparedness in vulnerable communities in Lagos. Through community vulnerability assessments in Ikorodu and Ebute Iga, participants identified blocked drainage systems, poor waste disposal practices, and communities’ lack of flood awareness as key contributors to flood risk. The project also documented Indigenous knowledge and adaptation practices, with elders and traditional leaders sharing historical flood experiences, local warning signs, and community-based flood management approaches.
Through GreenQuest: Rescue Tides, an educational game developed as part of the project, around 250 students engaged in game-based learning, flood preparedness activities, and environmental stewardship sessions. The project also delivered practical workshops on low-cost flood mitigation techniques, including sandbag preparation and waste management practices. The game was tested with community members and installed on approximately 50 devices distributed to refugee youth through a partnership with Peddle Innovation Labs. Two community clean-up campaigns further promoted flood prevention through better waste management and environmental awareness.
You can download the GreenQuest: Rescue Tides game on your phone here.
This project was led by Grace James, founder of GreenQuest.
GreenQuest Workshop on low-cost flood mitigation techniques. (Photo Credits: Grace James)
SV4CASH: Smart Village for Climate Action Self-Help (Uganda)
In Uganda, SV4CASH strengthened community resilience in Elegu Town by assessing vulnerabilities to climate extremes and promoting local action. The assessment highlighted flooding as the most severe and recurrent hazard, while also identifying compounding risks such as drought, strong winds, and soil erosion. The project engaged communities and highlighted the importance of local coping strategies, including drainage construction, elevation of homesteads, crop diversification, and seasonal migration.
At Elegu Primary School, around 70 learners participated in a two-day engagement focused on understanding floods, identifying warning signs, and applying safety measures before, during, and after flood events. Through Flood Action Cards and a Flood Hotspot Walk, learners gained practical experience in recognising risks and strengthening community preparedness.
This project was led by Ajok Paska, Hydrologist.
SV4CASH Inception Meeting, 2026. (Photo Credits: Ajok Paska)
The next edition of the Competition for Youth-Led Projects is coming soon!
The competition will continue to support young people aged 18-35 in turning innovative ideas into action. It aims at implementing solutions for disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and response that contribute to flood and drought resilience.
Stay tuned for the launch of the 2026-2027 edition and take the opportunity to join a global movement of young leaders working to build more resilient communities worldwide.