Climate Action: EcoSmart Club Trains 45 Youths with Disabilities in Oyo on Disaster Preparedness
…Distributes Customized Emergency Kits for Inclusive Response
By Fatima Saka
Ibadan, Nigeria – In a landmark initiative for inclusive climate resilience, EcoSmart Club, a youth-led grassroots organisation, has trained 45 young persons with disabilities in Oyo State on climate disaster preparedness.
The two-day workshop, recently held in Ibadan, was organised under The GreenAbility Project, a new EcoSmart initiative supported by the Global Youth Mobilization Youth Empowerment Fund and the African Climate Alliance.
The project aims to equip young people with disabilities in Nigeria with climate adaptation knowledge, green skills, and emergency preparedness tools. Participants included students from special schools, educators, and youths with visual, hearing, and physical impairments, as well as albinism.
The highlight of the event was the distribution of personalized climate disaster kits tailored to participants’ specific needs. In a pioneering effort, EcoSmart Club also created special flashcards for deaf participants to enhance communication with emergency responders.
In her opening remarks, Hannah Omokhaye, Founder of EcoSmart Club, stressed the urgency of inclusive climate action of People with disabilities, especially youth—face heightened risks during disasters such as floods, heatwaves, and droughts.
She said. “This isn’t just about physical vulnerability. Systemic exclusion and inaccessible infrastructure deepen the threat.”
Quoting the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, she added, “Persons with disabilities are four times more likely to die in climate disasters, largely because emergency systems are not designed with them in mind. Their voices must be part of disaster planning.”
Building Knowledge and Skills, the Day One of the workshop focused on climate change awareness and rights-based advocacy. Sessions were led by:
Hannah Omokhaye, on climate disasters in Nigeria
Mr. Kola Amusat, Founder of Ibadan Development Centre
Mr. Yusuf Olatunji, a disability rights advocate and Director of Yutex Global Concept, on disability rights during climate crises
Day Two shifted to practical training on emergency response. Key facilitators included:
Mr. Ojo Olaleye, Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross, Oyo State, who trained participants on how to build disaster kits and act before, during, and after emergencies
Superintendent Ayodeji Omole, Head of the Fire Investigation Unit, Federal Fire Service (Oyo Command), on fire safety during climate events
Dr. Oyenike Adeleke, mental health advocate, on psychological resilience in emergencies
Institutional Endorsements
The training received commendation from key emergency management bodies.
Mrs. Ojuolape Busari, Administrative Secretary of the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA), praised the program for spotlighting the overlooked needs of people with disabilities in disaster preparedness.
Mr. Olanrewaju Kazeem, Assistant Director of Disaster Risk Reduction at NEMA, applauded EcoSmart’s inclusive approach and expressed NEMA’s readiness to partner with the group in scaling the initiative across more communities.
Voices from Participants
Ajayi Olaoluwa, a participant living with albinism, expressed renewed confidence in handling climate risks, particularly heatwaves.
Also, Praise Ife, a visually impaired participant, called the workshop transformative: “This training not only educated me about climate change but also helped me understand my rights during emergencies and how to advocate for them.”
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Call to Actions
Speaking on Policy Inclusion, Omokhaye urged government bodies, civil society groups, and development partners to embed disability inclusion in all climate policies.
“Climate justice cannot be achieved without disability justice, A sustainable future must include everyone,” she said.
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