On June 22nd, 2026, Youth Environmental Justice and Gender Equality (YOGE), with support from IUCN’s BRIDGE Women Leadership Grants and in partnership with TAMCODE, embarked into a Media and Storytelling Awareness Campaign under the Voices for Water initiative across the Ruvuma Basin, in Tanzania. By capturing the lived experiences of women and youth, the campaign promoted inclusive water governance, environmental conservation, and sustainable livelihoods while challenging gender barriers to leadership. Through community dialogues and powerful human-interest stories, the initiative is expected to reach more than 20,000 people, inspiring collective action to protect vital freshwater resources.
The campaign also connected community voices with decision-makers and amplified their stories through radio, television, newspapers, and digital platforms. Women and youth gained knowledge on climate-smart livelihoods and digital marketing, while key challenges—including access to finance and sustainable irrigation—were elevated to regional policy discussions.
Together, YOGE, IUCN, TAMCODE, journalists, and local communities
are demonstrating that when local voices lead the conversation, they inspire lasting action for gender equality, resilient communities, and the protection of our shared water resources. #iucnbridge#yoge-tz #tamcode_official