By Laudato Voices | August 03, 2025.

In Bundibugyo, Uganda, Mr. John Tumwesige, leader of our Laudato Si’ Club at St. Padre Pio Nyahuka Parish, shared with us how they are witnessing the harsh realities of climate change, from floods that sometimes have flooded their cocoa gardens, to disrupting leaners going to school.  The droughts that affect food production seasons and ecosystems in the area.

But even with limited means, John and his team are building resilience through local environmental and economic initiatives growing cocoa and planting fruit and indigenous resilient trees, advancing soil conservation, and youth-led awareness. They dream of going even further transforming their work into a proactive, long-term climate resilience strategy for their community and we believe they can.

All this is possible Because of Faith, Action and Hope. This is what Laudato Youth Initiative is inspiring the youth to do as a means of fostering a quick response to what is happening to our common home through our Laudato Si Clubs.

Our clubs are spearheading grassroots environmental and economic initiatives aimed at building long-term climate resilience, with youth-led awareness campaigns, and their work firmly rooted in faith, hope, and the conviction that “care for our common home” begins right where we are.

Mr. Tumwesige notes that while their efforts have made a meaningful local impact, they aspire to scale these initiatives into a more proactive and structured climate resilience strategy one that includes stronger partnerships, access to tools and knowledge, and a platform to influence locally engrained policy inspires climate action parish level.

Their story is a reminder that the road to climate resilience in Uganda is being paved by determined, faith-driven local communities and young people the work that the Laudato Youth Initiative is taking to faith communities and institutions to raise awareness and inspire action with the right support, their potential to transform the future is immense.