<4%
of global carbon emissions
Africa's share of global CO2 emissions, despite being home to nearly one in five people on Earth.
Climate action for African communities
Building a climate-resilient Africa, one community at a time.
The Africa Climate Action Initiative (ACAI) is a Ghana-registered non-profit that equips schools, young people and local communities with the knowledge, skills and partnerships to adapt to a changing climate — and to lead the response.
- Registered NGO in Ghana
- Community-led design
- Aligned with SDG 13
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Locally led
Every programme is co-designed with the community it serves.
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40+
participants at a single
community climate dialogue
Who we are
Climate change is a local story. So are its solutions.
In Ghana, climate change is not a distant forecast. It is the farmer in the north waiting on rains that come late, the coastal family watching the sea move closer, and the student studying in a classroom that grows hotter every year.
ACAI was founded by Ghanaians who believe the people living with these changes should be the ones shaping the response. We bring climate science into classrooms, train young climate leaders, and support communities to plan practical, low-cost adaptation.
- Formally registered with Ghana's Registrar General's Department
- Volunteer-powered, with programmes run by local facilitators
- Focused on education, adaptation and youth voice
Why it matters
Africa contributes the least to climate change — and faces some of its hardest impacts.
Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, flooding and coastal erosion are already reshaping livelihoods across West Africa. Preparing communities now is one of the most effective ways to protect lives, food and learning.
~2/3
of Ghana's coastline at risk
Roughly two-thirds of Ghana's 550 km coastline is affected by erosion and flooding, threatening homes and fishing livelihoods.
95%
of food production is rain-fed
Most food in sub-Saharan Africa depends on rainfall, making farming families highly exposed to droughts and dry spells.
Sources: World Bank; Ghana National Adaptation Plan Framework; regional climate assessments. See more climate facts
What we do
Practical programmes that turn climate knowledge into action.
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Education
Climate Literacy & Green Schools
Reading corners, learning kits and interactive lessons that make climate science real for primary and junior high learners.
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Youth
Youth Climate Leadership
Training young Ghanaians to design local climate projects, speak up for their communities and mentor their peers.
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Adaptation
Community Resilience
Helping households and children's institutions prepare for heat, water stress and climate shocks.
Learn moreNature-Based Solutions
School tree nurseries, community greening and land restoration that cool classrooms, protect soils and store carbon.
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Advocacy
Policy & Partnerships
Working with public institutions, schools and civil society to put community priorities into climate plans.
Learn moreOur approach
How we work with communities
Lasting change comes from people who own it. Our four-step approach keeps communities in the driver's seat from the first conversation to the final report.
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01
Listen
We start with community dialogues to understand local climate risks, priorities and existing knowledge.
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02
Learn
We share accessible climate science through workshops, school lessons and learning materials in local contexts.
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03
Act
Communities lead practical projects — reading corners, tree nurseries, water-saving habits and preparedness plans.
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04
Amplify
We document results and bring community voices to schools, districts and national climate conversations.
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Story spotlight
From local timber to a classroom library.
When a partner school told us its pupils had nowhere to read, we did not ship in ready-made furniture. Instead, a local carpenter built sturdy shelves on site, keeping skills and income in the community. Today the reading corner holds storybooks, dictionaries and our first climate learning titles.
“Climate education begins with a place to learn. When the community builds that place, they protect it.”
Our impact so far
Small steps, multiplied by many communities.
- Learners reached through climate lessons
- 1,200+
- Youth climate ambassadors trained
- 60+
- Community workshops & dialogues
- 35
- Books & learning items distributed
- 2,500+
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Registered & accountable
Registered with Ghana's Registrar General's Department (No. CG044450523) and governed by an independent board.
Transparent by design
We publish programme results and lessons learned so partners and communities can see what works.
Safeguarding first
Child protection and do-no-harm principles guide every school and community activity we run.