A Chevening alumna’s mission for climate justice in The Gambia

Chevening alumni are driven by a passion to create meaningful change. Fatou Jeng, a climate advocate from The Gambia and one of Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 (2025), has spent over a decade leading efforts to tackle the climate crisis through youth empowerment, policy advocacy, and global collaboration.

Driving youth climate action

My name is Fatou Jeng. I’ve been working in the climate and environmental sector for over ten years. In 2015, I founded Clean Earth Gambia, a youth-led NGO that started with no resources or funding. Today, it’s one of the largest youth environmental organisations in the country.

Clean Earth Gambia is focused on promoting climate justice through climate education, awareness and advocacy, nature-based solutions, and highlighting the intersection of gender and climate change. We empower and support small-scale farmers, children, young people, and women across communities.

To date, we’ve trained over 10,000 people, impacted more than 40,000 lives, and planted over 35,000 trees. We work closely with national and international partners including the Gambian government, Banjul City Council, UNICEF, UNDP, and UNFPA to reach vulnerable groups and promote climate education.

From national impact to global leadership

In 2024, Clean Earth Gambia hosted the first National Children and Youth Conference on Climate Change, in partnership with UNICEF and the Government of The Gambia. The event brought together young people to engage directly with policymakers on the climate issues affecting their lives.

Internationally, I serve as a gender negotiator for The Gambia to the UNFCCC, advocating for stronger gender inclusion in climate policy. I was appointed one of the UN Secretary-General’s Youth Climate Advisors (2023–2025), providing policy advice at the highest level. I also sit on the UN Early Warning for All Panel, working to ensure that everyone is protected from hazardous weather and climate events by 2027.

As International Empowerment Manager at the Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation, I help lead global youth mobilisation and ecosystem restoration. The foundation has empowered over 100,000 ambassadors, planted more than 31 million trees, and monitors over 1.3 billion hectares of land using FireAlert.

How Chevening shaped my journey

In 2020, I was awarded the Chevening Scholarship to study Environment, Development, and Policy at the University of Sussex. This opportunity expanded my skills and knowledge in sustainable development and introduced me to an inspiring network of global leaders.

Chevening also changed my life personally. I met my husband, Adama Njie, through the programme – he was a fellow Chevening scholar from The Gambia, studying at Cardiff University. We got married in April 2021 and now have a two-year-old son.

In 2025, Fatou was recognised as one of Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 for her climate advocacy work.

My vision for the future

Looking ahead, I plan to continue expanding my work with Clean Earth Gambia and Plant-for-the-Planet, reaching more communities affected by climate change. I also hope to pursue a PhD in Climate Education to better understand how knowledge drives action and to design inclusive learning strategies that support global climate justice.

For me, Chevening was not just an academic opportunity; it was the foundation for lasting impact and meaningful connection.

 

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