From Local Roots to Global Voice: Harrison on The World We Want Podcast

We are thrilled to celebrate a landmark moment for ISEC and for environmental education in Africa: our Executive Director, Harrison Ashangwa, joined The World We Want: The NAAEE Podcast to share his journey, vision, and challenges as a youth leader in climate and environmental education.

His story is both deeply personal and broadly inspiring — from growing up in Cameroon, learning from community elders, to leading a network that spans 30+ countries. This podcast episode gives a rare, candid look into the heart of ISEC’s mission and Harrison’s conviction that youth-led action is essential in shaping sustainable futures.

Photo design : NAAEE

A Journey Forged by Place and Purpose

In the podcast, Harrison draws attention to a recurring theme: environmental education is not an external imposition, but something rooted in lived experience. He and co-guest Ritchie Tusabe speak about growing up in African contexts where community, land, and traditional practices are intimately tied.

Harrison shares how early exposure to ecological imbalance — whether through deforestation, pollution, or lack of clean air — spurred in him a sense of responsibility. He frames his work not as lofty idealism, but as a response to real, felt challenges in his home country.

One quote resonates deeply:

“Life is full of challenges. We face the challenges head on. If we don’t accomplish something, we learn from the experience … That’s how I see my journey and I’m happy to share this story … it’s really helped me to shape other young people.”

This approach—learning from adversity, embracing failure as growth—is something Harrison carries into ISEC’s work. It’s also a reminder that change is rarely linear.

Bridging Gaps: From Cameroon to the World

In the episode, Harrison points out a key tension: many environmental initiatives are designed in or funded from the Global North, leaving a resource and perspective gap for African contexts. He emphasizes that bridging that divide is central to ISEC’s work.

Under Harrison’s leadership:

• ISEC supports youth-led environmental education initiatives across 32 countries.

• Over 40,000 youths have been reached through ISEC programs, with 500+ trained in climate stewardship and entrepreneurship in Cameroon alone.

• Harrison has successfully raised more than USD 50,000 in grants to support grassroots climate education and sustainable action globally.

  
  

He’s also deeply invested in local action: in 2022, he founded Clean Air Initiative Cameroon, which links research, citizen science, and advocacy to tackle air pollution and promote sustainable urban mobility.

In the podcast, Harrison doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the magnitude of challenges — lack of funding, lack of infrastructure, weak institutional support — but he frames them as calls to action rather than excuses.

Mentorship, Ripple Effects, & Youth Leadership

One of the most inspiring aspects of Harrison’s conversation is his passion for mentorship. He reflects on how a single encouragement or opportunity can transform trajectories. In his words:

“Inspiring even one young person can create a ripple effect of change.”

This belief is woven into ISEC’s ethos: not just building programs, but nurturing leaders, promoting agency, and creating platforms where young people can lead, question, experiment, and fail forward.

His message to youth across Africa is clear: your voice matters, your context matters, your solutions matter. Harrison underscores the urgency of education, systemic change, and collaboration — not as buzzwords, but as imperative actions.

A Call to Listen, Support, and Engage

By participating in this podcast, Harrison not only elevates his personal journey but amplifies ISEC’s mission and the broader narrative of youth-led environmental change in Africa. We see this as an opportunity, not just for celebration, but for connection: to new partners, funders, youth, institutions, and changemakers.

We invite you to listen to the full episode “Global Voices: Lessons from Young African Leaders on Climate and Sustainability” with Harrison Ashangwa and Ritchie Tusabe on The World We Want podcast.

We hope it inspires you as much as it inspires us. Let Harrison’s journey be a reminder that climate leadership is possible in every context — if grounded in authenticity, resilience, and community.