Gabriella Sakina
Democratic Republic of Congo
Tell us about yourself: Gabriella Sakina is an indigenous Congolese girl leader committed to the climate and environmental justice for indigenous populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Gabriella Sakina is currently program officer for the PIFEVA(Pilier aux Femmes Vulnérables Actives). She is the initiator and technical supervisor of the project to support the promotion and perpetuation of indigenous knowledge for the management of forest biodiversity to strengthen of the resilience of forest indigenous agricultural producers to climate change in Mwenga territory in DRC. Gabriella Sakina is a Global Climate Leader for the 2021 Climate Crossroads Program curated by the Human Impacts Institute, in partnership with the Tenure Facility and Ford Foundation, Green Ambassador for the 2020 CCAO Program curated by the Climate Change Africa Opportunities, an active member at Major Group of Children and Youth to UN Environment (UNEP-MGCY), active member at Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), Young girl leader and member of the Initiative Joke Waller-Hunter (JWH) Network.
What did you do with the JWH grant? The JWH grant allowed me to learn and significantly improve the practice of English. It has also allowed me to improve my leadership and professional relationships in the field of climate and environmental justice at the local, national, sub-regional and international levels.
What has the leadership development plan brought you? I am now a co-founding member of Young Indigenous Leaders for Nature and Climate – YILNAC Network which is an Indigenous non-profit organization that mobilizes, educates, builds capacity, empowers and provides technical and strategic support to young Indigenous leaders and their grassroots organizations in research, identification, development and dissemination of tangible indigenous nature-based solutions to ecological and climate crises that affect the majority of indigenous peoples and local communities negatively and unfairly impacted by climate change while their livelihood systems, activities, their knowledge and traditional ways of life remain essential to protect nature and effectively fight against climate change in Africa. Gabriella Sakina is a Global Climate Leader for the 2021 Climate Crossroads Program curated by the Human Impacts Institute, in partnership with the Tenure Facility and Ford Foundation, Green Ambassador for the 2020 CCAO Program curated by the Climate Change Africa Opportunities, an active member at Major Group of Children and Youth to UN Environment (UNEP-MGCY), active member at Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), Young girl leader and member of the Initiative Joke Waller-Hunter (JWH) Network of Both END which aims to stimulate youth leadership in environmental civil society organizations to find dedicated, knowledgeable and knowledgeable leaders for the environmental movement in the developing World.
What is your dream? In the near future, Gabriella Sakina dreams becoming a young indigenous woman leader and climate activist from the Democratic Republic of Congo. My commitment will allow me to move the lines in the context of climate and environmental justice for women and indigenous populations as well as in the demonstration of its leadership through its support projects for adaptation and mitigation mechanisms for populations. indigenous and local communities to climate change in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
