On the 14th January, 2022, the Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) launched the National Environmental Defenders Programme. The programme is aimed at amplifying youth and children’s voices in environmental and climate justice, implement action-oriented initiatives, lobby and advocacy, capacity building, mentorship, and mobilising Youth & children as Environmental Defenders across the country and scale it up to the SADC region. The programme will also see to it that sustainable structures are established to increase rural youth & children participation. The Environmental Defenders programme is responding Environmental protection, Extractives, Water security, Climate Change, Renewable energy and Agriculture in line with CEJ’s Strategic Plan. CEJ is currently working with 300 youths and looking forward to having cooperating partners that shall support the youth activities under this programme.