As my tenure as Board President of YES-DC came to an end in October 2025, I find myself deeply grateful for the journey, the people, and the growth that defined this chapter. This chapter offered moments of leadership, learning, challenge, and collaboration. Leading a youth-led organization committed to energy transition, justice, and sustainability has been both a privilege and a responsibility, one that shaped me personally.
When I stepped into this role, my vision was clear: to help build a more sustainable, and impactful YES-DC, one that empowers young people not only to be present in climate and energy spaces, but to meaningfully participate, influence, and lead. Over the past year, this vision guided our annual theme, strategic priorities, and the way we showed up, both nationally and internationally.
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Achievements and Milestones
- Organizationally, the Board made significant strides across five strategic focus areas: Board Expansion & Team Formation; Finance; Membership & Partnerships; Programs, Projects & Events; and Digital Presence & Visibility.
One of our most important achievements was expanding YES-DC’s internal structure. Strengthening the Board and Management Team allowed us to distribute leadership more effectively, improve coordination, and create clearer pathways for youth to take ownership and develop skills. This shift from concentrated leadership to shared responsibility marked a key step in YES-DC’s institutional maturity. I am especially grateful to the Board members Jai Singh, Kolade Otokiti, Ejiroghene Oruarume, and Kelechi Nwogwu whose commitment, reliability, and collaborative spirit made this transition both possible and meaningful.
- Programmatically, we delivered impactful activities that strengthened YES-DC’s visibility and relevance. These included a thematic webinar, the launch of the Campus Ambassadors Programme, with our first cohort Petra Nyakor, Raziye Salimi, Oluwaseun Adekanye and the launch of the Green Catalyst Series, which spotlighted youth leadership and people-centered approaches to the energy transition. Our Annual Conference, which explored Energy Democracy and the SDGs – The Role of Youth, created a meaningful space for dialogue between youth, practitioners, and policy-oriented voices.
A key milestone this year was the work of our Research Team, which produced and published a four-part essay series titled “The Future of Renewable Energy Transition: Trends, Risks, and Youth Leadership in 2025 and Beyond.” This body of work strengthened YES-DC’s thought leadership and provided a youth-informed contribution to ongoing policy and advocacy conversations.
Our digital presence also grew significantly, allowing us to reach wider audiences, engage members more consistently, and communicate our work with greater clarity and creativity.
- On the international stage, YES-DC deepened its engagement within global climate governance spaces. Earlier in the year, I had the opportunity to represent YES-DC at COP29 in Baku, alongside Ejiroghene Oruarume, our Immediate Past Treasurer, whose commitment and dedication ensured strong continuity in our international engagement and institutional memory.
At COP30 in Brazil, YES-DC reached a major milestone by organizing and hosting a side event at the Children and Youth Pavilion of YOUNGO, moving beyond observation to active contribution. The organization was represented on-site by Jai Singh our Immediate Past Secretary, whose coordination and leadership were instrumental to our successful participation.
In addition to the physical COP, YES-DC actively participated in the first-ever Virtual COP30, organized by the YOUNGO Energy Working Group under the leadership of Saikat Das. Within this innovative, metaverse-style platform, we hosted and moderated a YES-DC side event in collaboration with AYEN, bringing together youth perspectives from Europe and Africa on justice, inclusion, and youth participation in the clean energy economy.
I also had the opportunity to speak on a panel session hosted by the European Youth Energy Network (EYEN), alongside other youth leaders, contributing to discussions on youth barriers and breakthroughs in the energy transition. Our continued collaboration with EYEN reinforced the importance of youth-led regional cooperation and shared advocacy. YES-DC equally strengthened its partnership with the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS). IAAS is a global student organization that connects young people in agriculture, environment, and related sciences.
Together, these engagements demonstrated YES-DC’s growing presence, adaptability, and relevance across both physical and digital climate spaces.
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Personal Growth
On a personal level, this year was one of immense growth. Serving as President strengthened my leadership, coordination, public speaking, and decision-making skills, particularly in navigating complexity, managing limited resources, and balancing ambition with feasibility in a volunteer-led organization.
Throughout my tenure, I moderated multiple panel sessions and events, represented YES-DC as a speaker in external forums, and engaged with diverse stakeholders across policy, academia, and youth networks. I learned the importance of clarity, transparency, and boundaries, especially when working with passionate young people who give their time and energy generously.
Most importantly, I learned that leadership is not about having all the answers, but about creating space for others to lead, contribute, and grow.
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Appreciation
None of this would have been possible without the people who walked this journey with me.
I am deeply grateful to the Board members and the Management Team, whose commitment, reliability, and support made this transition both possible and meaningful.
I am especially thankful to my predecessor, Mojisola Ogundiran, whose leadership laid a strong foundation and whose guidance provided continuity and reassurance throughout my tenure.
To my predecessor, Mojisola Ogundiran, whose leadership laid a strong foundation and whose guidance provided continuity and reassurance.
To the YES-DC alumni and wider community, thank you for your continued support, engagement, and encouragement , your belief in our work kept us grounded and motivated.
I am also grateful to our partners for their collaboration, solidarity, and shared belief in youth leadership, and to my mentors for their guidance, wisdom, and constant encouragement along the way.
Closing
I step away from this role proud of what we achieved together and confident in YES-DC’s future. This organization is more than a platform, it is a community of young people committed to justice, sustainability, and action.
Serving as President has been an honor. I carry this experience forward with gratitude, humility, and hope.
I would also like to warmly congratulate Yuan (Gigi) Ji on stepping into the role of Board President. I have full confidence in your leadership and vision, and I look forward to supporting YES-DC’s continued growth under your guidance.