About SHADEF
Safe Space Development Foundation — advocating for the environmental rights of children and young adults across Nigeria.
Building a Movement for Climate Justice
The Safe Space Development Foundation (SHADEF) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation dedicated to climate justice and environmental rights for children and young adults. Founded in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, we believe that every child has the right to grow up in a safe, clean, and healthy environment.
We work at the intersection of environmental advocacy, education, and community mobilisation — equipping the next generation with the tools, knowledge, and platforms they need to drive meaningful change.
Our Core Focus
- ✓ Climate education in schools and communities
- ✓ Environmental justice advocacy
- ✓ Child and youth rights protection
- ✓ Community sensitisation and outreach
- ✓ Policy engagement and civic participation
- ✓ Capacity building for young environmentalists
Mission, Vision & Goals
Mission
To create safe spaces for children and young adults by advocating for environmental rights, promoting climate justice, and empowering communities to adopt sustainable practices for a healthier planet.
Vision
A world where every child and young adult lives in a safe, clean, and healthy environment, empowered to participate in creating a sustainable future for generations to come.
Core Goals
Educate, advocate, and mobilise communities across Nigeria to reduce environmental harm, protect child rights, and advance a just transition to clean energy systems.
Activities So Far
School Sensitisation Programmes
Conducting climate education sessions in over 15 secondary schools across Akwa Ibom State, reaching thousands of students.
YES Club Inaugurations
Establishing Young Environmentalists Clubs in multiple schools, creating platforms for sustained environmental activism among youth.
Community Outreach Events
Organising town halls, clean-up campaigns, and sensitisation events in local communities on environmental rights and climate action.
Zero-Waste Campaigns
Leading public awareness initiatives on plastic pollution, waste management, and sustainable consumption practices.
Goals & Objectives
- 1 Expand climate education to 50+ schools across Nigeria by 2026
- 2 Establish Young Environmentalists Clubs in every state in the Niger Delta
- 3 Publish annual environmental rights reports for children
- 4 Engage policymakers on child-centred climate legislation
- 5 Train 500+ young climate advocates through structured programmes
- 6 Build a national coalition of youth environmental organisations
- 7 Document and advocate against environmental degradation in oil-producing communities
- 8 Develop curriculum materials for climate education in Nigerian schools
Projects in View
Environmental Rights Clinic
A mobile legal clinic helping communities understand and assert their environmental rights under Nigerian law.
Green Schools Initiative
Transforming school environments through tree planting, solar energy, and waste reduction programmes.
Climate Storytelling Lab
A creative programme training young people to document and communicate environmental issues through media and art.
Niger Delta Environmental Watch
A citizen monitoring network tracking environmental violations in oil-producing communities across the Niger Delta.