Changeworker of the Week #32: Ayooluwa Folakunmi Ogunsola: Building Africa’s Climate Collaboration Ecosystem

For Ayooluwa Folakunmi Ogunsola, climate action in Africa is not a question of effort, it’s a question of connection.

Across the continent, organizations are doing powerful work in clean energy, climate justice, biodiversity, education, and sustainable agriculture. But too often, they are working in isolation.

That’s where his work begins. As the founder of the African Climate Change Movement (ACCM), Ayooluwa is building a digital platform designed to connect these efforts and transform fragmentation into collective power.

Through the #MyPieceForChange campaign, we invite people to share their unique contributions to collective transformation. This series exists to honor their stories, amplify their voices, and connect them with a wider community of like-minded peers. Today, we’re honored to introduce our Changeworker of the Week: Ayooluwa Folakunmi Ogunsola whom we had the pleasure of interviewing for this special spotlight.

What’s your piece for change?

The African Climate Change Movement is my piece for change. It’s a digital web app platform I built to connect sustainability-focused organisations across Africa with each other and with global partners, while also highlighting projects and events across Africa. Africa is full of incredible organizations doing impactful climate work in silos. ACCM exists to break those silos, build bridges, and grow a united, continent-wide movement.

What inspired you to begin this work or stay committed to it?

I saw how fragmented the sustainability climate ecosystem in Africa was. Organizations doing powerful work in clean energy, climate justice , environmental education, biodiversity protection, and sustainable agriculture were rarely in conversation with one another. I knew that if we could connect those dots and build people’s capacity at the same time, the impact would multiply. That vision hasn’t left me since.

What’s one hope or vision you hold for the future?

I want ACCM to become the largest and most impactful sustainability and climate social interaction platform on the continent — a space where millions of Africans not only understand the climate crisis but know their voice matters and have the tools to act within their own communities. I want climate action to become so easy just from a click on the phone

What support or connection are you currently looking for?

I’m actively seeking partnerships with global organizations that want to collaborate with African-led sustainability initiatives. I’m also looking for funding to scale our free green skills training programs, and I’d love to connect with media and communications partners who can help amplify the stories of our member organizations and the marginalized communities most affected by climate change.I mean, we are building the largest social interaction and impact tool in Africa we need all the help we can get

What’s one thing about your field or topic you wish more people knew, considered, or acted on?

Africa contributes the least to global carbon emissions yet bears the heaviest consequences of the climate crisis. The work being done by African organisations and communities to adapt, resist, and build resilience is extraordinary — but it is chronically underfunded and underrepresented in global climate conversations in my opinion. More people need to understand that disparity and direct resources accordingly, and for us what we are trying to do is to connect you to the verified organisations doing the work.

What practices, tools, or resources have supported you most on your changework journey?

Building in community has been the most powerful resource. ACCM itself is a reflection of that belief collaboration over competition. Practically, digital tools and community spaces like our WhatsApp group have allowed us to maintain real-time connection and support across our growing network. Frameworks around systems thinking and collaborative leadership have also shaped how I approach this work.

Can you share a moment or experience that deeply shaped the way you approach change today?

I think every day since 2017 it surprises There is no shared ecosystem, no central space to connect, collaborate, or amplify one another. That realization — that the infrastructure for collective climate action was missing — is what drove me to build ACCM.

What collective shift do you believe is needed for meaningful change to happen and what gives you hope that it’s possible?

We need to shift from isolated action to intentional collaboration. Climate change in Africa will not be solved by any single organization it requires governments, NGOs, communities, businesses, and individuals working in a coordinated way. What gives me hope is that the will is clearly there. Every day I see organizations on our platform eager to connect, learn, and act together. That energy is undeniable.

How do you take care of your own energy or wellbeing while doing this work?

I stay grounded in the reason I started. Returning to the mission — the communities affected, the organizations we serve, the young people we are equipping reminds me why this work matters. I am also intentional about building community around the work so it does not feel like something I carry alone.

Where can people learn more about your work or connect with you?

Website: www.africanclimatechangemovement.com

The Parayma community is rooted in authentic, supportive relationships. 

Ayooluwa’s changework reminds us that impact grows when connection replaces isolation.

Thank you, Ayooluwa, for your powerful #PieceForChange.

If you are building solutions for climate, community, or systems change, we invite you to share your story and join the movement.