Adam Liaw Instagram – This is the UNICEF-supported #GreenGirls initiative where young women from #Sobel produce ecological charcoal from collected waste. We often think of the effects of climate change first impacting low-lying island nations, but #Sobel is a camp for more than 6000 Burundians who have been displaced because of extreme flooding caused by climate change. Climate change is already having a big impact on Burundi, from increasing frequency of extreme weather events like flooding, to decreased agricultural yields caused by prolonged rainy seasons. The Green Girls program an ingenious multi-dimensional solution to may of the problems facing these climate refugees. Firewood collection is a task usually performed by young women, who may have to walk for hours to find appropriate firewood. This exposes them to a high risk of sexual assault, and firewood collection contributes to deforestation. By producing ecological charcoal the girls don’t have to search for firewood, protecting them from potential assaults, and it also reduces deforestation and provides them with an additional source of income from the sale of surplus charcoal. An ingenious solution to a multi-dimensional problem. It was fabulous to see this initiative first-hand, chat with the girls and play with many of the kids from Sobel.