WMO is pleased to launch the fourth edition of the Global Integrated Flood and Drought Management Competition for Youth-Led Projects. This initiative supports innovative, youth-led ideas that enhance resilience to floods and droughts in vulnerable communities.
As water-related hazards increasingly disrupt lives, threaten food and water security, and deepen vulnerabilities worldwide, young people are among those most affected by their impacts. Yet, they remain underrepresented in climate action and decision-making processes, despite their knowledge and ability to drive change.
The competition aims to empower young people to design and lead practical solutions for disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and response through projects rooted in local needs. It also seeks to highlight the important role youth can play in advancing climate action and building flood and drought resilience.
How to submit your proposal
For more details and submission guidelines, visit the official competition page.
Deadline for proposals: 31 August 2026.
Awarded initiatives will receive financial support for implementation under the guidance of hydrology experts.
Latest Success Stories
The launch of the new edition follows the successful completion of two initiatives awardedin 2025:
GreenQuest: Flood Resilience through Gamification and Community Action (Nigeria)
GreenQuest combined gamification, storytelling, and community engagement to improve flood preparedness in vulnerable communities in Lagos.
Through GreenQuest: Rescue Tides, an educational game developed as part of the project, around 250 students engaged in game-based learning, flood preparedness activities, and environmental stewardship sessions. The project also delivered practical workshops on low-cost flood mitigation techniques, including sandbag preparation and waste management practices. The game was tested with community members and installed on approximately 50 devices distributed to refugee youth through a partnership with Peddle Innovation Labs.
You can download the GreenQuest: Rescue Tides game on your phone here.
This project was led by Grace James, founder of GreenQuest.
SV4CASH: Smart Village for Climate Action Self-Help (Uganda)
In Uganda, SV4CASH strengthened community resilience in Elegu Town by assessing vulnerabilities to climate extremes and promoting local action.
The assessment highlighted flooding as the most severe and recurrent hazard, while also identifying compounding risks such as drought, strong winds, and soil erosion. The project engaged communities and highlighted the importance of local coping strategies, including drainage construction, elevation of homesteads, crop diversification, and seasonal migration. At Elegu Primary School, around 70 learners participated in a two-day engagement focused on understanding floods, identifying warning signs, and applying safety measures before, during, and after flood events. Learners gained practical experience in recognising risks and strengthening community preparedness.
This project was led by Ajok Paska, Hydrologist.
The competition is organized by the Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM) & Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) - joint programmes of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Global Water Partnership (GWP) in partnership with the Water Youth Network (WYN) .
