Apata Initiative Leads Youth Climate Action for a Cooler, Greener Accra
The Apata Initiative, named after the Twi word for “shade,” is transforming Accra’s response to extreme urban heat through youth-led innovation. The Apata project is providing cover from the sun, and is building hope for a more resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart city.
With support from Bloomberg Philanthropies under the Youth Climate Action Fund of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), the initiative is reimagining public spaces with innovative cooling sheds made from reusable materials. Designed and fabricated by local organisation, McKingtorch Africa, these sheds have been strategically placed in heat-prone areas around schools and markets, giving pedestrians and cyclists much-needed relief from soaring temperatures.
“The first two cooling sheds have been constructed and they...