Founded in 2014 and led by Indigenous leaders, the Pawanka Fund directs climate funding straight to Indigenous communities in over 50 countries. With 285 projects bolstering land rights and cultural resilience, it challenges a system where Indigenous peoples protect most of Earth’s biodiversity yet receive under 1% of climate finance.

After Hurricane Matthew left the Coharie Tribe isolated in 2016, leaders transformed their gym into a solar-powered cooling and emergency hub—a model now guiding Duke University’s Heat Policy Innovation Hub and The Rockefeller Foundation’s effort to create Community Lighthouses nationwide. These trusted, heat-ready centers aim to protect rural and vulnerable communities as extreme heat emerges as America’s quietest, deadliest climate threat.

When a record-breaking heatwave turned “Rio” into “Hell de Janeiro” in November 2023—killing nearly 1,400 people—the city realized heat was no longer just part of its charm, but a lethal threat. In response, officials built a first-of-its-kind heat warning system that blends weather and health data to predict danger days in advance. Tested during the 2025 pre-Carnival, the system helped save lives from downtown to the favelas—offering a blueprint for how cities can survive in a hotter world.

Launched in 2021, the Climate Justice Resilience Fund’s Communities First Pilot Fund directs climate loss and damage finance straight to local groups, letting those most affected decide how funds are used. Through rapid, flexible grants, it empowers communities to rebuild, restore culture, and lead recovery—showing that justice-centered, community-led climate finance works and can guide global efforts.

Bangladesh’s southwest once suffered chronic flooding and waterlogging when embankments blocked rivers from depositing silt. Communities reversed the damage through Tidal River Management (TRM)—deliberately breaching embankments so tidal flows could raise land and clear riverbeds. In places like Beel Bhaina, land rose by about a meter, crops returned, and 150,000 hectares were restored. TRM has since been recognized nationally as a sustainable strategy, showing how local knowledge and natural processes can outdo rigid engineering in building climate resilience.

For centuries, Andean communities built canals, lagoons, and wetlands to “sow water,” storing rain to survive dry seasons. Today, Lima faces severe water insecurity as climate change disrupts the rivers they depend on. Aquafondo is reviving ancestral water systems with 2,000 highland residents, restoring 86 km of canals and generating 15 million cubic meters of water annually. The effort shows that by reviving ancestral wisdom, communities are not only safeguarding water but also cultivating resilience and hope for generations to come.

In rural India, women farmers—long unrecognized despite their central role in agriculture—are emerging as leaders in building climate resilience. The S M Sehgal Foundation, which began in one Haryana village over two decades ago, now operates across 12 states, training women in sustainable farming, financial literacy, leadership, and water management. By centering women’s skills and community ownership, the Foundation is transforming invisibility into empowerment, showing that sustainable change thrives when women are equal partners in shaping solutions.

Kerala, a southern Indian state vulnerable to floods and tidal surges, is pioneering a citizen-driven climate response. Communities are installing low-cost rain gauges, collecting open data, and mapping flood risks to prepare for disasters together. By involving students, women’s groups, farmers, and fisherfolk, the initiative ensures inclusion while building trust between citizens and local governments. This model of “citizen scientists” is already reducing losses and strengthening resilience.

In rural Nigeria, climate change has left millions without safe water as traditional hand pumps fail. In Oyo State, solar-powered Smart Water kiosks now provide clean, affordable water to over 5,000 people in five villages. Managed by local communities and supported by data-driven insights, the kiosks improve health, save time, and empower women and youth while helping communities adapt to a changing climate.

In Madagascar, children face the brunt of climate disasters like cyclones, floods, and droughts, which disrupt schooling, strain health systems, and deepen hunger. Traditional disaster preparedness often overlooks children, but SAP Kiddo flips the script by placing them at the center. Through theatre, games, mapping, and storytelling, children learn to identify risks, plan responses, and lead their communities in times of crisis.

In eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, heavier rains and floods are destroying homes, crops, and health access, leaving thousands of families in crisis each year. Traditional aid often arrives too late, but Humanitarian Action for Africa (HAA) is changing that by helping communities act before disasters strike. Local teams now use early warnings, stock clinics with emergency supplies, and train health workers to respond quickly, reducing the number of households severely affected and building resilience through anticipatory action.

Sierra Leone’s flood-prone communities are facing mounting risks from climate change. In response, a local initiative called SalCare has introduced a mobile micro-health wallet that lets families save small amounts, buy affordable micro-insurance, and pay for care directly from basic phones. Co-designed with residents, the system ensures even the most vulnerable—such as women, youth, and people with disabilities—can access healthcare without falling deeper into debt.

More than 18,000 women across 50 villages are leading a grassroots movement to fight climate change and protect their homes by restoring mangroves. Supported by the Nature Environment and Wildlife Society, they have revived 4,600 hectares of degraded coastline, creating natural defenses that shield embankments and farms. Known as the “Green Brigade,” these women are trained in seed collection, nursery raising, and mangrove protection, transforming from disaster victims into ecological leaders.

In 2014, fisherwoman Nalini Kandi joined a small group of women in Odisha who began restoring mangroves to protect their village from cyclones, sustain fish stocks, and strengthen river health. What began with five women has grown into Women for Mangroves, a movement across 35 villages and 1,000 households—planting 28,000 saplings and nurturing 45,000 more. Backed by the Odisha Paryavaran Sanrakshan Abhiyan Trust, the effort is showing how grassroots leadership can turn fragile communities into resilient protectors of both people and planet.

In Kenya, up to 40% of food is lost each year due to heat, pests, and lack of cold storage, costing farmers over US$ 550 million and forcing them to sell quickly at low prices. Solar Freeze, a Kenyan social enterprise, tackles this with solar-powered cold rooms that extend the shelf life of produce by up to 40 days, making reliable cooling affordable through a pay-per-crate model. Women and youth run many of these units as micro-franchises, gaining training, income, and new market opportunities.

The Ogiek people of Kenya’s Mau Forest are leading efforts to restore the degraded Njoro River, a vital water source and cultural lifeline, after years of deforestation and erosion. Since 2018, their Save Mau Forest Initiative has rehabilitated 4.5 km of riparian land through agroforestry, slope terraces, and native tree planting, boosting water retention, soil health, and biodiversity. By combining cultural knowledge with ecological science and building partnerships with government agencies, the Ogiek are not only reviving a river but also restoring trust, livelihoods, and long-term stewardship of their ancestral forest.

Once infamous for famine, Kalahandi in Odisha is now a hub of women-led climate resilience. Through AJSA India, more than 5,500 tribal women farmers are collectively managing over 562 acres with synchronized, climate-resilient crops. Innovations like their Green Express—electric carts run by the farmers—have cut crop losses and boosted incomes. Beyond farming, women have stepped into governance, market negotiations, and board roles, breaking long-standing gender barriers. The initiative is not just transforming agriculture but reshaping social norms, placing women at the heart of community leadership and resilience.

Across India and the Global South, women in informal settlements are leading efforts to make housing safer against heatwaves, floods, and storms. Through the Roof Over Our Heads (ROOH) campaign, communities co-design affordable, low-carbon upgrades—like reflective coatings, breathable plasters, and recycled materials—that cut costs, reduce heat, and protect against damage. Women lead every stage, from testing materials to negotiating with contractors, while community savings systems make projects accessible without formal finance.

In Bangladesh’s climate-vulnerable coastal districts, women are taking the lead in building resilience. More than 25,000 women-led households are shaping local climate solutions, from women-friendly cyclone shelters to rainwater harvesting systems for water security. By centering women’s leadership and livelihoods, the project not only boosts community resilience but also tackles structural inequalities, offering a model for inclusive, locally driven climate action.

In Karnataka’s drought-prone Raichur district, unreliable rainfall and failing irrigation schemes have left farmers struggling to secure water. An initiative by Water, Environment, Land and Livelihood Labs is tackling this crisis by training local youth as “Community Hydrologists” who track rainfall, monitor canals, and guide farmers on water use. These young hydrologists also repair irrigation systems and help revive Water User Cooperative Societies, ensuring farmers themselves manage funds and decisions. By grounding water governance in local knowledge and institutions, the model is helping farmers manage scarcity with greater control and confidence.

In Laos, people living with HIV and other marginalized groups face barriers to healthcare made worse by climate change, which disrupts treatment, worsens food insecurity, and heightens mental health risks. The Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (APL+) is addressing this by combining health services with climate resilience—delivering mobile care during floods, providing emergency kits, and training peer counselors in mental health support. With dignity, trust, and community leadership at its core, this model builds resilience to stigma and climate shocks alike.

In Benin’s flood-prone lake communities, climate shocks often spark disease outbreaks that threaten health and livelihoods. Instead of relying on fragile, top-down systems, residents built their own early warning network. Women’s cooperatives and market vendors spread alerts neighbor to neighbor, while community health relays link quickly to officials when needed. Blending local knowledge with scientific support, this grassroots system proves that communities themselves can design fast, resilient defenses against climate-driven health crises.

Heritage is more than the past—it is a source of resilience in a changing climate. From Africa’s traditional earthen houses to Himalayan routes and coastal cities, climate impacts threaten both cultural sites and the living traditions they sustain. Preserving Legacies, a global initiative, empowers communities to lead adaptation by blending ancestral knowledge with science, from drone mapping in West Africa to reforestation and inclusive governance.

In Nairobi’s informal settlements, climate change brings floods, droughts, and heatwaves that endanger health, strain fragile housing, and deepen mental health struggles. The Foundation for Tomorrow’s Climate-Responsive Inclusive Health and Psychosocial Support Initiative addresses these challenges by bringing services directly to communities through mobile outreach, resilience hubs, preparedness kits, and youth-led storytelling. More than survival, it empowers residents to lead adaptation efforts and shape a healthier, more resilient future.

Over 80% of Kenya’s land is classified as arid and semi-arid (ASAL), where communities face the harsh realities of climate change—drought, flooding, resource conflicts, and the loss of traditional livelihoods. Amidst these challenges, the Indigenous Women and Girls Initiative (IWGI), a women-led community-based organization is working with indigenous groups to build resilience through agroecology and permaculture practices. Their approach emphasizes community ownership, gender equity, and traditional knowledge integration.