Gbowee Peace Foundation – Climate Education Impact Assessment in Liberia
Understanding youth climate literacy to drive generational change
The Challenge
In Liberia, where over 60% of the population is youth and 51.7% are classified as either illiterate or partially literate, understanding climate change isn't merely academic—it's essential for survival. With 80% of Liberians subsisting on less than $1.25 per day, environmental education often takes a back seat to immediate survival needs, creating a critical gap in climate literacy among those most vulnerable to climate impacts.
Quick Facts
Client
Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa (GPFA)
Location
Montserrado and Margibi Counties, Liberia
Duration
May 2024 - July 2024
Focus Area
Climate Education Research
Impact Scope
910 students across 27 schools
Age Range
13-25 years
Our Approach
We developed a comprehensive three-dimensional assessment framework:
Cognitive Understanding
Evaluated basic knowledge and comprehension of climate change concepts
Used structured surveys and open-ended questions
Applied Natural Language Processing for analysis
Risk Perception
Assessed personal and societal impact awareness
Measured preparedness perceptions
Analyzed correlation between knowledge and risk perception
Action Orientation
Evaluated agency and engagement potential
Measured willingness to participate in climate action
Analyzed relationship between knowledge and action readiness
Key Results
Generational Impact
Client Perspective
"GPFA's position on climate change education offers a promising path forward for Liberia's youth. This thorough assessment of the current educational environment towards climate change education is necessary to identify gaps and opportunities in environmental education."
Additional Insights
School distribution balanced across public (30.5%), private (30.8%), and faith-based (38.7%) institutions
Significant gap identified between awareness and comprehensive understanding
Higher knowledge levels correlate with increased belief in personal agency
Strong foundation of interest in climate action exists across all knowledge levels (>65%)
Used structured surveys and open-ended questions
Applied Natural Language Processing for analysis
Looking Ahead
The findings from this research are being used to:
Reform national education policy framework
Develop practical climate education initiatives
Create industry and community engagement programs
Establish Liberia as a pioneer in African climate education