Who We Are
The Association of Young Environmental Journalists (AYEJ) is a youth-led environmental non-profit working to engage and educate civil society on environmental sustainability through youth development and media training.
The organization believes that young people have the distinctive ability and responsibility to help further environmental action through story-telling. We envision being the primary source of positive stories about solutions being developed by individuals, communities, governments, and businesses which deviate from the pessimism of environmental issues and bring them to a more progressive attention.
What started out as an informal network of earth warriors and storytellers in 2017 in Dumaguete, AYEJ has now expanded to become an official Securities and Exchange Commission-registered entity of the Philippine Government.
The organization is also a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network - Youth.
The Things We Strongly Value
Stewardship
Positive Impact
Integrity
Innovation
Collaboration
THE THREE Cs OF WHAT WE DO
BUILDING CAPACITY
AYEJ believes that we can catch up with the exponentially increasing effects of environmental degradation in the country by equipping the youth with environmental journalism skills to effectively communicate creative solutions to these problems. Our flagship project, Camp SEWI: Student's Environmental Writing Initiative, is the core of what we do. The camp aims to build the capacity and develop media skills of young writers in environmental journalism through specially designed media training modules.
CREATING CONTENT
AYEJ acknowledges the power of story-telling, and especially telling the development stories that matter. We produce written and visual content on the most relevant environmental stories. To date, AYEJ has produced over 50 stories and has been published more than 30 times in numerous online magazines, news websites, campus publications, and local community newspapers in the Philippines.
INCREASING CONVERSATION
To amplify conversations about the earth, AYEJ implements numerous online and offline campaigns. One such is its flagship program, Usapang Kalikasan, an intimate gathering between young advocates, industry leaders, climate experts, and environmental movers who exchange innovative ideas and transfer knowledge on green issues and concerns. Through this, AYEJ works to encourage courageous conversations and eventually inspire actions towards environmental protection
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
National Winner
Search for the 16th Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) of the Philippines 2019 - Manila, Philippines
- AYEJ emerged as one of the top ten winners after over 300 youth organizations applied across the Philippines for the prestigious award. It was distinctly recognized from among 19 other national finalists for employing a strategy in environmental sustainability that is “not common, but equally meaningful,” according to its TAYO Awards Foundation President Percival Cendaña. The search for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) is the sole award-giving body that grants nationwide recognition to formal and non-formal youth organizations for their outstanding contributions to nation-building and development.
Winner
Negros Young Heroes' Award: Gawad Parangal Para sa Kabataan - Dumaguete, Philippines
- AYEJ was honored in the region with theNegros Young Heroes Award, an annual recognition honoring young Negrenses and Negros-based organizations whose lives are dedicated not only for the betterment of self but also of others, with fervor that being good is ultimately helping others. The program was initiated by Gaba-an Youth Lead and Yamang Bukid together with the Newground Events.
Philippine Representative
European Development Days 2019 - Brussels, Belgium
- AYEJ brought the voices of the climate crisis-vulnerablePhilippines through its executive director, Val Amiel Vestil, in a high-level panel on Climate Change and Environmental Inequalities: Exploring the Interlinkages between climate change, environment, and inequality with the topic: “Finding the path towards an inclusive and green transition leaving no one behind” with EEAS Deputy Secretary-General for Economic and Global Issues Christian Lefflert, AFD Associate Chief Executive Officer Bertrand Walckenaer, WIDA Director-General Carin Jamtin, Wecyclers CEO Olawale Adebiyi, and DBSA Chief Investment Officer Paul Currie.
Digital Youth Ambassador
Digital Youth Summit 2018 by Facebook PH - Quezon City, Philippines
- AYEJ was among 5 organizations from all over the Philippines
thatwon funding from Facebook and Mano Amiga to implement a digital campaign. Recognizing the power of the arts to educate, influence, and inspire, AYEJ organized “Project 1.5,” a digital competition engaging creatives and artists from all over the Philippines to send out messages of concern on the ecological emergency and 1.5-degree celsius threshold through poetry, prose, photography, digital manipulation, and art on canvas.
- AYEJ was among 5 organizations from all over the Philippines