The Asia Foundation Announces the Pacific Women Climate Leaders Fellowship Program

San Francisco, March 14, 2024 — The Asia Foundation announces the inaugural class of Pacific Women Climate Leaders, a 10-day fellowship program designed to recognize, support, and amplify women’s voices driving climate solutions across the Pacific region. The three fellows selected for the 2024 class are from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga.

The fellowship brings three women climate leaders from the Pacific Islands to the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City to participate in the San Francisco Bioneers Conference. The fellows will engage in climate diplomacy training in New York City and attend meetings with climate-focused donors and climate justice organizations in both cities. The fellowship also offers seed grants to translate the fellows’ ideas into action.

Meet the 2024 Pacific Women Climate Leaders:

Lydia Nenai | Papua New Guinea is based in Fiji and is the Climate Change Project Development Specialist at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. As the previous Senior Project Officer at Papua New Guinea’s Climate Change Development Authority, she worked on the intersection of climate change and women’s development. She graduated with a master’s degree in climate change from the Australian National University, where she researched drought implications on gender in Papua New Guinea.

Amelia Faotusia | Tonga is currently a PhD candidate at The Australian National University’s Department of Pacific Affairs, researching the concept of the blue economy in oceans management policy and eco and cultural tourism in Tonga, Fiji, and New Zealand. She was previously an economist with the Development Aid Unit of the Tongan Government’s Ministry of Finance

Serena Lois Tiko Pickering | Fiji holds a bachelor of science and postgraduate diploma in Environmental Geoscience from the University of the South Pacific. Serena has worked in government and civil society and is currently in the private sector. She led the International Union for Conservation of Nature Global Youth Summit Oceania Region hub and was also involved in their Plastic Waste Free Islands project research. Serena is an avid volunteer who is passionate about mobilizing community efforts for environmental initiatives.

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Informed by 70 years of experience and deep local knowledge, our work is focused on governance, climate action, gender equality, education and leadership, inclusive growth, and international cooperation. We work in more than 20 countries through our 17 permanent country offices and programs across Asia and the Pacific, supported by a headquarters in San Francisco and an office in Washington, DC. Our funding comes from a diverse array of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals.

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