SCIAF is one of three organisations who will each receive up to £8m from the Scottish Government’s Climate Justice Fund

The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) has won an £8 million contract from the Scottish Government, aimed at supporting Rwandan communities to confront the severe challenges posed by the climate crisis.

With a rich history of work in Rwanda, spanning three decades, SCIAF said it will further advance its work in the country through the new Climate Justice Communities (CJC) initiative.

This pioneering programme is run in consortium with Trócaire, CBM UK (Global Disability Inclusion), and five local partners in Rwanda. Specifically designed to combat the impacts of climate change, it will run from now until March 2026.

SCIAF is one of three organisations who will each receive up to £8m from the Scottish Government’s Climate Justice Fund, to support work in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia respectively.

Lorraine Currie, SCIAF’s director of integral human development, said: “You don’t have to look far to see the devastation the changing climate is causing around the world. It is those living in some of the world’s poorest places who are bearing the brunt of these catastrophes, despite contributing the least to the climate crisis.

“This £8m contract from the Scottish Government is a significant achievement, reinforcing our commitment to collaborating with local communities and drawing on their expertise. Working together with our partners, we will combat the material and social effects of climate change, to secure a promising future for the people of Rwanda."

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “The countries which are the worst affected by the climate crisis are often those which have done little or nothing to cause it. The injustice at the heart of the global climate crisis is why Scotland became the first country in the world to establish a Climate Justice Fund more than a decade ago and why we have led the way in being the first global north country to commit funding to address loss and damage. 

“Today, we are able to announce the start of the Climate Just Communities programme in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda. The programme will work with local communities – including with marginalised groups – so that they can identify their own priorities and build their resilience to the climate crisis.

“The £24 million programme that we are confirming today is a significant commitment from a devolved government. It will make a real difference to the communities we are working with and it’s a further sign of Scotland’s determination to be a good global citizen – and to do our bit in tackling the climate crisis here in Scotland and across the world.”

The Climate Just Communities contract will be used to work with communities for long-term change, addressing their needs, building resilience to the changing climate, and supporting them to advocate for justice.

Lorraine added: “Our thanks once again to the Scottish Government for entrusting us to lead on this incredibly important work in Rwanda. We can’t wait to get to work.”