Engaging Climate Champions to Strengthen Community Preparedness and Response

Insights from Pathfinder’s Women-led Climate Resilience Program in Bangladesh and Pakistan

From 2022 to 2025, Pathfinder International has led the Advancing the Leadership of Women and Girls Towards Better Health and Climate Change Resilience project in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Supported by the Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Global Corporate Social Responsibility program, this project—locally known as Dishari in Bangladesh and Surmi in Pakistan—centers women as change agents, giving them the tools, knowledge, networks, and resources to improve access to quality health services, build a foundation for economic growth, and strengthen community and health system resilience to shocks.

This women-led climate resilience project has engaged volunteer climate champions (CC) in both countries, strengthening their capacity to assist communities in disaster planning and response. CCs bridge their communities, government, and non-governmental stakeholders to bolster resilience and increase climate and health awareness. They play an important role in informing their communities about the frequency and nature of climate disasters, their effects on families and communities, and how to stay safe and healthy during them. CCs are community-level first responders and advocates, ensuring links to safe shelters and health services in times of emergency.

This learning brief showcases the project’s tailored approach in each country; describes key characteristics of each country’s CC cohort; and shares practical implementation lessons to guide future replication, adaptation, and scale of this approach.