Checking In With Abhay Singh Sachal
Young Leaders Award recipient Abhay Singh Sachal is a 22-year-old Canadian whose research and work reside at the intersection of climate justice, ecoanxiety, mental health, and spirituality. He is the founder of Break The Divide, a non-profit organization that empowers young people to recognize their climate emotions and connects communities to build resilience and share knowledge amidst the climate crisis. Abhay is also one of 10 advisors in the inaugural Environment and Climate Change Canada Youth Council. Outside of his activism, Abhay is currently a student at the University of Regina, completing a Masters of Education in Educational Psychology; a public speaker on climate and mental health issues; and, an avid ice hockey player and pianist.
We recently checked in with Abhay to learn more about his background and plans for the conservation and regeneration of the planet.
WS: Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to embark on your current project?
AS: My name is Abhay Singh Sachal, and I’m from Surrey, British Columbia, currently pursuing a Masters of Education in Psychology at the University of Regina. My journey into climate action and mental health resilience began in 2016 when I traveled to the Canadian Arctic and witnessed the profound emotional toll climate change was having on Inuit communities. That experience planted the seed for what would later become Break The Divide (BTD), an organization that connects youth across Canada and globally to tackle the mental health impacts of climate change. Over the years, BTD has grown from a local initiative to an international movement, but what continues to inspire me is the power of connection. Whether it's fostering empathy through dialogue or building resilience through emotional integration, I believe deeply in the capacity of people coming together to create meaningful change for the planet and each other.
WS: How might receiving the Walking Softer Young Leaders Award affect your project?
The Walking Softer Young Leaders Award has already had a transformative impact on my work. It’s enabling me to pay my staff a living wage and, for the first time in my seven years of running Break The Divide, pay myself for the work I do. This financial support is critical for the sustainability of the organization, but beyond that, the mentorship and coaching I’ve received have changed the way I approach leadership. I’ve learned to define what success looks like for myself, for our team, and for the communities we serve. This has helped me develop a more intentional approach to designing programs that better address the needs of high school students, educators, and youth struggling with climate emotions.
The award is also allowing us to expand our research capabilities, conduct studies on the impact of climate emotions, and run more programming across schools in Canada. Ultimately, this support will help us create lasting, sustainable change in the climate mental health space.
WS: Can you describe the core components of your project and how they contribute to the conservation or regeneration of the planet?
AS: At its core, Break The Divide is built around three pillars: connection, dialogue, and community engagement. These components are crucial in addressing climate change because connection fosters empathy, dialogue builds resilience, and community engagement drives collective action. Through our programs, we help young people and communities not just confront the threats of climate change but build towards a regenerative future.
Rather than succumbing to fear and paralysis, which are common emotional responses when facing the enormity of climate change, our work emphasizes hope. We train individuals to develop emotional resilience, enabling them to support their communities in both mitigating and adapting to climate-related disasters. By embracing justice, we ensure that people’s identities, lived experiences, and emotions are fully integrated into environmental spaces. A diverse range of knowledge and experiences is essential if we are to regenerate the planet across multiple fronts—culturally, emotionally, and ecologically.
WS: What have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced while working on your initiative? How have you overcome these obstacles, thus far?
AS: One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced has been finding clarity in how to structure Break The Divide and design our programming. In the early years, I often felt overwhelmed trying to do everything myself, from running programs to managing the team. However, I’ve come to understand that I don’t need to have all the answers. Learning to lean on my team has made me a better leader. By fostering a culture of vulnerability and openness, I’ve empowered my team to share their own struggles and collaborate on solutions.
The support I’ve received through the Young Leaders Award has further reinforced this shift. Now, I feel even more prepared to problem-solve and face obstacles as they arise, knowing I have a strong support system behind me.
WS: Where do you see your project in the next five years? What are your long-term goals for expanding or evolving your work?
AS: In the next five years, as the climate crisis intensifies—through hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other disasters—and as more young people grapple with climate anxiety, I see Break The Divide becoming a leading knowledge hub across Canada and North America. My vision includes working closely with educators and schools to deliver both in-person and virtual programming focused on climate emotions, impacts, and community resilience. We will continue to host dialogues where people can come together and find common ground through the shared language of emotions and well-being, which is critical for collective action.
Additionally, we aim to diversify our understanding of climate resilience by uplifting the voices of racialized, Indigenous, and other marginalized communities. These perspectives are often missing from mainstream climate conversations, but they are essential for building a future that is not only environmentally sustainable but also socially just.
WS: Lastly, how can people learn more about your work, and what can they do to support or get involved in your project?
AS: To learn more about our work at Break The Divide, visit our website at breakthedivide.net. We are always looking for volunteers, strategic partners, and anyone with expertise in education, community engagement, or mental health to support our initiatives. If you are interested in getting involved, feel free to reach out to me directly at abhay@breakthedivide.net.
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