Kenyan environment and climate activist
Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti (born August 1, 1995) is a Kenyan environment and climate activist and founder of the Green Generation Initiative, which nurtures young people to love nature and be environmentally conscious at a young age and has now planted 30,000 tree seedlings in Kenya.
In 2019, she was awarded the Africa Green Person of the Year Award by the Eleven Eleven Twelve Foundation and named as one of the 100 Most Influential Young Africans by the Africa Youth Awards.
Wathuti grew up in Nyeri County, which is renowned for having the highest forest cover in Kenya. She planted her first tree at the age of seven and she established an environmental club in her high school with the help of her geography teacher. She was part of the leadership of Kenyatta University Environmental Club (KUNEC), where she was able to conduct numerous activities such as tree planting, clean ups and environmental education, all while increasing awareness of global environmental challenges like climate change.
In 2016, she founded Green Generation Initiative, to encourage young environmental enthusiasts, environmental and climate education, building climate resilience and greening schools. Her video, “The Forest is a Part of Me”, was featured by the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) as part of a series on Youth Voices in Landscapes. She has attended the UN’s Conferences of the Parties on several occasions and has commented that the language used, especially the multitude of acronyms associated with climate change, can act as a barrier to young people’s participation.
She is an inspiration to young people in trying to save the world.
Created by Acorn Nursery, St. Michael’s CofE VA Primary School (visit website)
Made from our junk modelling reserves but aiming for the main model to be of a tree
Located at Aylsham Parish Church, Aylsham, Norwich, NR11 6EL (visit website)
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