GEO-6 for Youth: Africa
Youth Action 9: Young celebrity power, Kenya
Even after the shutters of the glaring cameras go silent, Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge still remains a champion. Not a champion on the track, but a wildlife conservation champion.
Arguably the world’s greatest marathon runner of all time, Eliud Kipchoge is involved in a myriad of conservation efforts for wildlife in Kenya. The 2018 UN Person of the Year has been a fearless advocate for the protection of wild animals and the empowerment of communities living in close proximity to wildlife sanctuaries. He has argued that local communities bear the brunt of living with wildlife, and without an incentive to conserve, they resort to poaching, revenge killing, and conversion of wildlife habitats to more profitable land uses, exacerbating biodiversity loss.
In his position as a Wildaid ambassador, Eliud joins prominent global personalities such as Prince William, Sir Richard Branson, David Beckham, and Lupita Nyongo in creating awareness about poaching and the massive destruction caused by this illegal trade. Media campaigns have been credited for the changes in attitudes and behaviour that have subsequently led to a significant drop in prices and usage of endangered species products such as ivory, rhino horn, and shark fins.
Together with For Rangers, Beyond the Ultimate and Save the Rhino International, Eliud has participated in runs that raise funds for the country’s rhino rangers who put their lives on the line to protect Kenya’s rhinos from poachers. He also graces Safaricom’s Lewa Marathon to help foster conservation awareness.
At only 34 years of age, the world marathon record holder proves that young people in all fields can have a knack for wildlife conservation.
1.7 Conclusion
Wangari Maathai, a celebrated Kenyan environmental activist as well as the first African woman recipient of the Nobel Peace prize once told a story, the story of a hummingbird (Green Belt Movement 2019):
“There once lived a hummingbird that lived in a huge forest that at one point was being consumed by fire. All the animals in the forest came out and they were transfixed as they watched the forest burning. They all felt overwhelmed and very powerless, except the hummingbird. ‘I’m going to do something about the fire.’ So the hummingbird flew to the nearest stream taking a drop of water at each time. It put it in the fire and it did so repeatedly in a bid to help put out the fire.
In the meantime, all the other animals, some much bigger like the elephant with a big trunk that could bring much more water were standing on the periphery helpless.
And they said to the hummingbird, ‘what do you think you can do? You are too little. The fire is too big. Your wings are too little and your beak is so small that you can only bring a small drop of water at a time.’
But as they continued to discourage it, it turned to them without wasting any time and told them, ‘I am doing the best I can.’
Even though small and seemingly insignificant, the hummingbird continued in its pursuit to do the best it could to put out the fire.”
Quick Facts
• Only 3.1 million jobs are available for the 10 to 12 million youths entering the labour force every year (AfDB 2018c).
• More than 70 per cent of people living in sub-Saharan Africa derive their livelihoods from forests and woodlands (UNEP 2016a).
• Wildlife is responsible for directly employing 9.3 million people, and indirectly supporting 22.8 million jobs (AfDB 2018b).
• Africa’s agricultural sector employs an average of 54 per cent of the working population (Bhorat, Naidoo and Ewinyu 2017).
• Africa is home to 65 per cent of the total uncultivated arable land in the world (AfDB 2018a).
• Africa’s fisheries and aquaculture sector alone is estimated at US$24 billion to the African economy and employ over 12 million people (Africa Progress Panel 2014).
It is undeniable that Africa faces many environmental and economic challenges that undermine the livelihoods of its young people. However, the youth actions presented in this publication provide sufficient reason for optimism. From the creative Ciiru who is making classic furniture from e-waste, to the young Takawiri Enterprises craftsmen making profits out of a deadly sea weed; youth across the continent continue to be beacons of environmental sustainability. No matter how small in scale their actions seem to be, they are creating innovative and profitable enterprises that not only create green jobs, but are also carefully weaving together a healthy, peaceful, and prosperous Africa. With the realization that the collective action of small sustainability initiatives can make a meaningful impact, they continue to be the modern day hummingbirds.
However, more youth involvement in environmental sustainability is essential. The planet needs more hummingbirds invested in environmental sustainability. As the youth step up their efforts, it is incumbent on Africa’s governments and private sector to support these youth initiatives so that more and more green jobs can be created.
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