Women have made immense strides in the field of environmental education through the use of social media. By leveraging the power of the internet, they have been able to spread their message of environmental awareness, create campaigns focused on sustainability, and even build platforms to showcase their innovations. As we celebrate International Women’s Day today under the theme DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality; we honor the work of three women that have taken on the challenge to be the change they seek.
Nelly Gesare – Founder, Greenthing Kenya.
“We have reviewed your pitch and while it is very well thought out, we must decline at this time. A show about the circular economy and sustainability simply won’t generate sufficient revenue. We wish you…”
This was circa 2013 and the young and ambitious journalist that was Nelly Gesare had just been served what was certainly not her first heartbreak. Her TV show had died a premature death and she’d have to return to her 9-5. Although her TV show was dead, the dream behind it still thrived. Nelly still wanted to create content that made the circular economy relatable to everyone across the board. She wanted to break the jargon and speak about the complex topic in “everyday English.” If the established media houses didn’t want her material, she was going to take it directly to the people. She was going to start a YouTube channel.
Well, that died too, sort of. (cue cricket sounds).
Her mistake this time was getting too lost in the research. She didn’t make her content relatable and action-based. It was out of this need for an action-based approach to sustainability and circularity that Greenthing Kenya was born.
Greenthing Kenya is an Eco-shop that uses home care products e.g. bamboo toothbrushes or metal straws to start the conversation on climate change and sustainability. A bamboo toothbrush (as opposed to a plastic one) should spark a light bulb moment in a user and their immediate community on the need and value of sustainability in the present time.
“Sustainability and climate change aren’t just environmental challenges, they’re societal challenges. The whole point of mitigation is to ensure a life of dignity for all, including the nature that surrounds us.”
Winnie Cheche – The Eco-Blogger
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation, Winnie set out to conquer the world. Then she was introduced to life in Nairobi as a fresh graduate. She was unable to find a job in conservation and ended up working in a call center. However, she was determined to find a way to pursue her passion for the environment and wildlife conservation.
She started by creating social media posts and tweets about wildlife conservation, asking questions and sharing stories to raise awareness. Over time, she learned about blogging and began writing longer posts about human-wildlife conflict and other environmental issues. She also creates infographics and other materials to help educate others about climate change and sustainable living.
Today she works as an eco-blogger, a Team Lead for the Young Muslim Association Going Green Initiative and a Communication Director at Kenya Environmental Action Network. In 2022 she participated as a panelist during the Africa Economic Conference under the discussion on Uncertainty and the Future of Sustainable Development.
Winnie’s journey has been a long and often difficult one, but she believes that every sacrifice has been worth it. Now, every activity she engages in is 100% toward environmental and wildlife conservation, which is what she has always longed for and wanted in her career.
She lives by Brian Tracy’s mantra, “Decide what you want, and then act as if it were impossible to fail.” Winnie is also a mum, to a cute cat called Snow.
Joyce Koech – Co-Founder, Blue Earth Organisation.
Joyce Koech is a teacher, and a climate and gender justice activist from Mombasa, Kenya. She is a co-founder of Blue Earth Organisation and a member of Fridays for Future, Rise Up Movement and Fridays for Future MAPA.
Blue Earth Organisation is a youth and women-led organisation founded in March 2020 that works with women and girls to restore mangroves along the coastlines of Mombasa. The Blue Earth Organisation emphasises keeping indigenous communities and youth at the heart of everything it does.
“We formed BEO when we recognised how climate change, plastic, air pollution, and destruction of wild places were affecting our homes. We also noted with great concern how there is a significant disconnect between our youth and the environment.”
Joyce believes that women are the most unsung agents of change when it comes to climate resilience and that women are effective advocates for greater ambition on climate action. In her free time, she likes hiking, reading, getting muddy with mangroves and hanging out with crabs.
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