Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti (born August 1, 1995) is a Kenyan environment and climate activist and founder of the Green Generation Initiative,[1] which nurtures young people to love nature and be environmentally conscious at a young age and has now planted 30,000 tree seedlings inKenya.[2][3]
In 2019, she was awarded the Africa Green Person of the Year Award by theEleven Eleven Twelve Foundation[4] and named as one of the 100 Most Influential Young Africans by the Africa Youth Awards.[5]
Wathuti grew up inNyeri County, which is renowned for having the highest forest cover inKenya.[7] 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.[8] She was part of the leadership ofKenyatta 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 likeclimate change.[9]
In 2016, she founded Green Generation Initiative, to encourage young environmental enthusiasts, environmental andclimate education, buildingclimate resilience and greening schools. Her video, "The Forest is a Part of Me",[10] was featured by theGlobal Landscapes Forum (GLF) as part of a series on Youth Voices in Landscapes. She has attended the UN'sConferences of the Parties on several occasions and has commented that the language used, especially the multitude ofacronyms associated with climate change, can act as a barrier to young people's participation.[11]
She is a recipient of aWangari Maathai Scholarship award for her commitment to environmental conservation.[12] Wathuti is also a member of theGreen Belt Movement, which was founded by her role model ProfessorWangari Maathai.[13]
Conference on Loss and Damage due to climate. In Scotland in 2022Vanessa Nakate, First MinisterNicola Sturgeon and Wathuti
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