AYICC - KENYA RAISES ITS VOICE DURING WED 2014 (WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL DAY) - "RAISE YOUR VOICE, NOT THE SEA LEVEL"

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS INEVITABLE DESPITE SOCIAL INJUSTICES

The world today is facing climatic challenges and the global south is at a higher risk of global warming. The sea water levels are rising and some of the people living in the coast lines will be forced to shift and change their way of life. This is a result of climate change and global warming which has highly been contributed by anthropogenic activities. The global south populace faces great challenges in leadership and achieving social justice, which are stumbling blocks towards attaining environmental and climate justice. Women and Youth are the majority population in the global south: they are in the periphery when it comes to the production chain and they face climatic challenges like floods and drought. It is tough to fight for the environment when one’s life is facing economic, social and political insecurity. There are fundamental needs which should be met in order to make life livable; food, shelter and clothing are essential in human needs and without them life is at risk.

Despite all these challenges, the African youth voiced out their concerns for a better environment. They joined the world in raising their voices to fight for the planet. 

It is said that a good dog deserves a good bone and indeed the Kenyan youth ought to have a big and a good one. The youth joined the world in celebrating the World Environmental Day (WED), a day which has been celebrated since 1973. They came together to raise their voices in fighting for Nairobi City Park. The park plays a great role in the city; it serves as a carbon sink, a historical sight, a recreation hub and a home of biodiversity.

Nairobi City Park was established in 1921 as a zoological garden on a 91 hectare area, and formally declared a public park in 1925, the park has attracted attention from different political divides, developers and of course opportunists like land grabbers. The government of Kenya declared the park to be a protected area through a legal notice appearing in Kenya Gazette Supplement No.59 dated 4th September 2009. A big part of the park has been grabbed and today it remains 60 hectares, down from 91 hectares. It is in this sense the Kenyan youth joined in raising their voices to save the park. A representation of AYICC-Kenya, Green Generation Association, Chiromo Environmental Awareness Club, YMCA-Kenya, Sub-Sahara Environmental Foundation, Kenyatta University Environmental Club, and Young Volunteers for Environment-Kenya joined hands in planting trees and cleaning the park.

With the help of donations and kind services from Nairobi City Park Company, Nature Kenya, Green Africa Foundation, Friends of City Park, and Kenya Airport Parking Services (KAPS Ltd); the young folks spoke out to the private developers and the public the importance of saving the environmental lung of Nairobi city.  http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/thecounties/article/2000123744/help-preserve-city-park-state-told

They say a picture speaks a thousand words and dead men tell no tales. The pictures can speak of the energy and the enthusiasm of the event.

The true spirit of Wangari Maathai

Vincent (Nature kenya) and Sylvia (YVE) de

monstrating the scientific way of planting a seedling. 

Courtesy costs nothing and a helping hand to make Nairobi green means a lot to some AYICC veterans. Cyrus Ole Rabui and Omondi Okwany in action. If you think  Prof. Wangari Maathai spirit died, think again

Young people are creative and innovative. Despite the challenges to meet the political will in saving the Nairobi city park, the event was colored with art to send a message to the Kenyan leadership and to the World at large how the youth love and cares about City Park and a clean environment.

Winnie Asiti also knows how to paint....

Indeed it was World Environmental Day!

Kamau Thuo a young and energetic member of county assembly Karura Ward, Westlands constituency, Nairobi county proved that a sizable number of politicians care about city park and the environment.

The day took shape with a tree planning and a cleanup after. 

The sarcastic look on this guy’s face was evidence enough that he was eager to know more and get the village out of himself. 

Now he is enlightened and the village is indeed out him and his face got painted as well



Jecinta is a witness! She was there

These two were lost in their thoughts. Probably, they were perplexed with the great value of the park but ironically how little is being done to salvage it from hawk eyed land grabbers.
 

The creativity also brought an aspect of Reduced, Reused and Recycled for Aesthetics’ sake

A quench of thirst after great work; Bishop Paul Saha the real Green Warrior was here! 

A pose by great environmentalists and conservationists.

“Every Why has a therefore” and the reason for celebrating World Environmental Day was to raise awareness in fighting for social, Environmental and climate justice.  

Compiled by Clifford Omondi Okwany

Edited by Victoria Chengo