When Mwenya created the interactive visual aids and school apparatus in her high school during their regional science fair, it was to fill the gap in their school’s learning curriculum. These tools were created from recycled materials to bring awareness to the climate emergency, particularly the depletion of the ozone layer. It was a call to action for young people to contribute to societal problems they were facing with the quality of education and the brewing climate crisis. This blueprint has remained the foundation of their ideas to create interactive visual aids in an environmentally-friendly way because the world is still living in a climate crisis.
As part of the Paideia Project’s efforts to create change, a climate change awareness campaign was created by Mwenya to give people an understanding of the crossroads most Africans face due to a lack of financial and technological support to promote sustainability in their communities. As a climate activist and someone who grew up on a subsistence farm experiencing the adverse effects of the climate crisis firsthand, Mwenya is committed to using their story to inspire others to take action.
At the October 2020 Youth Change Makers conference by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) United Kingdom, the campaign was selected and recognized for its impact on climate change awareness. As a climate action ambassador, Mwenya was invited to petition the Royal Highnesses at the House of Chiefs to protect Zambia’s natural forests through WWF Zambia’s New Deal for Nature and People campaign. This campaign aimed to address the country’s high rates of deforestation, which ranked Zambia as the fifth highest in the world and the first in Africa. The opportunity to engage with global leaders and bring attention to the urgent need for environmental protection was a significant milestone for Mwenya and the Paideia Project’s efforts towards sustainability.
PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CLIMATE ACTION INITIATIVES AND AFFILIATIONS WITH THE WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE (WWF) UK AND ZAMBIA:
“There is no question climate change is happening. The only arguable point is what part humans are playing in it.” – David Attenborough