Posted on October, 12 2017

Arusha Tanzania: WWF Africa inaugurates the WWF Africa Youth Award. The award aims at giving Africa’s youth a platform to engage with thought leaders in conservation and building a movement of young people who are engaged in conservation. This year’s finalists are John Magiro from Kenya and Monique Ntumngia from Cameroon who are engaged in community development and sustainable enterprises with a focus on conservation.

John Magiro, 26,  is the founder and director of Magiro Mini Hydro Power Project, a project to harness and sell hydro-electric power to the residents of his home village in Central Kenya. He also hires other young men to help with the work, creating a source of living for his fellow young people while still watching out for the environment. He maintains that the project encourages the residents of Mihuti Village to take care of the river as it is the source of their power.

Monique Ntumngia, 27,  from Cameroon is the founder of the Green Girls organisation that trains women and girls how to generate energy from waste and the sun. Since commencing activities, 672 girls from 23 communities in Cameroon have been trained in 3 regions of Cameroon. The organisation also empowers these girls and women on how to promote sustainable development and become financially independent. Monique believes that renewable energy is the solution to the energy problem Africa and the world is facing and also a solution to combatting climate change and promoting sustainable living.

The winner of the award will be announced on Monday, October 16 at the awards ceremony in Arusha organised by WWF Regional Office for Africa and WWF Tanzania.

Africa is the most youthful continent with about 65% of the total population below the age of 35 years. By 2020, it is projected that out of 4 people, 3 will be on average 20 years old. The World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) seeks to empower youth all over Africa through the Pan-African youth transformational program. The future of conservation in Africa will be determined by the networks of informed youngsters rising and making a change in their lives and those around them towards creating a better Africa.

About WWF AfrIca Youth Award 2017
The WWF Africa Youth Award is designed to recognize and celebrate young adults throughout Africa who have developed innovative projects, practices, activities and solutions to the sustainable development challenges facing our continent today. It is open to young people aged between 18 and 30 and WWF offices in Africa make nominations.