My essay
Earth Is The Only Mother We Will Ever Know

Olive Wangui Kirigo (Kenya)
Honorable Mentions

Dear Olive,
I know sometimes you get anxious not knowing anything about your future. I know you sit down and wonder whether it will be good or awfully bad. I know you sit and ask yourself what will be the fate of your future generation, of your community and of your country. I know this for I have been with you every step of your way. I have walked all these years with you and removed the dust of your feet and the tears in your eyes when you were weary and almost gave up. This is why I am writing this letter to you. I want to assure you that everything will be okay…actually everything is okay!
I see things now and I smile because everything turned out perfect. It is like total serenity right now. We no longer know what diseases are, we are no longer fighting battles of pollution, deforestation or hunger. I know this sounds surreal to you right now but it is actually the life we live right now. I know your favourite colours are green and blue and guess what? These colours are everywhere for the trees you planted have now grown and because of this rivers and lakes are no longer drying up! All the work and effort you put is finally paying off! People have learnt that earth is the only home they have thanks to you!
We are no longer in debt because of hunger, for we have our own food now! We are no longer crying because we lost our loved ones in floods or drought because we have our own trees now! We no longer have respiratory problems or breathing polluted air, for we have oxygen now! We are no longer suffering from diseases for we have learnt to recycle and clean our environment. In fact, children are healthy, parents are happy and lifespan is increasing and people are able to live up to old age, thanks to you!
Therefore, my friend, please do not give up! Wake up and plant those trees for the soil in your hands are going to pay off one day. Wake up and advocate in the streets for the dust in your feet will pay off as people will learn from you. Wake up and get rid of those plastic tins that ruin the soil, for one day animals will be able to live. Wake up and fight for the wild for one day poachers will see that these animals too, need a future. Wake up and act so as people, society, governments and countries can see that Earth is the only mother we will ever know.
I am very proud of you and so fulfilled that our fight for Mother Nature paid off! Indeed what you give to her she definitely gives back to you! I can’t imagine what would happen if nothing worked, I guess we would be miserable or even depressed. We would not be living but existing. I honestly love our new home for nature is making our skin glow, our hair grow, our teeth white, our bones strong and our lungs pure. People all over the world are flourishing and nobody is being left behind, for our walk with nature has brought us closer together. All this because of you and because of people who chose to support your vision of a better world, a world that is environmentally sustainable.
The journey will not be easy, but this letter is to tell you that everything will be worth it! There is no planet B, so keep up the fight...I love you so much! You are doing everything right! Take care my friend.
From your loving future-self,
Olive Wangui.