My first encounter with climate change action was over two years ago in Lamu, Kenya. At the time, I was visiting family around the small town. I came across a plastic revolution banner. The campaign, started by youth in Lamu was heralded to serve as a visual beacon of what was an epiphany of climate campaigns to come a year later.

I didn’t know it at the time, but soon I would be marching through the streets of Lamu town in a campaign against fossil fuel aptly named, “Decoloanize” from 2017 through to 2019.  Placing the situation into context, Kenya’s government commissioned a coal mining plant in Lamu County to serve the country’s energy needs for development.  

Fast-forward to this year, a court ruling revoked the coal mining company’s license for public interest. The primary reason being they failed to satisfy environmental impact assessments. The savage effects of the devastation of coal mining on people as well as the environment can be seen in South Africa where thousands have suffered from respiratory diseases just to name a few. It’s often human nature that we lose something and appreciate it when it’s finally gone. This doesn’t have to be the case.

This is just a singular example of how the youth can make the government take notice. By marching together, our voices can be heard.