I began my environmental advocacy work in twenty eighteen. I had just started working in the marketing team of an environmental research institute, as a volunteer. I got the opportunity to attend a conference on green growth. I sat in the conference hall, listening to the different environmental specialist, negotiators, activists and advocates, getting stunned by the minute. The articulation of issues on the environment and climate change impressed and shocked me at the same time. The ambiguity of climate change and the fact that I was so oblivious to it, especially as a journalism student, evoked something in me. I immediately knew I wanted and could do something.
I learnt so much on this day and stood out because of the many questions I asked. I shared so many thoughts-most being around the potential of mass and digital communication as a climate action plan. That very evening, I took to Instagram-my most active social media platform at the time, and did a series of insta story videos. I narrated the amazement of this profound discovery, briefing my digital friends on the things I had learnt, while committing to always share more.
My networks, friendships and knowledge on climate change grew and so did the opportunities and tasks in the space. I joined more youth associations in the space and more organizations and was now on the other end of the conference halls-not just listening, but making presentations. I designed digital campaigns like twitterstorms and call to action campaigns, advocating for climate action in different sectors #zeroplastic #reducecarbon #justtransition #foodsecurity #cleanfood #justenergytransition .
New challenges and new opportunities were coming up and so new solutions needed to be sought out. Towards the end of twenty nineteen, there was a lot of conversation on grassroot communities and differently abled people. The afro mentioned groups were uninformed and left behind therefor derailing climate action progress. While we continued to pursue solutions on fuel, alternatives to plastic and food security, the grassroot communities began to linger in my mind a lot.
The world was suddenly thrashed into a standstill as covid-19 was now upon us. Well, several reports indicated an improvement in the quality of air and the environment as most of humanity had been subjected to the confines of their homes. By this time, I had become clear on my role in the climate action space. I knew I wanted and was capable of bridging the communication gap and especially because mainstream media barely broadcasted climate stories. I continued to engage my digital friends on climate stories and would unpack different occurrences, like the cyclone that hit the Indian ocean through Tanzania and had been predicted to hit the Kenyan coast region. On my Instagram, together with my digital audience and guest we unpacked the difference between a tsunami, cyclone and hurricane and their causes. I remember this cyclone story being the beginning of mainstream Media coverage on climate stories.
All this while I had began referring to myself as the angel with a green halo. You see those glowing rings on/ around the angel photos we see on google and perhaps movies, they are called a halo. Or Like Beyonce sang, “I can see your halo.”- she had metaphorically fallen in love with an angel. Okay, now you get what a halo is, so by virtue of serving in the environmental space, mine is green.
My name is Angel Kyalo, I am the Founder of an organization called, THE GREEN HALO INITIATIVE . An environmental organization, that actively promotes climate action and sustainable development, through research, content creation, advocacy ,monitoring and linking solution based organizations to communities.
In 2022 I moved thousands of miles away from home to Kilifi County. I went to live in the rural grassroot communities. I wanted to understand their lifestyle, their circumstances and what influences the decisions they make. Did they really live unaware of climate change? Was the luck of awareness the reason Kilifi County was engaging in a vicious cycle on deforestation and charcoal burning?
I shall delve more into my experience and findings in the next blog, this is why I am here.