From Dreams to Action: My Path to Global Environmental Change
By Mary Wanderi
My name is Mary Wanderi. I was born in Nakuru County, on the slopes of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. I am a second born in a humble family, with an elder sister and two younger siblings.
At the age of five, whenever I played with my friends, I would find myself taking the role of either a teacher or a doctor. As a ‘teacher’, I often gathered all the village kids, including those older than me. I would then collect together my tools of trade and get to work; I remember using this particular blackboard, a gift from my father, to facilitate my lessons. It came in so handy and to date I still have it.
When it came to the medicine bit, I would inject and prescribe medicine for my dolls, just like the way doctors do. Growing up, those were the two professions to which I was drawn and that is because they focused on important aspects of our lives such as our health and growth.
On my journey to self discovery, I found myself in various leadership positions. They say leaders are born, that leadership comes directly from God and I couldn’t agree more. Early challenges taught me resilience and empathy. Experiencing embarrassment and overcoming difficulties helped me understand others' struggles better. It shaped me into a compassionate and understanding leader later, always mindful of the unique challenges people face.
At the primary level, I was a leader in different stages and got to be in charge of various departments. For instance, in grade 1, I was class prefect, in grade 6 a commander in the scout club and in grades 7 and 8 a cabinet secretary for environment and sanitation. It was during my leadership role in primary school that I realized my passion for the environment. Dreams of being an environmentalist or a climate activist started taking root.
A renowned environmentalist: That was the path I envisioned for myself, but after my KCPE exams, I wasn't sure if I could pursue my dreams or if they were out of reach. My parents, who are cobblers with a small retail shop, couldn’t afford to support the next level of education. They had already sold all our livestock the previous year to pay for my older sister’s school fees. While my peers were excited and eager to join the schools they were accepted to, I felt hopeless and avoided them, crying every night. I couldn’t understand why they were so fortunate when I had scored better than any of them. It all felt so unfair and pointless. But then, one Tuesday mid-morning, luck smiled on me. My father received a call from EFAC, an organization that sponsors and mentors bright, needy students. They informed him that I had secured a scholarship in their program. I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude.
My thirst for leadership and love for the environment never faded. When I joined high school, there wasn’t an environmental club so I decided to join the Young Farmers Club since I also had an interest in Agriculture. I was chosen as the secretary while in Form 1 and then as the chairperson in Form 3. I am humbled to say I restructured the club and left a legacy behind me. After high school, I decided to work on my environmental dream by starting a community-based organization called Nurture a Young Tree. Our mantra is “Growing Minds Growing Futures” with programs majorly based on environmental conservation and youth mentorship initiatives.
I plan to register the organization as soon as I receive my national identification number. Although my journey has been fraught with challenges, I remain determined to make a difference in how we relate to our environment. My vision is to see my organization represented in every country, growing into a global force for environmental change.
EFAC has shaped me into who I am today. Through their workshops and seminars, I have gained confidence, refined my creativity, and honed my leadership skills. I aspire to be part of many more success stories, embodying the change I wish to see in the environment. I am here to transform and elevate our relationship with nature. I now believe that anything is possible.
On this World Environment Day 2024, and as I conclude my story, I leave you with a statement that I hold dear: "When we plant trees, we plant seeds of hope and seeds of love."
Take up your place to keep the environment!