Globe-trotting environment ambassador believes in young voices

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

Inyathi High School headboy Nkosilathi Nyathi has a dream to change the world’s perception of the environment through young voices.

At 19 years of age, he is one of the most well travelled Victoria Falls youths, if not in Zimbabwe as a whole, as he has criss-crossed the world attending high level environment and climate change meetings.

The young lad has reached more than one million views on TED talk on social media where he engages the world on environmental issues.

His environment journey started as a small boy doing primary school at Chamabondo Primary in Victoria Falls when after seeing an increase in pollution levels in the resort city and Hwange, Nkosi decided to champion a biogas digester project at his school to recycle waste material into energy.

He made videos on heatwaves, waste management and the general unpredictability and the uncertainty caused by climate change.

Nkosi is a former president of the Ozone Defenders, an environment club formed by Chamabondo learners with the help of teachers in 2014 to champion environment conservation and recycling projects, opened rare opportunities for him.

The United Nations International Education Fund (UNICEF) appointed Nkosi as a Youth Climate Advocate in 2020 to drive the environment agenda among youths in Zimbabwe, after seeing his various advocacy and awareness work, particularly after making Victoria Falls’ first biogas digester and raising awareness against water pollution and land degradation in Hwange district.

As an ambassador, he has literally travelled the world over and interacted with presidents and some of the world’s most influential people.

He has met Former Columbian President Juan Manuel Santos, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, Former Norwegian Minister of International Development Dag Inge Ulstein, and shared the platform with President Mnangagwa and his counterparts Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, Mogwetsi Masisi of Botswana and Hage Geingob of Namibia. 

Nkosi has been to Botswana, South Africa and Zambia in the region as a climate change advocate and also to Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Dubai, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Italy and Spain among other countries.

Nkosi has addressed the 5th and 6th sessions of the African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development Goals, and was the youngest delegate at the United Nations Joint Meeting of Board Members last year.

Nkosi addressed Heads of State and various leaders during the World Children’s Day commemorations in Kazungula, Botswana last year, where he said voices of young people should be heard and called on leaders to act in tackling emerging threats brought about by climate change.

In a later tweet, President Mnangagwa expressed pleasure in meeting the country’s young climate change activist describing him as one of Zimbabwe’s finest citizens who has fought passionately for young people’s voices to be heard by world leaders.

Nkosi’s work has even earned him a role on the big screen, as he featured in a shot film the World’s Largest Lesson.

Currently he is attending the 2022 edition of the Africa Climate Week in Libreville, Gabon where he has continued calling for inclusion of young voices in decision making.

He attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP25) in Spain in 2019 where he joined the voices of children and young people from around the world who called on world leaders to urgently address the climate and biodiversity challenges facing the world.

Nkosi said he will miss this year’s edition as he will writing his final A Level examinations.

He challenged his peers to take education seriously.

“My involvement with UNICEF since 2014 earned me high recognition from the organisation. I pioneered the establishment of the first biogas plant in Victoria Falls and this work won me an ambassadorial role from UNICEF having recognised my ground influence. 

“Since the appointment I have participated in high level political forums with Presidents, Ministers, and ambassadors. I have also featured as part of the African Case Study for the launch of the UNICEF Children’s Risk Index document shared at the World economic Forum 2022,” said Nkosi. 

He thanked the media for its developmental role and helping him to grow.

Nkosi said the Chamabondo biogas digester project, which won the school the Secretary’s Merit Award two years ago, had attracted the attention of environmentalists and leaders across the world and also helped marketing Victoria Falls destination.

“Victoria Falls enjoys publicity on the international stage because each time I speak about the environment I talk about the tourism hub and the need to protect the pristine nature of the destination 

“My role has been very instrumental and it has brought me closer to the change makers hence where I am today. I look forward to more fruitful engagements and materialisation of my advocacy and publicity of my beautiful city,” said Nkosi.

He said to win the war against climate change, decision makers should be sensitive to the plight of those that are affected by the phenomena. 

“I appreciate the role played by UNICEF in ensuring high child/adolescent inclusivity in stressing aspects like climate change because decisions about us youth and our future cannot be made without us. 

“My advocacy work has improved my performance at school as I have direct contact with real life experiences,” said Nkosi.

He is grateful for the support from his family, community of Victoria Falls, teachers, media and mentor Ms Edith January of Greenline Africa Trust.— @ncubeleon 

Article Source: The Chronicle