The award propelled me to go ahead and start my pollinator garden that I am currently using to teach other young people and adults about the benefits of pollinators to our environment, we established posters, billboards, and signage for learning purposes and created one of the biggest seed banks for seeds, especially for flowers that attract most pollinators in our community and beyond.

We are documenting all pollinators existing in Kakamega Rain Forest one of the remnants of the Tropical rain forest that once starched to the Congo forest. To date, about 10,000 children are aware of pollinators and how they are contributing towards environmental conservation and food security in our community. More than 50 schools both primary and secondary have been reached and received the information about importance of pollinators.

My work as a result of associating with Action For Nature enabled me to learn more ways to improve our environment from fellow Action For Nature participants and Eco-Hero Alumni and started the “One Million Trees” planting drive initiative and waste recycling promoting circular economy, where produce organic manure and sell plastic waste to recyclers. So far, about 10,000 indigenous trees have been planted in Kakamega forest and its surroundings, and collected and recycled about 5000kgs of waste both biodegradable and non-degradable. I have also won several more awards certificates and grants including Grades of Green, US Eco Grant 2023, 2022, and 2021 Most impactful project, The pollination project grant 2018, Green Kids Award – Kenya, certificates from Kids Rights International, and other small grants.

Much has been said about environmental impact and its effects. It affects children the most. Remember, children will have to suffer the most because we hope to live longer than our parents and thus need to take action now and be fully involved in environmental conservation and education and help spread the word and educate others who are going to work in other fields not related to the environment. Nature conservation requires all of us to take action to make sure we know our rights and be ready to defend them.

Yes, I am currently working on tree planting drive targeting to plant one million trees, plastic harvesting, and organic waste recycling.

Yes, I would like to see children sitting at the same tables with adults discussing issues during climate change meetings, factoring in children's agendas and representations - concerning the rights of children towards a safe and clean sustainable environment. I would like to see laws and policies put in place by both local and world leaders to protect our environment. In addition, I want to see a free plastic world, free and clean oceans, and restored forests and wetlands. I mean the lungs of the world - forests, oceans, and wetlands must be treated as sacred/holy places and be protected.

Yes, the late Wangari Mathai – Winner of the Noble Prize 2014. She lives to fight for our natural resources, including the Karura forest, and for women's rights. She even risked her very life. She went on to win many prestigious awards and tells us to act little by little to promote our environment.

It opened my eyes to the world beyond New Zealand, an incredible international network of inspiring young changemakers (a number of whose projects I still remember well and am still in touch with today), and the great diversity of ways that positive differences can be made. It was a fantastic opportunity not only to spread the word about the plight of my beloved Maui's Dolphin (the smallest and rarest dolphin in the world, found only off the west coast of New Zealand's North Island) but to hone my presenting and networking skills in a supportive environment. This has served me well in my later studies and career. I can't thank Action for Nature enough for all of the valuable things that I have taken away from this experience – now I have the honor and important responsibility to share these with others. My mum and I couldn't have gone to San Francisco for the awards ceremony without the fundraising support of our local community, friends, and family back home either, so a huge thank you to them too.

Don't hesitate to apply and make the most of the experience and the connections you make. Be proud of who you are and where you're from- not one eco hero is the same and everyone has something meaningful to contribute in their own unique way. Stay hopeful and keep up the great work! There are lots of things to be positive about – just look around at all of the great work your fellow eco heroes and others are doing all over the world. Even in such an uncertain world with climate change, pandemics, etc., there are always things we can do to make a positive change, no matter how small.

After recently finishing my university studies, I am now working for the New Zealand government informing environmental policy and decision making. I'm sure I'll always be working on the ways that I can make maximum impact in the environmental space, wherever that will take me in the future. My Action for Nature experience also highlighted to me the importance of empowering young people – so I'd like to be in a mentoring role one day where I can help others action projects that are important to them and help build a greener and more equitable future.

We are facing a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. While these issues require immediate changes from the top, I think that the environmental issues we face really come down to humankind's broken relationship with nature. We can't afford to harm the thing that nurtures us, and I think the more people that truly understand and respect that the better. Therefore, mindful and large-scale shifts in human consumption and behavior (right from a grassroots, household level up) are key changes that I'd like to see. Environmental education from an early age is a crucial component of this. I know this from being lucky enough to have grown up closely connected to the environment in an island nation where the ocean and its benefits are never far away.

Jane Goodall – she has done groundbreaking work in her lifetime to protect not only the chimpanzees of Gombe and the people of neighboring communities, but the animals, the environment, and people of the world. I am inspired by her view that you can't solve environmental issues without considering people and human-environment relationships- she sees poverty and environmental destruction as closely intertwined. I also like her idea that the world is like a jigsaw puzzle and that if we all focus on a small piece, collectively we can fill in a positive global picture. What inspires me most about her is that she started off as just an ordinary young woman with a love for animals and an open mind who took a chance. Who knew that volunteering to move to the Tanzanian jungle and live with chimpanzees to help out with research on human evolution (and without a formal scientific background) would lead to all the incredible things that she's achieved? Jane Goodall and other environmental heroes show us what's possible.

In 2014, I led a national level library campaign in Nepal to established school libraries that was graced by on one of the former Prime Ministers of Nepal.

Between 2014 to 2022, I had some personal, familial, and academic obligations where I did not do much about leadership but was an active learner of the events going around the world.

In Spring 2022, in Assam, India, I founded an Environment Club at my University on the occasion of World Environment Day 2022. I invited some eminent speakers such as (World Wildlife Fund) WWF India Assam, the State Coordinator, and an environmentalist working in the field of solid waste management and conservation. The environment club was inaugurated on the day of World Environment Day 2022. Hundreds of students and faculties participated in tree plantation, conservation exhibition, and petition signing to protect the planet.

In Fall 2022, I came to Nebraska, USA for my undergraduate studies in Computer Science. Currently, I am in my senior year.

In 2023, I was selected to be a part of Clinton Global Initiative University 2023 to work my project related to stopping open defecation in South Asia. I had the opportunity to shake hands with President Clinton at Vanderbilt University, TN.

Here is the web link: WSC Student Joins Clinton Global Initiative University | Wayne State College Nebraska

I do look forward to working with Action for Nature in the days to come on climate change and the environment. The International Young-Eco Hero Award that I received in 2011 still propels me and inspires me to keep working things that I care about. I am once again grateful to AFN for giving me that opportunity a decade ago. That was my first international recognition/achievement and that has helped me to for all other achievements that I have today.

Proud to be an Eco-Hero Alumni!

I was honored to be named the 2017 International Young Eco-Hero and thrilled to present eTreasure, Inc. in the Awards Ceremony Conference hosted by Google in San Francisco that year. This experience really validated the work I was doing at a young age and encouraged me to keep doing more to inspire other young people. Shortly after receiving the award, I wrote and published my first children's book, ‘Sammy the Cell Phone Gets Thrown Away’. My book teaches children the fundamentals and importance of electronics recycling and is available on Amazon and in the Library of Congress Children’s Reading Room. I was so excited when ‘Sammy the Cell Phone Gets Thrown Away’ was selected for the 2021 Independent Press Award and BookFest awards!

I would tell them to start local, making an impact on a small scale in their school or local community in an area that they have an interest in. Over time, you can scale your local action to have a greater impact. To ensure the long-term impact of eTreasure, Inc., I developed the School Leaders Program encouraging local students to host collection drives at their own schools, and just last month, I co-founded the Environmental Impact Club at my school. We had over 60 students participate in the Club on the first day! This is a great way to get started and take environmental action.

Just this year, I was asked to partner with Aeras Foundation, becoming their youngest Youth Ambassador in history working to close the digital divide in Central Florida! Together we work in their Tech Labz refurbishing laptops and iPads in partnership with Apple and their volunteer workforce through the Benevity Program, and then distribute the devices to students in need. Although eTreasure has been a part of my life since I was 6 years old, I don’t think my work has ever been more important than now. The COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on the digital divide around the world. As schools were closed for months, the digital divide grew wider. 11 million students in the US currently do not have computers for online learning. Technology changes the educational experience for a student and makes them feel connected and empowered. I am excited to continue fighting for digital inclusion until all students have access to the technology they need to learn and thrive.

Besides greater corporate responsibility in the design and functionality of our consumer electronics, I am working hard to raise awareness and inspire action in society regarding electronic waste. Most people have no idea that E-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world and has far-reaching public health and socioeconomic effects worldwide. That is the subject of the Ted Talk I gave this past Earth Day in Boston at the Elliot Street Tedx Youth event. You can watch it here: Recycling to Stop E-waste | Kady McKenna | TEDxYouth@ElliotStreet - YouTube

I had the honor of being recognized as the John Muir Association’s Youth Conservation Award winner and would definitely say his work has inspired me. He saw beauty and value in nature at a time when most others only saw profit or opportunity.

Becoming an Action For Nature Eco-Hero had many positive impacts on me. It made me feel more confident in myself. Some of my teachers shared it with the class and seemed proud of me. It made me more committed to all the projects I wanted to do. It made me want to volunteer more as well. It taught me more about other things happening in the world in terms of kids working for the environment. I feel like I have more courage to be involved in different things now and meet more and more people. In terms of my future and what I might do, being an Eco-Hero makes me see myself more clearly volunteering more with people and starting new and bigger projects. I am even more interested in helping people who might feel powerless to learn to use their voices to protect the environment.

For youth who are interested in becoming leaders and active in environmental causes, I would give the following advice: 1) It can be hard to get your voice out there but you should keep trying and working hard for your passions. 2) Try to find a group of other kids or peers that can help you succeed and be part of a group that shares ideas, activities, and stories. 3) Incorporate your talents into your projects. For example, if you are really good at art or writing, use those skills to get your message out.

Right now, I just started working on a new idea with some other kids, including Robbie Bond (who is also an Eco-Hero alumni). We are designing a project to help the youth displaced by the devastating wildfires in Lahaina on the island of Maui. We will be raising money to donate to organizations that work with kids in Lahaina. We are also planning an event in Maui on World Ocean Day (June 8, 2024) where we will help kids heal their trauma through art and writing and have fun together to celebrate oceans and marine life. I am designing the t-shirt to sell and give to kids with gift boxes of art, poems, and other things to give them hope.

As I look forward, I would like to see a focus on less pollution and plastic usage. I want more people to take climate change seriously and be willing to make everyday sacrifices that actually can make a difference. We cannot expect that others will lead in climate change without becoming leaders ourselves. I want there to be more consideration of what my generation will be dealing with on the earth and we need to educate and involve more kids across the world.

I have two environmental heroes. One is Eco-Hero Robbie Bond because he was the one who showed me that kids can actually help and do more to protect the environment. My second hero is my dad. He has been working hard to protect the environment since he was a teenager. Now he emphasizes to me how we need to protect the environment as well as the people who care for lands and waters near their homes. Everyone needs to feel like they have a stake in the future and can make a difference. My dad also teaches other people that they can really make a difference in anything they care about. Once they feel that their voice is important, it makes things better for everyone.

Being named an Action for Nature Young Eco-Hero has been such a blessing. I have made so many connections to other incredible youth around the globe who are doing big things to make this world a better place. I am so honored to be on this short list of incredible humans.

For youth everywhere who have big dreams and are considering taking a step toward change, just do it! It doesn’t have to be a big step at all. My initial goal, at age 8, was to raise $50 by selling cookies at my grandma’s garage sale. Why $50? That’s the amount of money needed to provide safe, clean water for one person in Africa… for life. What started as a goal of saving one person has now resulted in over $1.2 million dollars raised, and 25,000 lives saved.

Since my award, I have continued to speak to youth and adults all over my region about the importance of safe, clean drinking water. To date, I have spoken at over 200 schools, churches, businesses, nonprofits, and events. As I continue to reach out and spread my passion and mission, I am connected to so many wonderful people who open their hearts to helping make a change. Through donations and purchases of my book and handmade chitenge bags, I have been able to help build 84 clean water wells in, and around, Zambia Africa. I will not stop until every human on this earth has access to life’s most basic needs.

See Video Below

Although I’m oftentimes called a “hero”, I have a hard time fully accepting that title. I like to believe that God put me on this earth to use my talents and abilities to make a difference. I have been very fortunate to live in a place where I can get safe, clean water anytime I want. I am also highly aware that this is not the case everywhere, and that is not okay. Every person’s life on this earth matters, and it’s up to all of us to be the change we wish to see in the world.

Becoming an Action For Nature Eco-Hero has been a transformative experience, propelling me to greater achievements in my environmental pursuits and igniting positive change within the wider community. It has provided me with the required recognition, resources, and a platform to amplify my impact and contribute significantly to the cause of environmental conservation. Perhaps, most significantly, being recognized as an Eco-Hero creates a lasting legacy, inspiring future generations to take up the mantle of environmental stewardship.

We all know that the urgency of addressing climate change cannot be overstated and we only have a narrow window of opportunity left. During this critical phase, I firmly believe that young people like me and many more out there play an integral role in helping combat climate change. We are all so creative and are not bound by rules and preconceived notions. We have a penchant for creative, out-of-the-box solutions and are driven by unwavering enthusiasm and determination, making us catalysts for driving positive change. As responsible citizens, we must take this as an indication and figure out what we're doing wrong and how we must change it. We need to do our bit by tweaking our everyday activities or climate change is going to do it for us. In the words of Greta Thunberg – “I want you to act as if your house is on fire because it is! The speed we need to move demands it!”

See Video Above

See Video Above

Jadav "Molai" Payeng, often known as the "Forest Man of India” is an extraordinary environmentalist and conservationist and my superhero. His story began in the early 1980s when a devastating flood washed away a large number of snakes onto a desolate sandbar near his home. Witnessing the suffering of these reptiles, Payeng decided to take action. He began planting trees on the sandbar to provide shelter and habitat for the snakes and other wildlife and he continued to do so for over 30 years, often single-handedly. He planted a wide variety of trees, including bamboo, banyan and over the years, transformed the once-barren sandbar into a lush, biodiverse forest. His dedication is nothing short of awe-inspiring His story serves as a powerful reminder of the positive impact that one person's dedication and determination can have on the environment. Jadav "Molai" Payeng is a true environmental superhero, and his story continues to ignite the flames of environmental stewardship in my heart.

The Eco Hero Award not only acknowledged Urvara’s work at a global platform, but it also gave recognition and credibility to our project. It has helped us attract more opportunities and build trust with the rural communities and our sponsor partners. It has attracted other leaders working in the environmental sector to collaborate with us.

Furthermore, it has boosted the organization’s confidence and inspired us to pursue higher goals toward a greener and more sustainable future for the rural areas of Rajasthan, India.

Remember, there is no act too small! After all, it is upon us to create not just a better and more sustainable future for ourselves, but for the future generations to come.

I continue to work on my social enterprise ‘Urvara - Greening Mother Earth’ to convert deserts and wastelands into green, fertile lands using a unique technique that requires just one liter of water per tree for its entire life. We are presently working on the plantation in a small village near the Jaipur district of Rajasthan this year. Our aim is to empower the rural villages in Rajasthan economically, socially, and environmentally through sustainable development.

120,000 square kilometers of land are turned into actual deserts every year. Desertification is a phenomenon that ranks among the greatest environmental challenges of our time and sets into motion other environmental challenges like water scarcity. Yet most people haven’t heard of it or don’t understand it.

Therefore, I dream of a world where we see proactive actions and collaboration from people, organizations, and governments in this sphere.

Wangari Maathai, founder of the ‘Green Belt Movement’ (women’s empowerment at the grassroots) and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, inspires me. Despite suffering and fighting many emotional battles in her personal life, she dedicated her life to the well-being of others- especially women from neglected communities. She worked for equality and sustainable development, socially, economically, and culturally viable ecological solutions in her country.