STUDENT SPOTLIGHT - The Power of Green Spaces for Youth

Kibera, like so many other slums, has a dearth of green spaces.  No parks.  Few playgrounds.  And not many gardens. As far as the eye can see, there is little more than slum housing and informal commerce. Therefore, most students in our partner schools rarely have opportunities to interact with and connect with nature.

This lack of access to nature is one of the major challenges faced by those living in Kibera. However, some students have become deeply passionate about environmental conservation. One such student is Janet Nyawira, a ninth-grade student at Facing the Future Primary School. She enjoys environmental studies and is committed to protecting the environment.

Janet first recognized the importance of environmental conservation on a CT-sponsored educational field trip to the Karura Forest, one of Nairobi’s urban forests. She remembers her first walk through the forest as an eye-opening and beautiful experience, marveling at the tall trees and the clean, tranquil surroundings. This experience profoundly changed her perspective.

Since then, Janet has actively been raising awareness among her peers (in Kibera) about the critical value of environmental stewardship. Among other things, she advocates against cutting down trees and emphasizes the need to prevent plastic waste from polluting their surroundings.

Janet believes that through collaboration, we can collectively work to conserve and preserve the environment despite the unrelenting challenges of greed and power. We are delighted to see how the different initiatives CT introduces to our students can serve to make a REAL difference, positively impacting not only individuals but the community at large.