Nairobi Rivers Commission chairperson Margaret Wanjiru presents an award to Young Environmental Champion Alice Wanjiru
When she was only six years old, Alice Wanjiru picked up a seedling, planted it and began a remarkable conservation journey.
Her message: no effort is too small.
Five years later, the 11-year-old girl has grown more than 20,000 trees across Kenya — and she is not stopping. Her goal is more than ambitious: to plant 1.1 million trees by 2032 to support the government’s 15 billion tree campaign.
That dedication has won Alice global recognition. On September 13, she was named winner of the 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Awards, triumphing 467 dedicated applicants worldwide.
Organised by Action For Nature, the awards celebrate outstanding environmental achievements by children and teenagers aged eight to 16.
For Alice from Nairobi, the accolade is a validation of years of
effort.
“Today I feel very excited that I’ve been able to accomplish this award,” she said after the announcement, crediting her family and supporters for standing by her mission.
“This is a worldwide award.”
Alice is not only a tree planter; she has become a powerful voice for environmental justice.
She serves as the Kenyan Scout Association’s Climate Change ambassador
at the National Environment Management Authority, where she advocates policies
to protect vulnerable communities.
Her passion took shape through her project ‘The Sewer, the Environment and Us – an Intricate Balance for Survival’, which focuses on rehabilitating the Ruai Sewer Treatment Plant in Nairobi.
Toxic methane emissions from the facility had long endangered residents, causing respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma. Since January 2023, Alice has led efforts to plant more than 2,000 trees around the plant, improving air quality and providing relief to the community.
Her activism goes beyond tree-planting. She organises plastics clean-ups and rallies children and youth to adopt conservation. Alice also runs the Green Hummingbird Foundation, which encourages children to plant trees on their birthdays. Inspired by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai’s “hummingbird” story, Alice says no act is too small if it helps people or the planet.
In the story, a forest fire is raging and all the animals are paralysed, watching in horror. The little hummingbird, however, scoops up tiny drop after drop in its beak and deposits them on the flames. Even the elephant that could scoop water with its huge trunk did nothing, and all the animals said the hummingbird’s actions were pointless.
Alice’s work has also reached decision-makers. She successfully petitioned the Nairobi county government to prioritise rehabilitation of the Ruai plant within Kenya’s tree-planting programme.
She has engaged the national government to formulate stronger policies against harmful emissions. In the process, her activism has created jobs for young people, while giving hope to long-neglected communities.
For the young conservationist, protecting the environment is both personal and practical. She delights in nurturing indigenous trees, emphasising their role in providing oxygen, food, medicine and climate resilience.
“Our world is filled with ups and downs, our environment is not
as clean as it was when the world was created,” Alice says.
“So my word to all the young people of this world is: remember that trees are life. [If everyone plants] at least five trees, you can save the world.”
At the Eco-Hero Awards ceremony, Nairobi Rivers Commission chairperson Margaret Wanjiru hailed Alice as a symbol of possibilities.
“It is an exciting moment to see a sixth-grade child with great achievements not just in Kenya but also globally,” she said, urging more children to take up conservation work. Teachers, she added, should integrate environmental programmes into schools to nurture future champions.
James Mubia, executive director of the Green Hummingbird Initiative, pledged continued support for Alice’s work. Her campaigns, he said, show how children can lead society in tackling the environmental crises.
Alice’s ambitions are as bold as her beginnings. She plans to plant one million trees in hopes of entering the Guinness World Records, while pursuing her dream career in dermatology. Together they combine her passion for health and the environment.
Alice’s award comes at a time when Kenya is racing to expand its tree and forest cover, currently at 12.13 and 8.83 per cent, respectively. Forests contribute 3.6 per cent to the country’s GDP, employ thousands of people, and supply more than 80 per cent of household energy needs. In this context, Wanjiru’s efforts represent more than youthful passion — they are a timely contribution to a national and global fight against climate change.
“I’ll continue to plant as many trees as I possibly can and support anybody who decides to conserve the environment,” she says. For an 11-year-old, her mission is immense. Yet in her determination, Alice Wanjiru embodies a simple truth: no one is ever too young to change the world.
Instant analysis
Alice Wanjiru’s recognition as an international Eco-Hero highlights a profound shift in Kenya’s conservation story—children are no longer passive witnesses or beneficiaries but active agents of change. Her work resonates with a youthful population increasingly conscious of climate change, environmental justice and health. In a country where forest cover remains below global averages, her voice carries urgency and moral clarity. Alice’s tree-planting, advocacy and policy engagement demonstrate how grassroots action can influence national priorities.
