By Nyang’au Araka
At just 13, Baraka Moruri is turning his passion for environmental conservation into a movement, rallying neighbours and fellow children to take responsibility for the world around them.
While many people recognise the growing impact of climate change on daily life, the young environmentalist believes meaningful change begins with simple actions at home and in the neighbourhood.
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Already known as Mr Environment Kenya, a climate change ambassador and the current Plant Your Age ambassador, Baraka has taken his message a step further by writing a book titled Go Green with Baraka, which he hopes will inspire his peers to embrace environmental conservation.
His commitment was on display on Saturday, October 10, when he mobilised residents of Lang’ata Damview Estate in Nairobi for a neighbourhood clean-up exercise ahead of the activities marking Mazingira Day.
With the support of his parents and approval from the Nairobi City Council, Baraka and his neighbours set aside their usual weekend plans to clear bushes, unclog drainage channels, plant trees and clean their surroundings.
For the teenager, the exercise was about more than tidying up the estate. It was an opportunity to demonstrate that everyone, regardless of age, has a role to play in protecting the environment.
“Charity begins at home,” is the principle guiding his efforts, as he encourages residents to take ownership of their immediate surroundings rather than wait for others to act.
Baraka says he hopes to follow in the footsteps of Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, whose environmental conservation work continues to inspire generations of Kenyans.
Through his book and community activities, he is reaching out to fellow children, particularly those in his neighbourhood, urging them to become active participants in environmental protection.
He is also challenging parents to look beyond buying their children gadgets and other material things, arguing that investing in activities that nurture responsibility and environmental awareness can help shape their future.
The young conservationist believes community initiatives such as the Damview clean-up should not be one-off events but the beginning of sustained efforts to keep neighbourhoods clean, plant more trees and protect natural resources.
This year’s Mazingira Day messaging, as outlined by the organisers of the exercise, included preparing for anticipated El Niño rains and supporting President William Ruto’s target of planting 15 billion trees.
Baraka says the government should invest more in practical environmental initiatives that will safeguard the country’s natural resources for future generations.
