Rukia Ahmed Leads Climate Action in Northern Kenya, Advocating for Justice and Sustainability

: At just 21, Rukia Ahmed is a climate justice activist transforming northern Kenya’s environmental narrative. From her experiences with Wajir’s harsh climate to her education in Nairobi, she advocates for sustainability and community resilience. Through her Green North Eastern Initiative, Rukia leads tree-planting efforts and calls for accountability in climate action. Her commitment to renewable energy and support for vulnerable communities highlights the urgent need to address the disproportionate impacts of climate change. Join her mission to create a sustainable future for northern Kenya.

By Barack Oduor 

When Rukia Ahmed first arrived in Nairobi from Wajir, she was immediately struck by the stark difference in weather. Growing up in Wajir, the harsh climate often disrupted daily life, making even attending afternoon classes a challenge. Now, at 21, Rukia is a climate justice activist on a bold mission to change the environmental narrative of northern Kenya.

Rukia’s educational journey took her from Islamic Call Foundation Primary School in Wajir to Our Lady of Mercy Girls Secondary School in Shauri Moyo, Nairobi, in 2021. It was during this transition that she discovered her passion for advocating for a healthier, more sustainable environment.

“When I came to Nairobi for my secondary education, I saw a huge difference in the environment. In Form Two, I attended a climate conference at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, and that’s when I realized there was something I could do for my community,” recalls Rukia.

She began by planting trees in Wajir during school holidays, but soon recognized that the region’s problems required more than just reforestation. Northern Kenya, she learned, was grappling with the severe impacts of climate change.

“Northern Kenya frequently suffers from drought, leading to massive livestock deaths, which devastates pastoralist communities that rely on livestock for their livelihoods. This results in malnutrition for children, women walking miles to find water, and families rationing meals to cope with food insecurity,” explains Rukia.

Other challenges—including marginalization, poverty, weak institutions, poor infrastructure, lack of information, limited access to financial services, and resource-based conflicts—compound the difficulties faced by northern Kenya in dealing with climate change.

Holding the Powerful Accountable
For Rukia, climate justice means ensuring that those responsible for environmental degradation are held accountable, while those affected receive the support they need to adapt and mitigate the effects. “In many areas, when it rains, floods destroy homes and cause disease, death, and crop failure. The people affected by this deserve justice,” she says.

Now pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree at Mt. Kenya University, majoring in Mathematics and Biology, Rukia leads tree-planting drives across northern Kenya and actively speaks on climate justice. She views the climate crisis as a human tragedy, pointing out that while Africa contributes very little to global emissions, it suffers disproportionately from climate change’s effects.

“Africa is the second-largest continent but contributes less than four percent to global emissions, with almost no historical emissions. Yet, we are among the hardest hit by climate change,” she notes, citing data from the International Energy Agency.

Rukia’s activism has earned her opportunities to volunteer with various organizations, leading to her participation in the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. She also attended the Climate Justice Camp hosted by Greenpeace International in Nabeul, Tunisia.

Driven by her passion, Rukia founded the Green North Eastern Initiative, a community-based organization aimed at building climate resilience in the northern frontier. “I partner with schools to plant trees with the help of teachers and students. We started in Wajir County, and now we’ve expanded to Mandera and Garissa, where nearly 10,000 trees have been planted,” she says.

A Call for Renewable Energy
Rukia is deeply concerned about the drastic changes in weather patterns in northeastern Kenya, which threaten livelihoods, particularly for farmers dependent on rain-fed agriculture. She calls for a transition from fossil fuel-based energy systems to more sustainable alternatives like wind and solar power.

“Our failure to implement policies and regulations that hold companies and governments accountable for emissions has made action more urgent than ever,” says Rukia.

Without decisive intervention, she warns, climate change will reverse Kenya’s progress in poverty reduction and deepen economic and social inequalities. Rukia’s activism is especially timely as women in Kenya, often the most vulnerable to climate change, are increasingly bearing the brunt of its effects.

As Rukia continues her mission, she hopes her efforts will not only transform northern Kenya but also inspire others to fight for a more just and sustainable future for all.

Keywords:Rukia Ahmed:Climate Activism:Northern Kenya:Tree Planting Initiative:Sustainable Environment

NB:First published in the Eastleigh Voice