My name is Andrew Meitekini Mponin, and I am a passionate advocate for climate resilience and community empowerment, particularly among indigenous pastoralist communities in Kenya. Growing up in Narok County, I witnessed firsthand the challenges posed by climate change, especially in semi-arid regions like the Maasai rangelands. This inspired my work with the Standard Eco Watch initiative, where I help indigenous women become leaders in climate adaptation by training them in sustainable practices like rainwater harvesting and land restoration.
In addition to my environmental advocacy, I have worked as a UN volunteer, promoting vaccination campaigns, digital skills training, and youth engagement in marginalized communities. My focus on grassroots action and leadership development aims to create a future where vulnerable communities can thrive despite climate challenges. By blending local knowledge with modern solutions, I believe we can build a more resilient and sustainable tomorrow.
Restoring the Lost Dominion
As a young 11-year-old girl in primary school, I was denied a right. Human-wildlife conflict around my area led to us being fearful, with children seeking to drop out of school for the sake of their safety. My personal school experience, which I’m proud to discuss, stretched my mindset and belief systems, making me who I am today. I envision a world where every child has a safe place to learn and a child’s education is not compromised by environmental factors like human-wildlife conflict, especially with ongoing climate change.
Tree Planting Kunliro Village Project
Community Managed Natural Regeneration
CMNR is a low-cost, rapid and easily replicated approach to restoring and improving degraded lands. It is based on the systematic regrowth of existing trees or self-sworn seeds. It is managed and practised by a pastoralist community who have no knowledge of farming or agricultural practices. And is done on deforested areas and on lands that don't have fertile soil, a land that is majorly colonised with sand soil. It focuses on how a simple act of thinning and pruning can release the untapped energy of underground roots. It has increased the supply of a range of products like fodder and firewood and also has improved the communities livelihood by adopting other sources of income.