Kenya’s 11-year-old climate champion wins top global award

Eleven-year-old Alice Wanjiru has put Kenya on the global radar after winning first place at the 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Awards for her countless efforts towards environmental conservation including cleaning Ruai Sewer Line in Nairobi.

Alice was the only Kenyan among 467 global entries to scoop the Young Eco-Hero Awards, a recognition for her exceptional work in leading clean-up exercises around her community, particularly around the sewer area, and educating youth and children in environmental protection. and promoting diversity.

Inspired by the late environmental icon Wangari Maathai, Alice has planted over 2,000 trees around the Ruai Sewer Treatment Plant, helping reduce air pollution and creating awareness among children and families in Nairobi’s Eastlands.

At the Action For Nature Awards ceremony in San Francisco, leaders praised Alice’s work “Alice is proof that the fight for our environment knows no age limits,” said Beryl Kay, President of Action For Nature. “Youth like her are showing us how to take action, dream big, and change the world.”

Nairobi River Commission Chair, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, applauded her as “a beacon of hope not just for our rivers, but for our children and the future of our climate. Her unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship inspires a generation and restores faith in what young people can achieve.”

Anthony Gitonga, International Commissioner of the Kenya Scouts Association, added: “Alice’s courage shows that young people are not waiting for the future, they’re shaping it now.”

Hosted annually by Action For Nature, the awards recognise youth aged 8–16 who are leading innovative solutions towards chocking global environmental problems. Since the launch of the award, they’ve celebrated over 360 young eco-leaders from 40 countries.

Alice Wanjiru’s environmental journey has entered an inspiring new chapter, she’s now setting her bar high on to the Guinness World Record by ambitiously aiming to plant 1.1 million trees.