Crusader for Green
Ellyanne Wanjiku Chlystun is not just a name; it’s a movement, a revolution led by a 13-year-old visionary who has single-handedly demonstrated the colossal impact one young person can have on the world. At the tender age of 13, embodies a towering beacon of hope and change, commanding a presence that belies her years. Africa’s Youngest Climate Finance & Health Champion, Ellyanne has spearheaded the planting of over 1.3 million trees, a green crusade that has earned her Kenya’s prestigious Eco-Warrior Award, the distinction of being the Youngest Paul Harris Fellow, and a nomination for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2023. But Ellyanne’s ambition doesn’t stop at reforestation. She is a published author of three books and is currently penning her fourth, which delves into the potential of Artificial Intelligence and Technology to serve the greater good. This multifaceted approach to activism showcases her innovative spirit and her commitment to leveraging every tool at her disposal for planetary betterment.
Inspired by the monumental work of Wangari Maathai, Ellyanne’s journey into environmental activism began at an early age. “When I was four years old in kindergarten, we were doing a project on heroes, and that’s when I first found out about Wangari Maathai… I fell in love with the work she was doing,” Ellyanne recalls. It was this early encounter that ignited a lifelong passion for tree planting and environmental conservation, a passion that has since evolved into a global mission to combat climate change and its myriad effects on vulnerable populations, especially children.
In her role as a Zero Malaria Ambassador in 2023, Ellyanne has highlighted the critical intersections between climate change and health, particularly in the context of malaria, a disease that disproportionately affects the poorest and most vulnerable. Her collaboration with international icons like David Beckham in this endeavor underscores the universal appeal of her message and her ability to connect and communicate across diverse platforms and audiences.
Ellyanne’s influence reached new heights when she presented Emmanuel Macron with the New Global Financial Pact Children’s Declaration. This pivotal moment, coupled with her leadership in organizing the first Child-Led Global Children Climate Summit, signifies a groundbreaking shift in how children’s voices are integrated into the global discourse on climate action. Through her organization, Children With Nature (CWN), Ellyanne is not just advocating for change; she’s institutionalizing it, ensuring that children everywhere can connect with and protect the natural world around them.
Her advocacy is not confined to grand gestures and international platforms; it’s grounded in tangible, actionable initiatives like the ambitious project in the Sahel Desert. “I’m really excited about the new challenge that Children with Nature are taking on in the Sahel Desert… The target for the Green Wall reforestation project is to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land,” she explains. This initiative is a testament to Ellyanne’s pragmatic and forward-thinking approach to environmentalism, focusing on solutions that offer both ecological and economic benefits.
Ellyanne’s clarion call for adult participation in climate action is a poignant reminder of the shared responsibility we all bear in safeguarding our planet. “I feel like adults are not treating this as an emergency,” she observes, urging a collective response to what is undeniably a global crisis. Her relationship with her mother, her “Momager,” exemplifies the kind of supportive partnership that can amplify the efforts of young activists everywhere.
To those who seek to follow in her footsteps, Ellyanne offers wisdom beyond her years: “Make a start… Start with baby steps, doing whatever you can to make a difference.” This message, coupled with her relentless pursuit of government accountability and public land utilization for reforestation, resonates with a call to action that is both personal and political.
Ellyanne Wanjiku Chlystun is not just a child prodigy or an environmental crusader; she is a harbinger of hope and a catalyst for change. In her words and deeds, she exemplifies the adage, “Be the change you want to see,” inspiring a generation to rise, act, and transform the world for the better. As we gaze upon the vastness of challenges our planet faces, Ellyanne’s journey is a vivid reminder that change, significant and lasting change, can begin with the smallest of seeds, sown with conviction and nurtured with love and dedication. In her own words and through her actions, Ellyanne Wanjiku Chlystun is not just planting trees; she’s planting the seeds of a better, greener, and more equitable world for generations to come.
