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Kenyan climate activist wins Finland award for work in schools
Patricia Mumbua Kombo received her diploma on February 29 2024 at the Finnish embassy.
What you need to know:
- Patricia Mumbua Kombo received her diploma on February 29 2024 from the Finnish minister for Climate and the Environment, Kai Mykkänen.
- Ms Kombo, 27, is the brains behind the PaTree Initiative which works with school children who have so far planted over 50,000 trees.
A Kenyan climate activist has been awarded a Climate Honours diploma by the government of Finland for her work in combating climate change effects.
Patricia Mumbua Kombo received her diploma on February 29 2024 from the Finnish minister for Climate and the Environment, Kai Mykkänen during a reception at the Finnish ambassador’s residence in Nairobi. Each Finnish embassy across the world will give awards to outstanding individuals and organisations.
Patricia Kombo with Ambassador of Finland Mr Pirkka Tapiola when she feted for her work in climate change.
Ms Kombo, 27, is the brains behind the PaTree Initiative which works with school children who have so far planted over 50,000 trees, as a way of mitigating climate change. The initiative has incorporated 20 schools in Makueni County and hopes to enlist more nationally.
“I know education is essential for communities to make informed decisions to solve complex problems, and that’s why I have dedicated my energy to promoting environmental and climate literacy. I want to raise a generation of climate-conscious citizens. A generation that understands that they have a right to a liveable planet and a responsibility to make it liveable,” said Ms Kombo.
Climate activist Patricia Kombo with Finnish minister for Climate and the Environment, Kai Mykkänen during a reception at the Finnish ambassador’s residence in Nairobi.
PaTree has been in operation since 2019 and helps learners establish school farms, tree nurseries and climate literacy. In 2020, Ms Kombo was among 11 awardees of the UNCCD Land Heroes campaign by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
“I dedicate this honour to young people across the world. May it always remind them that they deserve to have climate information. The joy of environmental protection is discovering that climate change is a solvable problem if we act,” she said.
Ms Kombo is currently an environment Masters student at the University of Nairobi. Her thesis is on communicating climate change vulnerabilities among children. She is a communications graduate from Moi University and works at the Media Council of Kenya.
“Young people have shown strong ownership in the climate agenda. Their tireless efforts should be recognised and inspire decision-making in global platforms, such as UNEA-6. We must ensure that current and future generations can enjoy their right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment,” said Mr Mykkänen.
He is in the country leading the Finnish delegation to attend the United Nations Environment Assembly (Unea 6) that ended on Friday at the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi.
