Ellyanne Wanjiku Chlystun Githae: The Tree Girl of Africa

Ellyanne Wanjiku Chlystun Githae, a 13-year-old environmentalist from Nairobi, Kenya, is Africa’s Youngest Climate Change Ambassador and has been honoured as Kenya’s Youngest Mashujaa.

Ellyanne’s interest in environmental protection was sparked at a young age, having been nurtured in an area renowned for its varied ecosystems and natural beauty. At 4 years of age, in kindergarten, she did a project on ‘heroes’. That’s when she first found out about Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental activist and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Maathai’s impactful quote, “You cannot enslave a mind that knows itself, that values itself, that understands itself,” left an indelible mark on Ellyanne, shaping her understanding that the mind governs both body and mindset.

Ellyanne considers herself fortunate to have mentors who supported her in an unusual career path. Her mother motivated her to pursue environmental work even though she was not very knowledgeable about it.

Subscribe to The Teenager Today print / digital editions to read the full article.