Photos courtesy of Victor Kimathi, thank you for capturing the day! 

In line with our commitment to protecting participants' privacy, some images have been intentionally blurred to safeguard individual identities 

The Nairobi youth unified on Saturday, March 29th, to carry out three core intentions: walk, speak, and plant the seeds of climate action. 

The theme was "Mobilizing Youth for Climate Action and Policy Advocacy. " Young people, including university students and environmental advocates, gathered at the University of Nairobi, Chiromo Campus, to march for a better and more sustainable future. The Eco Advocacy Society organized the Step Up for Climate Action Walk in partnership with the Chiromo Environmental Awareness Club (CEAC), Urban Better, Malizingira, and Streetwise Global. The African Environmental Youth Advisory (AEYA) also participated in the event, as the proposed formal partnership agreement was not finalized. 

Under the theme "Mobilizing Youth for Climate Action and Policy Advocacy," the event brought together young people — including university students and environmental advocates — at the University of Nairobi, Chiromo Campus, to march in support of a more sustainable and equitable future.

As we set off towards the key location of the walk, Klabu, our group echoed the words "Cut Carbon! Curb Waste! Champion Change!" 

Klabu is always busy with food vendors serving thousands of students daily. It has also become a hotspot for plastic pollution. This stop was no coincidence—it was a statement. Along the route, we sang patriotic songs like "Kenya Kipenzi Chetu," waved banners, and handed out flyers to curious onlookers.

We then turned back and passed by the Serena Hotel, a symbol of diplomacy and policy in Nairobi. The traffic slowed, and people looked on as we marched—escorted by police—down Uhuru Highway, one of Nairobi's busiest roads. Some drivers honked in support; others rolled down their windows to take flyers. A few bystanders clapped, and some even joined in.

Back at the Chiromo Campus, our final task was a restorative project. The Eco-advocacy group gathered to plant 35 trees. We sourced these seedlings from the Nairobi Department of Biology Tree Nursery. They gave us four Indigenous species: Croton megalocarpus, Markhamia lutea, Milletia dura, and Olea Capenis. The patron of the Eco-Advocacy Society, Professor Samuel Kiboi, led a demo on sustainable tree planting and reusing plastic bags to model circular environmental practices.

For the Eco-Advocacy Society, hosting the Climate Action Walk was a necessary wake-up call. We live in a critical era in which the consequences of decisions made by past generations, particularly during the Industrial Revolution, manifest in devastating ways. Forests cleared for industrial expansion released enormous amounts of carbon dioxide, and today, we are paying the price through rising global temperatures, severe droughts, and alarming sea level rise.

Kenya has been severely impacted by the effects of extreme weather. The 2022 drought was the worst in 40 years, serving as a reminder that climate change is not a distant threat; it is here with us. If we continue business as usual, we are heading straight to disaster. We chose to walk and raise our voices to bring the conversation to the people who matter the most: the grassroots. They are the most significant stakeholders in this fight. Equipping them with information is arming them with the most powerful tool in this battle—awareness. Our intention with the Climate Action Walk was to bring this reality to the public in a relatable, tangible way. We aim to highlight the dangers of climate change and the actionable steps we can take to adapt, particularly as people from the Global South, where adaptation is our most immediate responsibility. We needed to show that climate action doesn't belong only in conference rooms or elite boardrooms—it begins with us, in our communities, through the choices we make every day.

Reflections 

"As an environmental society from the University of Nairobi, planning the walk was a learning curve for our team, especially coordinating with multiple stakeholders. Our teamwork was strengthened through the challenging process of coordinating with law enforcement as we learned the official protocols for organizing a public awareness campaign. The feedback at the end was overwhelmingly positive. Many people we marched alongside were energized, united, and ready to do more. We were happy to contribute to real change, community awareness, and the birth of new environmental leaders." Eco-Advocacy Society Team.

"We have no choice but to heed Mother Nature's urgent call for climate action."

— Rosemary Wambui, Vice Chairperson, Eco Advocacy Society

"It was encouraging to see how people reacted—bystanders, pedestrians, even drivers. Many of them were curious about what we were doing and happily took our pamphlets. Some even decided to walk with us!"

— Samuel Kang'ethe, Publicity Manager, Eco Advocacy Society

This was surely the beginning of something much bigger. They plan to continue engaging communities through sustainability workshops, climate storytelling, urban greening projects, and school outreach because the climate emergency demands consistent, collective effort.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all organizations and people who made the Step Up for Climate Action Walk a success, Chiromo Environmental Awareness Club (CEAC), Urban Better, Malizingira, Streetwise Global, Eco-advocacy Society and Nairobi Law Enforcement. Your energy and shared vision were instrumental in turning this walk into a powerful movement of awareness and hope. It is possible to unite passionate minds for our planet.

Because the planet can't wait—and neither can we.

#StepUpForClimateAction