, ,

Between Nature & Rights: The Journey of an Environmental Defender

, ,

Between Nature & Rights: The Journey of an Environmental Defender

by Chipasha Keran

Chipasha Keran is a 28-year-old Zambian youth leader, born in Bwembya village, Kasama District, Northern Province. His father is a former soldier, and his mother is a farmer. He is the sixth-born child from a family of 8, comprising 6 ladies and 2 gentlemen. 

During his school journey, Keran was described as a brilliant boy, but he could not proceed to tertiary education due to the financial challenges his family faced. Unable to fund his course of choice, Project Management, he moved away to Isoka to stay with his elder sister in 2015, later venturing into growing vegetables. The next year, Keran joined the local authority of Isoka as a revenue collector. After working for 2 years, he was eventually given a promotion to work in the departments mandated to oversee the sustainable use of land, sensitising communities on land management and natural resource protection. It was through this experience, where he witnessed rampant deforestation, that he started desiring to be an environmentalist to engage youths in environmental conservation and protection, as well as the restoration of the degraded ecosystems. 

In 2019, he left the council and returned to his hometown to begin this work. By 2020, he had mobilized 6 youths and started an environmental education group in Kasama, specifically Musa village. This proceeded well, and even though it came with financial demands, he managed as he had his benefits from his work with the council. Later in 2021, he started drafting the constitution of a formal non-profit organization with a vision to bring new change, which he called Musa Community Development and Sustainability (MCDS). He derived the name from his village so that it could serve as an example in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation activities through youth involvement.

Keran's work over the years sensitising youth on the environment

By mid-2021, the organization was formally registered and focused on sensitization around the effects of deforestation as a cause of climate change that affects all sectors as a cross-cutting issue. Later in 2022, Chipasha initiated a project called “My Land My Right”, aimed at defending and protecting land owned by individuals and families from massive destruction in the name of development.  The project ran for one year, and it was successfully implemented at zero cost. It involved 100 people who defended their lands from government officials. In that same year, MCDS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Action For Nature, an environmental organization based in Muchinga Province, and through which a new door was opened in Keran’s journey.

In April 2023, Keran was successfully nominated to attend an environmental justice school in South Africa for 2 months. The opportunity aimed at nurturing and transforming youths with a passion for climate change and the environment into bold activists. After attending the school, he became a certified environmentalist in ACTIVISM-BUILDING RESISTANCE.

When Keran returned home, he became a very fearless and loud activist, leading his organization and its 15 members with boldness. Later in August, Keran launched a project called Kasama Plastic Pollution Free Campaign, aimed at combating plastic pollution, planting more trees in schools and amplifying the youth voice in the environmental justice movement. The project also included sensitization activities, awareness raising, and radio programs. To date, it is still ongoing and it has positively impacted 20 women who depend on picking up plastic waste and selling it to recyclers as a source of income. The next steps include having an extruder machine and establishing a mini recycling centre to promote value addition and the economic transformation of more lives.

KASAMA PLASTIC POLLUTION FREE CAMPAIGN with the mayor and the town clerk for Kasama City.

Local road destroyed by heavy rain.

Local road destroyed by heavy rain.

In September 2023, Zambia was declared a hunger disaster nation due to climate-induced droughts that affected 84 districts. For this reason, MCDS took an interest in knowing why people fail to adapt to climate change. Keran applied to join the Global Network for Disaster Reduction and was successfully voted as a National Focal Point for Zambia alongside Olivia Lwanga. Due to his dedication, he was also elected as a member of the Council of NGOs in Zambia’s Northern Province.

The following year, MCDS launched the YOUTH4GREEN PROJECT, with the goal of creating a clean, safe and friendly environment for improved productivity and enhanced climate education among affected communities, promoting green entrepreneurship and creating more jobs for the youths. It also involves scaling the initial tree nursery to 150,000 seedlings planted and providing a platform for the youths to amplify their voices on matters affecting them.

Opening seeds of “Pterocarpus Angolensis”, an endangered tree species native to Southern Africa that is good for timber.

In November 2024, Keran went to Oaxaca in Mexico to participate in the ANTI-COP conference alongside various activists from around the world who protested against the United Nations’ COP process, given the non-fruition of the agreed targets since the passing of the Paris Agreement, as well as the murders of more than 1000 environmental activists around the world.

Keran bringing the "Pay Up" global campaign for climate finance to Zambian youth.

So far, Keran’s climate journey has been a true dedication to environmental protection, conservation and restoration. Lately, he has been facing threats from illegal timber dealers who are illegally cutting the endangered and protected MUKULA tree, as he has been conducting patrols with the forestry department to ensure the protected species are not cut. Regardless of the threats and difficulties faced, Keran remains committed to defending nature and community rights.

Keran’s intergenerational community engagement work.

About

CHIPASHA Keran is an environmental and human rights defender from Zambia, born in Bwembya village of Kasama District in Northern Province. His journey began upon joining Isoka Town Council’s works department, mandated to oversee the sustainable use of land, sensitisation on land management and natural resource protection.

Due to witnessing rampant deforestation, he decided to be an environmentalist to engage youths in environmental conservation, protection, and restoring the degraded ecosystems. In 2020, he mobilised a group of 6 youths and started environmental charity education among the youths, children and co-operatives in Kasama, specifically Musa village. In January 2021, he started drafting the constitution of a non-profit organisation with a vision to bring about new change . Named “Musa Community Development and Sustainability Organization” [MCDS], he derived its name from his village so that it could lead as an example in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation through youth involvement.

All data we collect is to support our programming and bound to our Privacy Policy. We will never sell your data.