David Bwakali
Encyclopedia
David Bwakali is a youth leader, environmentalist, journalist and entrepreneur from Kenya
.
He is the former national coordinator of the Africa Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC) in Kenya
and also served on the regional steering committee of AYICC. This all-[Africa] youth initiative was launched in Nairobi
, during the twelfth Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
. To provide further visibility for climate change
, he founded the Faces of Africa’s Climate and Environment (FACE). This is an initiative that equips young models and professionals to be the clear faces and articulate voices of Africa’s climate
and environment
. This initiative is now a programme under the Africa Creative Action.
He also served as the coordinator of the Kenya
Solargen (Solar generation) project. Solar Generation is made up of young people from all over the world taking action against climate change
and calling for a clean energy future. It was initiated by Greenpeace
in 2003. Kenya Solargen worked closely with the Inter-varsity environment Network (IVEN). He was the co-founder of IVEN in 2005.
David is also the co-founder of the Solid waste Action by Youth (SWAY), another regional initiative for unifying the efforts of African youth in solid waste management. Apart from working with youth at the grassroots, SWAY sought to ensure African youth representation and participation in the Basel Convention
and other global for a for solid waste management.
Between 2003 and 2006, David served as the Africa Regional Coordinator of the United Nations Environment Programme
’s Africa Environment Outlook for Youth Project. This project mobilized over 3,000 youth in 41 African countries to establish a regional environmental network and produce a publication by youth, for youth. He also worked as the editorial coordinator of UNEP's Handbook for Environmental Journalists. His work with UNEP spanned across three UNEP Divisions - the Division of Early Warning and Assessment, the Division of Policy Development and Law (now defunct) and the Division of Environmental Policy Implementation.
David has in the past been the president of Kenya Voluntary Development Association, one of the oldest NGOs in Kenya. This NGO has facilitated the voluntary service of hundreds of volunteers from across the world. He is currently chairing the advisory board of Somali Organisation of Community Development Activities, one of the biggest NGOs in Somali. He is also serving as Chairman of the Africa Youth Trust, a trust that spearheads Youth Led Development.
Community Radio Station.
He speaks Swahili, English, French, Spanish and Luhya, his native language.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
Sustainability Activism
Bwakali is the Founder and Captain of the Africa Creative Action, an organization that employs the full range of creativity in realizing sustainability.He is the former national coordinator of the Africa Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC) in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and also served on the regional steering committee of AYICC. This all-[Africa] youth initiative was launched in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, during the twelfth Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an international environmental treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to 14, 1992...
. To provide further visibility for climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, he founded the Faces of Africa’s Climate and Environment (FACE). This is an initiative that equips young models and professionals to be the clear faces and articulate voices of Africa’s climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
and environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
. This initiative is now a programme under the Africa Creative Action.
He also served as the coordinator of the Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
Solargen (Solar generation) project. Solar Generation is made up of young people from all over the world taking action against climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
and calling for a clean energy future. It was initiated by Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
in 2003. Kenya Solargen worked closely with the Inter-varsity environment Network (IVEN). He was the co-founder of IVEN in 2005.
David is also the co-founder of the Solid waste Action by Youth (SWAY), another regional initiative for unifying the efforts of African youth in solid waste management. Apart from working with youth at the grassroots, SWAY sought to ensure African youth representation and participation in the Basel Convention
Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, usually known simply as the Basel Convention, is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of...
and other global for a for solid waste management.
Between 2003 and 2006, David served as the Africa Regional Coordinator of the United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
’s Africa Environment Outlook for Youth Project. This project mobilized over 3,000 youth in 41 African countries to establish a regional environmental network and produce a publication by youth, for youth. He also worked as the editorial coordinator of UNEP's Handbook for Environmental Journalists. His work with UNEP spanned across three UNEP Divisions - the Division of Early Warning and Assessment, the Division of Policy Development and Law (now defunct) and the Division of Environmental Policy Implementation.
Youth and other social activism
David is also the national coordinator of the Million Youth Action (MIYA), an initiative that is unifying rural and urban youth in Kenya to take united, informed and decisive action towards a better country and continent. MIYA has already held several weekend forums in different parts of Kenya and brought together more than fifty youth organisations.David has in the past been the president of Kenya Voluntary Development Association, one of the oldest NGOs in Kenya. This NGO has facilitated the voluntary service of hundreds of volunteers from across the world. He is currently chairing the advisory board of Somali Organisation of Community Development Activities, one of the biggest NGOs in Somali. He is also serving as Chairman of the Africa Youth Trust, a trust that spearheads Youth Led Development.
Entrepreneurial work
As an entrepreneur, he is the founder and chairman of A-Soko (Swahili for market), Kenya’s answer to ebay. He is also the founder and chairman of Sasafrica Productions, a production house that seeks to employ diverse forms of art to unveil Africa. Through this venture, he has produced and directed several documentaries and short movies.Journalism
As a writer and journalist, he is the co-founder of Kenya’s chapter of the Independent Media Centre (Indymedia) and co-coordinator of the Maseno UniversityMaseno University
Maseno University is a university based in Maseno, near Kisumu, in Kenya and was founded in 1991. It is one of the seven public universities in Kenya. The University is located in Maseno Township along Kisumu-Busia road, some 25 km from Kisumu City and 400 km west of Nairobi. It has two campuses:...
Community Radio Station.
He speaks Swahili, English, French, Spanish and Luhya, his native language.
External links
- http://www.unep.org/dewa/africa/youth
- http://www.unep.org/training
- http://www.africayouthtrust.org
- http://www.sasafrika.com
- http://www.ayicc.org