 Welcome, welcome back to why in the morning and it meets Tuesday. It's entrepreneurship Tuesday. My name is Michelle Oshira. You can find me across all my social media handles. That is at Michelle Oshira. This particular session you dive into an interesting conversation when it comes to matters pertaining environmental conservation and also community service through Router Art Club. A student I'm joined with Lamec Opio is an environmental conservation champion, humanitarian, youth leader, changemaker and activist from Nairobi, Kenya. Hi Lamec. Good morning. Good morning to you. Thank you for having me. I don't know about the weather on your end and I just hope you're doing well. So for the first time, introduce yourself. Thank you so much. My name is Lamec. I'm a student at Kenyatta University. I do environmental science and community development. Other than that, as you've heard, through my introduction as well, I do a lot of things in regards to conservation, giving back to the community, mobilizing young people to make a difference in the community as well. And through this, I've been able to work with different people. But in regards to mostly Router Art and Rotary, it's something that I've built me over time. Since joining campus, I found something home away from home, whereby we have young people coming together to do something, go to the community, young people coming together to make a difference, which really encouraged me. And I'm here to stay as well and I'm here to maybe encourage like-minded individuals to join us. And also in regards to conservation, we've done a lot of activities and we still continue to do a lot of activities as it's a wake-up call for everyone here. And I'm happy to be here today. What are you posting back in school? I said I do environmental science and community development. So it's my profession and it's an interlinked. When did you join Router Art? So I joined Router Art in my second year in campus. I think second or first year that was back in around 2018- 2019. And I joined it out of curiosity because now I was interlinked by a friend of mine. So basically I told you I love community service. So there was these fine days we were having an event at the Nairobi National Park in regards to conservation. We were having a cleanup exercise then now within the cleanup exercise we have different groups of people coming together. We have different youths from maybe another campus and the same. So there's this lady I think she was from not I think she was from Multimedia University. She invited me for okay she told me okay the next day was on a Saturday. So on Saturday we are having an event at there's a certain children's homes children's home within Rungai. And we are doing at a party festival. Imagine you've been told you're doing to party festival and I'm always passionate about your parties. I know how well to cook it. Okay so I said okay I'm back to the challenge I think I can make time then come tomorrow. Then I exactly did that. So when I went there for the very first time I found different groups of people young people we have almost almost 100 of them and these were from Rotorak clubs. So we have Rotorak club of Langata we have Rotorak club of Mew, African Nazarene and all the same. So I was curious okay. So I was just invited I saw a poster somewhere something interesting. So okay so tell me more about this thing. Then she told me this Rotorak club young people having fun in service. So I asked how can I join. Initially I wanted to join the one for high for institution which is MMU but for me I was from KU. So she told me or I asked her am I in a position maybe to be to join to then she told me no you just have to join one. So after that she linked me up to the Rotorak club of Kenyatta University. Then some months later because on holiday I was able to officially join the club. Alright so for someone who is hearing us mention in Rotorak club Rotorak yeah. So tell us what is Rotorak Rotorak club all about and what do you guys do in this particular club. Thank you for that question. I told you okay so I'll touch a little bit on Rotary. So Rotorak is a program in Rotary for young people age around 18 to 35 years. So basically what we do it's international humanitarian based organization or movement of sorts and these young people as I said they first of all they are leaders. In Rotorak we believe that everyone is a leader regardless of where you're from, regardless of your religion, regardless of your status in the community. Second of all we believe that they are change makers. These people these are people who are able to go as an extra mile. We normally have a motor by there and our motor says service above sale which basically identifies service above sale. The unselfish volunteering action that we normally have on the same. So these people are people who are ready to volunteer without being paid anything. These are people who are able to go an extra mile to even though they don't have the much resources that you must say but the leadership that we have we try mobilize and do something good to the community. We try mobilize and make a difference wherever possible. So we do a lot of projects as well. Then mostly we focus mostly on the sustainable projects. Okay we do charities as well but we also focus on the sustainable projects like we can identify children some there's need for water or can we fundraise maybe buy them a tank. Are we able maybe also they have a structure that needs to be renovated. Are we able to mobilize the resources to do the same. And through Rotaract and Rotary we have different areas of focus and my best is supporting the environments because I'm an environmentalist and I was really happy when finally the theme for supporting environment was introduced into Rotary such that all over the world we are able to support environmental related activities, environmental related projects and it have already related initiatives which really makes me happy and makes me also go an extra mile and try to at least call out a wake-up call for everyone whether you in any of the fields whether you're engineering because normally we say that everyone is an environmentalist and I'll tell you why. The fact that you're able to breathe in oxygen that you all enjoy. The fact that you're able to get food all this comes from the environment and and it's just like most of us I think at times we seem to say that maybe environment there are certain people who are designated or some certain people who've been tasked to take care of it which is very wrong we shouldn't be that way it belongs to all of us and we all have a key role to play because all depend on it. So I've noticed something like when you're talking I told you no people don't know that we were talking behind the scenes we'll be like I told you so when it comes to also who is eligible to join Rotorac Club I know you talked about this also as well before we went on there probably for someone who's watching this conversation and they would love to be part of this particular club and they're wondering but I am not in your university but I would love to be part of Rotorac Club so who is eligible to be part of you guys. Okay so who is eligible first I say sorry so anyone is eligible provided you have the passion and you have the zeal to give up the community and it's based in we have several Rotorac Club within the communities and institution so if you're not in KU or if not in JQA to any other institution and you live in a certain area let's say for example Westland and you'd like to join you can join so this is how you can join I said maybe you can't be introduced for me maybe you can be introduced by someone so once you've been introduced by someone you're able to be invited you come and see how we do it maybe one or two events or activities okay after you've done with that and you're still interested then you you are taken through a training of which won't take long time then after that you're now officially inducted as a Rotorac. As simple as that. As simple as that. There is a membership fee of course which depends on the club like for us because your students normally pay 200 per year so 200 Bob Keters for your membership but now maybe for institution for community base I think 500 depending on that yeah but now if you have projects because we also do contributors times depending when we have a project or not but the other ways that we use they're like we try to mobilize sources from other ends as well if you able maybe to fundraise through car washing like just these with these small small things of raising money to getting an extra cash in that every time you have a project I don't call on someone to maybe contribute maybe you might not be having on the same so once we have like a club we have certain amount of money that we normally contribute as a little bit those that we are not a project and maybe some everyone not everyone is able to contribute we have something that we can take on to consider doing with the community service as well. Fantastic now let's get into into the whole aspect of the club like in terms of the programs that you guys often facilitate because I mentioned there is of course environmental conservation there's community service is there any other program which one the areas of focus the program yes the program that I okay the core the core one is community service that's the core I talked about leader sorry leadership is also one of them mentorship networking having fun and I think those are the main ones now okay the beat up the best part of it comes through the projects that we do now yeah that's where most people get involved now because we do a lot of outdoor activities the normal we also don't do just community service it's like it becomes a family to you like anytime I need something we're able to meet with plan we meet at someone's place we have fun together maybe on the weekend after the project so it's more of a family once you guys are together you guys have built on friendships it's not only that I'll need you when we need to do a project any time that there is need to do something we're able to convert to talk to talk with each other and be able to do more on the same apart from the just creating the family you need someone is watching this conversation they would like to understand what a couple of other benefits of being part of being a rotor act okay so so other benefits of being a rotor act are okay it really gives you an exposure to the outside world as well because I said you're able to meet different types of people and also I'll also emphasize on leadership bit by the most of us we are not good leaders more so in campus you join there we have parties we have several things that you think you're looking up towards to doing and it's really it's not really like the same as compared to just a normal university student as well then also the opportunities the networking opportunities I know people who've gotten jobs through rotor act people who've gotten endorsements through rotor act people have gone an extra mile to to be recognized as people who are doing good through just through the little thing that they're doing rotor act so it's full of I can't I can't over exhaust that the benefit they are quite many yeah but it really I think it's it's really some something good like a good place for anyone who'd like to join on the same because of the numerous benefits and it just makes you to be something outstanding a global citizen of thought tell me through the environmental conservation projects that you're working on right now okay so the environmental conservation projects I'm working on right now I'm really happy because Reince have now returned after a while I said okay I work with schools this is primary schools secondary schools and also universities then also community we have with our community CFS which are community forest associations in different parts of the country so we encourage the culture of tree planting and tree growing we are moving from that notion of just planting trees to going a step further to tend to these trees so that they grow into maturity so these restoration activities we do them like okay so this is the criteria that we use for instance if you're able to do it with school we are trying to encourage these eco school like we're encouraging the culture of conservation from my younger age like someone who is in class 2 class 3 and all that so we do it under a hashtag one child one tree or adopt a tree so let's say for instance if I go in a school let's say I have identified we're working with class 3s for those people who will be in school okay so basically the problem is the problem that normal comes in in regards to maybe spacing the location of the school do we consider that the school has availability of water in that when we plant trees not just planting but they will be taken care of does the school have a lot of space or does it that it doesn't have a space so that we can do tree planting on the same so when we have these children or we have these pupils they are always very very curious and the one thing that I really enjoy working with them they are always ready to learn keen on to details they ask questions and it really encourages me I see that okay we might we have a bright future in conservation as well so when we work with them we plant and grow trees so after planting we do the follow-ups on the same because now every child have planted a tree so he or she through there we sign like an MOU with the institution so today we are going to plant 200 seedlings we are going to plant 300 seedlings we'll be doing after every one month we see the progress on the same because it's an MOU we've signed so if in case there is something that comes of course maybe at some due to one reason or the other that we want to have the 100% percent survival rate but there is a certain percentage like 80 like at least 80% let it be successful on the same it also apart from that that in regard to restoration through tree planting and tree growing we also we also do programs for the youths in conservation yeah in conservation as well and the good thing why we've worked with several those from the informal settlements as well those maybe in slums in the same because they also doing some good job in the slums even though maybe the resources bit can be a problem to them but there are certain certain empowerment programs that we do with them for instance something like setting up a tree nursery it can be a source of income for them in regards to conservation but they also gaining something from them in regard to the riparian lands through the riparian areas like for instance you know Nairobi River have passed several have cut across several places within Nairobi several residential places within Nairobi so you find that we have a section of the river that passes through Madare a section that passes through Karyobangi and all that so within these designated places we have those grassroots organization that the local like youths coming together most of these youths the good thing is that once they get into this because you know mostly slums are related to matters drug abuse conflicts robbery and all the same so it acts also like a reality rehabilitation path for them like they able now to be more involved in something they find something they are more engaged youths by there when you bring them together and they see there is something that they able to learn and there's something also okay they also they urge to gain because now you also need to pay your bills so yeah so that's where we also also it's a gap that you also considering but because these people very talented we have graffiti we have different competitions as well we write for essays but they also forgot these also essays you write for there is also that competition whereby you find that if there is a child or someone who has been able to write a good essay or something he's awarded something then there are also projects that are done so this project maybe maybe for us as an individual I might not be able to maybe support him or her but you have all to interlink because it's a network when I see you have a good project here leadership development so maybe there is someone in need of something but you see at least this some he's very very trying he's have a very good project so how do we come in even though I'm not able to can I refer him or her to another person or to another person who or she can get help from so that's also the another aspect then I've also talked about communities as well we all we also encourage those dialogues we also encourage those conversations we do a lot of cleanup then okay for me the the the bold step that I normally what I like most is working with people I don't like working alone this is why we have several CBOs several organizations in the space of environmental conservation what if all of us come together yeah so that we do something big even though you're doing something small on your own but now if we come together imagine the impact that we can create on the same then you're also able to network I'm able to get ideas from you you're able to get ideas from me because you know once two or three people are together the way you see things is not the way I see things I see them in different perspective you see in the different perspective so we are able to harmonize we're able to mobilize resources and do the same that's in regard to also cleanups also I do activism activists I'm an activist for conservation stuff and also issues human rights so at times go to we go to the streets not to riot like a protest with violence no it's just like we organize for a walk as a march of sorts awareness like I think on Friday if you maybe you had we had this program called Fridays for Future whereby like young people young activists they're just trying to air in their views for okay you've had about COP26 all that you know most of the pledges are made there may or we are going to cut the mission by this year we are going to release funds for climate finance and all the same but most of the times you find these are always they say so but they don't do the action beach the action beat is not met so like we are trying to remind okay you are telling us you are making us too much of ambitious for nothing but at the end of the day we are going to talk about the very very same problem can you really act now are you able so we normally have certain placards with different formation about environment what we are demanding for and it's it's it's our it's our right I know environmental right is a human it's all a peaceful initiative a peaceful initiative and works of getting yeah yeah and works of getting awareness and the other day yeah with the other day you are from Raqqa to our after round Babadogo yeah yeah and people we had a massive turnout imagine an event planned in less than two days imagine if we have done it in a one week or something but people really turned out people really listen to us I we also do a lot of petitions as well because now there are some things that may be over us but through petitions and through maybe getting to the start away there is a way we are able to reach out to maybe the policymaker that's all something you're working on because there are some some things by there we can't even though we make noise about them but unless there is someone okay there is a policymaker as they make good policies and they implemented is when this one can be successful but we choose not to we choose not to be quiet about things that really matter to us we choose not we choose to like and that's why you guys do the work yeah yeah yeah you speak here what you're telling me Lamech is that also when you touch on something very important on the youth being engaged in this particular community service leadership and development there's an angle that you brought in quite very important that you can actually there's a creation of job in this particular space as well so uh from your experience and also interaction are there sustainable business that young people are running that which who actually rotor act rotor act or or any any any of the groups that we've worked with any of the groups that should work yeah yeah sure sure I talked about this then there's there's one that I really like it's a recycling project these young people are based in Kibra so you find that most of the times we collect this trash we collect this bottle and the same so these people really came up with a very very good idea whereby they are making a lot of good good things through the recycle bottles and they are gaining and they are able to sell them it's also like an exhibition for them whenever they have event they're able to get endorsements as well and there are there are also those who do a lot of uh uh okay there are those who've also engaged into farming like the this aspect I'm not sure if you've heard about it kitchen gardening like you find in an area like Nairobi we have a small small space oh yes and you just can do it on your backyard on your backyard and through this you're able to get something for yourself you're able to reach out to another person I think when COVID hit we were able to work with around seven children's homes within Nairobi setting up the kitchen gardens and two years later the project is still continuing the project is still continuing even though they might not get donors and all the time but at least they have vegetables they can able to to uh to feed on that but if also they are able to sell because it comes into surplus as well and uh for rotor actors because now we're also in the different spaces like uh someone might be in IT someone might be in a different field on the same but because of this network now you're able to be mentored on the same you're able to get someone from another field I'm interested in pursuing this so which is the direction should I take and also within rotor because I believe you're family because you're a family and uh not all of us may be better off as well you might find that as long as we're trying to give back there's one of us who maybe has a problem or something so how do we charity begins at home how do we come in through for him or her that's the first question we ask ourselves all right so allow me to take you back uh there's something you you mentioned that you work with students also different schools yeah and I would like to understand when you're working with the young kids because you're building up a mental muscles whereby now you're creating the aspect of giving back to the society and this is these are young kids yeah uh what is when you're looking looking back with working with these young people signing MOU as well uh what excites you what makes you happy through that process uh what makes me happy first of all the curiosity of the kids are really amazing these people are ready ready to learn and by there when you go okay we also we've also have conflicts within them like for instance you've said we are going to plant 100 trees you find a school has a population of around 900 people 900 pupils so what about the 800 others yeah they also want to do the same but now because of the different reasons you're not able to do the 900 first of all the issue of space the issue of water and all the same so what makes me uh and keeps me going is that curiosity of the kids and they're always ready to learn and also for the support by the there's some school that you'll go and uh are request for the same but you told no sorry it's a good idea but for us here is a no they have their own reasons and you can't force but given that the school has given you that opportunity and you're able to sign an MOU my the best thing that I really look up to is the the the the now this the final results or the progress once I've done something and I'm seeing there is a progress it keeps me going it's it makes me see myself like okay I'm doing something that is really impactful and also it also encourages as young as long as these kids are very young it also opens then their mentality okay so there's something I can do apart from just studies there's something I can do maybe even back at home we also encourage them okay not even that we're planting only in schools but try at home don't don't overthrow your little way we have okay we also at sometimes you also set up the beans as well if you're able to for just for the good connection go green initiative everything green that we are able to do as that now yeah not all but anything that we're able to according to our capacity it's a go green and it's the eco schooling program yeah so what a couple of challenges that you're facing when it comes to environmental conservation okay so first we have diff several of them there's so many I know so so many first of all as I said resources yes I'm not working I'm a student maybe I'm not I don't have a stable source of income and I want to do the project that's a very key issue so how do you even finance the whole movement and the projects as well okay first of all I told you okay we took a lie yes we are okay the first thing I told you is that we come okay it's a network for those people in the space and when we have networks we are able to do more so most of the times by there a lot of what we do is involuntary basis sometimes we ask our members to contribute but if it's a it's a again okay it's it's above us we're able now to maybe mobilize other people but some people have really been kind enough to us in regard to conservation bit some people really like KFS donate seedlings at times seedlings is really important when you have meteor lions and I have one of the person whom I look up to in regards conservation who introduced me is someone called Michael Wajaki is from meteor lions he really does some good job he has a tree nursery he encourages the culture of conservation as well so it's it's bit of a challenge in regards resources and also maybe there are times you approach partners maybe those who who you might have thought they will have been able to help you but in one way or the other they're not able to do so you are able you are you become so much like you are ambitious that you will help but they disappoint you so you find a way on which you can do that but uh personally to say we don't have like this the person that we are actually looking up to in regards to the resource that you need for conservation it it it it entails writing proposals it entails coming together but most of the times we we just try as the little that we have even if it's it means contributing hundred hundred for us maybe forget about the refreshments away together for maybe for the activities of the day that we're able to do that so first of all is in regard to resources the second one is the the culture that I told you the the mindset of the people the people's mindset of that okay why should I do this is really my role to do the conservation bit are they are not uh what is the work of Neema what is the work of KFS why am I entering into their job why why are they going to pay me so these mindset have been really something yeah refusing to be very responsible you are trying as much as you are able to but you people are really discouraging you like for instance if you're doing a cleanup people may end up calling you uh to attack on me like okay for you you know you are not that way you are trying to do something but for other person you may not might not see it the same so there's aspect of mind the mindset and uh also by they working with young people young people don't consider issue the environment to be fashionable they look it at like that's something old age uh conservation why should I even do that uh I plant trees why why should I bother on the same that's also another challenge another one uh another challenge in regards to that is also that uh as I said there's something that are above us the policy like there's something that needs to be policy makers the lawmakers they need to pass these agreements so that it can it can ease in our work so that not every time we'll be going on the streets to uh to talk about these not every time we'll be going on the streets to our views but they're able to also harmonize us on the same so that's also another another challenge you're facing and also uh the support itself by the we don't get a lot of support at times from the government I say the government have really tried its bit by the uh with the issue of uh 10 10 percent forest cover which is really really a good initiative and we have several success stories but we are still not yet there yeah we need the support from them we need the support from the corporates we need the support from everyone so that we can harmonize everything and we're able to do more so they are quite a number of challenges but those are the main ones that we are facing us at now but actually we are not giving up soon we are still continuing to do it the same until we reach there we are the hope is not yet lost and we believe that one day everything will be okay my worry is for the next generation for me I'm enjoying all these benefits what about them yeah yeah there's a there's this joke that says maybe some few years to come the only uh lion or the only okay the kids or our great great grandchildren will only see them on books but for us we've enjoyed seeing them there are we using the the resources we have right now sustainably giving in mind that 10 years from now there's someone who'll be here will he or she enjoy the same benefits so that's that's my main worry like we're doing it for ourselves yeah and also for the next generation and that explains why environmental conservation why conservation yeah why conservation to that extent yeah so for someone as you wind up for someone who's watching this conversation and they would like to partner with Lamac or even get to work with you and be part of Rotterdam club how can they reach out to you thank you so I'm quite vocal on social media not that much but uh on all my social media platforms you can find me at Lamac Lamac if you go on my wall it's matters conservation I think most of you are in most I've met a lot of people through that because they are inspired by the work that I do so kindly feel free to reach out to to me you can get in touch together my contact details are there they also are a link that you can when when you click on it you're able to get in touch directly with me so each and every one out there okay this I have a message but before that maybe you can you can allow me to say something okay so fortunately or through good luck I got to be nominated as a climate change voice of the year award it's a worldwide recognition oh congratulations thank you and it's on we naturally so this is like a platform for people who are doing who are making a difference in regards conservation so I was I got an opportunity to be nominated I think we have like two or three more Kenyans over there we have other people from different parts of the world we have Uganda we have uh India and all that Asia and all the same so basically it's an award that recognizes someone who is making a difference in the community regards conservation he's trying to air his views he's trying to reach out to the people so you guys can also vote for me you can vote for me the voting only takes at least maximum two minutes yeah yeah sure sure sure so what is the voting process how do you go about it so the voting process takes it's this way uh huh there's a link sorry there's a link or you just visit we naturalists it's it's an app it's an app you can install but it's not a must we naturalists we it's a one word we naturalist got it just like it's it's a it's a platform for people who are passionate about environment and they're doing something again so once you get into the app you'll be you'll be expected maybe to have an account of course you can sign in then you send you've been you're sent a verification on your email so once you click on it then there's a direct link that I normally share that now goes directly towards voting to me so once there's another way you can do it there's a link you can share yeah I just hear the link then you go vote directly so can we get it on your social media yes yes sure sure sure you'll get my I I'll attach it to my bio on instagram and also the other ones yeah but so far I've shared it in most of the platforms okay yeah sure sure so I'll really appreciate you guys if you support me on the same we're able to bring this home we're able to more impactful projects and I'm looking forward to partnering with anyone from any part of the country hopefully to because I said I can't do it alone you can do it all together when we come together we're able to do more we're able to make a difference and it's my responsibility your responsibility and all of us we have the address must be to conserve the environment we have that responsibility to look to to take care of our neighbors to reach out a hand of help wherever need be if you're able to and you also have you have the opportunity to be part of Rotor Act and Rotary become part of the the great leaders who are making moves in this community as well okay you're most welcome yes yes yes what would you what would it mean for you to win this award so first of all I think it's cash award is it's $1,000 which I think when we work with hundreds it's about a hundred thousand but yeah a hundred thousand so most of the projects by there I do I don't have any source of funding so I'm looking forward to scaling up what we do and also maybe it's something something sustainable not just for anyone also for myself as well but but okay the main idea behind this award is for me I'm based on impact impact as well I want to I want to scale up the conversation about conservation as well I want to continue doing a lot of restoration activities a lot of environmental conservation activities so it would really mean a lot to me and it would really mean not to me but my group the people who I work with we're able now to one way or the other we're able now to have something that we can look up to look up to and also work to work work with it yeah work with it sustainably and scale up a lot of our activities on the same as well there you have it you have our votes thank you so much also our viewers have had you and definitely they're going to equally vote for you you see you link it to your bio yeah link it to my bio then yeah you guys can vote for me on instagram again okay all social media platform Lamek Lamak Lamek Lamak one word yeah there you have it Lamek Lamak on instagram facebook twitter linkedin everywhere the hummingbird the hummingbird it's a story by there we'll share another day the story of the hummingbird that one of the story that keeps me going it keeps me going because um it reminds me that I have I can make a difference no matter how little it might seem but collectively when we partner with other people we're able to make it yes the story that Wangari Madae talked about yeah where there's okay let me share a little bit about it so it's it's yeah real quick so there's this forest that is on fire and now because there's fire we have different animals you have different wildlife giraffes sorry giraffes you have the antelopes and all that they are running for safety there is this little hummingbird that says no I'm not going to see these forest rain into fire I'm going to do something so it rushes the next stream drop of water drop of water drop of water as fast as it can but now the lion has come it's what are you what are you trying to do do you think that the the drop of water will try to put on off the fire but the hummingbird says I'm doing the best I can I'm doing the best I can imagine if the rest of the other and the other wildlife would have joined it in doing the same the impact the same thing with us as humans if you know all of us do our part if you do your your your your bit wherever you are I do my bit collectively yes it makes a huge difference there you have it the hummingbird story thank you very much Lamek Opio for creating time to be with us and talking about the importance of environmental conservation and also the Rotara Club as a whole we appreciate you and we wish you all the best when it comes to the winning award you have our votes thank you so much thank you so much guys and thank you so much for having me and we should normalize the gospel of conservation so there you have it so much yes so guys back at home make sure you keep the conversation going at y254 channel but michelle she writes where you can find me across all my social be right back with so much by your own entrepreneurship today