World Environment Day: My Local Environmental Champions

by Aurore Teta Ufitiwabo

Rwanda is known around the world for its clean streets and environmental policies. But behind this green reputation are ordinary people making extraordinary contributions. On this World Environment Day, we shine a light on some of them who remind us that real change often begins with small, consistent acts.

In the early hours of the morning, before most of Kigali awakens, 45-year-old Laurance Yankurije is already at work. For the past four years, she has swept the city’s streets as part of a cleaning company contracted by the City of Kigali.

Her job is physically demanding, but for Yankurije, it is a labour of love.

“I feel like I’m cleaning my own home. Keeping the streets clean is not just a job it’s my way of saving the planet,” she says with quiet pride.

Yankurije believes that caring for the environment does not require a science degree or a government post. “Even young people can get involved in simple ways, like recycling plastics. The environment is life,” she adds.

Her story is a powerful reminder that climate action can come from anyone, no matter their background or profession.

While Yankurije represents the power of grassroots action, Concorde Kubwimana, founder of the Save Environment Initiative, embodies the energy of youth-led innovation. His organisation, born during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, brings together students and local communities to take on pressing environmental challenges through tree planting, awareness campaigns, and even research on plastic pollution.

“We started with just a few members who pooled their savings to create a fruit tree nursery on a small plot of land,” he recalls. “The idea came from how hard it was to find fruits during lockdown.”

That humble beginning has since blossomed into a nationwide movement. The NGO has planted over 80,000 trees across schools, roadsides, and community lands in various districts. The focus is on indigenous and fruit trees, addressing not just environmental degradation but also nutrition gaps.

To make the impact last, the organisation trains school environmental clubs to care for the trees. “We even encourage students to name the trees they plant,” Kubwimana smiles. “For us, it’s not just about greening the land it’s about transforming mindsets.”

Their work also extends into tech and policy. In partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the organisation helped gather data on plastic waste in Kigali and nearby towns. That data informed the development of a plastic waste management app and even inspired local businesses to replace plastic packaging with gas bottles.

More than 20,000 people, students, farmers, and everyday citizens have directly benefited from the NGO’s projects. With a goal of planting 3 million trees by 2030, Kubwimana and his team are working with district authorities to identify the areas that need it most.

“Our message to young people is simple,” he says. “Start now. Do not wait to graduate or get a big title. The environment needs you today.”

Another rising voice in Rwanda’s conservation space is Elisa Tumwesigye, founder of Social Actions for Environment and Biodiversity Conservation (SAEB). His organisation mobilises and trains both young people and farmers to embrace environmental protection, tackle climate change, and restore landscapes through agroforestry, forestry, and wildlife conservation.

“Initially, I began by working with young people empowering them to understand what the environment means, why it matters, and what role they can play in protecting it,” Tumwesigye explains. “We also train them to adapt to green career paths, while supporting farmers in adopting sustainable practices like agroforestry.”

Now pursuing a Master’s degree in Agroforestry and Food Security in the UK on a Commonwealth scholarship, Tumwesigye remains closely involved in regional conservation efforts. SAEB has even worked in the Central African Republic, helping former poachers transition into sustainable livelihoods.

One of the group’s notable projects involved working with government agencies to replace fuel-powered irrigation systems with solar-powered alternatives, significantly reducing emissions. SAEB also trains farmers in climate-smart agriculture, helping communities build resilience in the face of unpredictable weather patterns.

Tumwesigye says his passion for protecting the planet began early, rooted in what he learned at university and what he saw in communities struggling with droughts, floods, and other climate shocks.

“To me, the most powerful thing young people can do is commit themselves to protecting the planet,” he says.

Whether it is Yankurije with her broom, Kubwimana, or Tumwesigye with his training workshops, these local champions prove that everyone has a role to play in caring for the Earth.

This World Environment Day, the world celebrates not just its natural beauty, but the people behind it, the people turning ordinary moments into lasting impact.