Nkosilathi Nyathi, a young Zimbabwean who dared to stand up and make a difference by presenting solutions and methods to combat the effects of climate change or Climate Crisis.
If we look back to our parents’ generation, or even further back to our grandparents’ generation, when technology and innovation were introduced, it was often a matter of joy because it was new and modern. We liked convenience. For example, plastics are now part of our lives. If we could eat them, we would have eaten them. Or have we actually eaten them?
Since elementary school, I have drawn countless pieces of art to campaign for global warming reduction. But that was just using paper to create more waste. Because after deciding whose work is the most beautiful, the reduction of global warming actually occurs only in the form of drawings. But do you know that while elementary school children in Thailand are drawing pictures to reduce global warming to win a prize of a bag of snacks, in another part of the world, there are countries that are being affected by global warming more severely than the picture we drew?
“This is my daily life.”
Picture a school child walking 5 kilometers under the scorching sun to get to school every day. There is not a single tree to provide shade, everything is empty, final exams are held outdoors in the scorching heat, and they are expected to do well. If they happen to get a dry throat during the day, it is no wonder they choose to endure until the end. Walking to the nearest water source means walking 4 hours to join a long queue for just a few drops.
“Climate change is making our lives harder.”
Nkosilathi Nyathi, a young boy from Zimbabwe, lives in a town called Victoria Falls, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. He lives in a very poor area like Chinotimba. The cruel story that the admin has told you above is nothing compared to the daily life of Nkosilathi. But he is not alone in his problems. There are millions of children across Africa and millions of children living in the same area as him who have the same problems.
“The injustice is that most of the climate change is caused by adults living in developed countries, but the impacts are felt by children living in developing countries.”
Nkosilathi says he has noticed the gradual change in climate, a problem that has had an impact on the economy and the lives of the people in the area. At certain times of the year, they are hit with torrential rains that show no sign of stopping. You would think that in a drought-stricken area, they would need water. But the rain, which should be a good thing, has been devastating to everyone in the area. It washes away the land that is used for agriculture and kills all their livestock.
But the horrors of the weather did not end there. When the severe rainstorms subsided and passed, they were faced with a drought that was almost like hell. Their aftermath was animals dying from dehydration, a lack of water for farming, and parched, cracked soil that could not be grown.
“I read the book with dread that day.”
In 2017, the local government in Nkosilathi’s town banned all children from school because Cyclone Dineo was making landfall in his region. He was reading a book that night. More depressing than the storm was the destruction it left behind. It destroyed more than 20,000 homes and displaced 130,000 people. Two years later, Cyclone Idai struck his country again, this time causing untold destruction. Many died, and survivors were severely affected. Homes and schools were destroyed by the storm. Many students lost their chance at an education. The question is, what did they do wrong? Why did they have to go through this?
“It’s not hard to be a kid, but it’s harder to survive childhood in a changing climate.”
Because of climate change, those who are doing it never ask why it happened? Where did they go wrong? And how can it be fixed? When those who are doing it never ask, those who are affected, such as children in this generation, become the ones who question it instead. Because they are facing something they did not cause, and the expectation is that they will be able to cope and solve these problems again. What did they do wrong? Why do they have to face this kind of thing?
“The opinions of young people who act without listening”
When there are discussions and brainstorming about climate change, the decision-makers often sit in the shoes of those who do not yet have a sufficient understanding of their impacts. And even adults are the only ones expressing their opinions. This generation of children, who are directly affected, some of whom have been affected since birth, are not being listened to, simply because their participation or listening is determined by their age.
“Climate change is a crisis for this generation of children.”
Imagine a child who has to walk through the rain to school because he cannot afford an umbrella, but he still expects to get through that difficult time. Children are being affected by this crisis head-on. The worst part of this misfortune is that the devastating effects often fall on those who did not do it. Children in developing or underdeveloped countries are suffering the consequences of something they did not do. Once again, we have to ask, what did they do wrong? Why are they being treated like this?
Conclusion
If you ask why climate change activism has suddenly become more visible, both in abstract and concrete terms, than ever before, it is because this generation of children is more concerned about the environment than their parents were. They are living with a changing climate that their parents did not.
No matter what generation you are or how old you are, please realize that every second you get to sleep soundly could be the night a child is reading a book in fear as a storm blows through her house, or the morning you are driving to work, listening to music in the car, comfortably. It could be the same moment a child is walking to school in the rain with soaking wet clothes and books.
It is time for us to take responsibility for what we have done because at the same time, many innocent people are suffering from the consequences of our actions. We can save our planet by taking responsible action, being aware of climate change, the violence it can cause and the suffering of our fellow human beings. At the very least, we should start taking action to save the future for our children and grandchildren.
“The cruelty comes when you think less about the future of the next generation. This generation is the one most affected by climate change, so they should have the most voice and light to fight it.”
Nkosilathi Nyathi: A next-generation solution to the climate crisis | TED
More information:
UNICEF appoints young Zimbabwean as Youth Climate Advocate
Nkosi Climate Change Journey to COP25
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