The SA Climate Change Champions project will run a series of profiles recognising deserving individuals from all walks of life. These includes, but not limited to, individuals who run projects in their communities, school pupils involved in climate change clubs, educators who are developing and imparting knowledge, trainers, CBOs, government official and any other relevant change agents. Climate Change Champions must play an active role in tackling the dual tasks of mitigating the effects of climate change and transitioning to a renewable energy future.
Name: Naydine Paul
Organisation: Trailblazer Foundation SA
Location: Vredenburg
Q: What attracted you to the climate change conversation?
A: “I have been attracted to the conversation of climate change from my adolescent years as I saw what global warming was doing to our planet. Some of the things that concerned me the most was the impact it already had on animal life. I then began to question what our behaviour meant for us as humans beings.”
Q: How do you see climate change affecting your community?
A: “It brings down the moral in my community as many people feel powerless against this great threat called global warming. It causes job losses, food scarcity, economic struggles and health issues. Climate change literacy affects my community in a positive way because it is making people more conscious of how their habits can help delay the effects of this epidemic. It is also forcing us to start our own home gardens, adopt saving habits (saving water, electricity, food, etc.) and it is making us come up with innovative solutions to generate money using eco-friendliy methods, e.g. recycling and reselling.”
Q: How do you see renewable energy solving this challenge?
A: “Realistically, in my community there has not been enough impact by renewables, but I hope this will come to our community to judge for ourselves. As climate change is a result of years of negligence and poor management, however, it will minimize the negative impact global warming has on our environment, our finances, our bodies and our mental health, which will produce hope in the people and give us time to start implementing other eco methods of energy production and break down the systems which is keeping us locked up in this global warming epidemic.”
Q: What are you involved in to help address climate change challenges in your community?
A: “I run a youth organization that focuses on training and development to produce a generation of conscious young people to be active citizens, and be responsible in their personal lives. They are valuable to society and they are needed to rebuild our community with the help of our elders. We aspire to live an eco-healthy lifestyle. It is only when the mind is transformed that we can live a liberated and responsible life. Through our actions we want to inspire everyone in our community and beyond to consciously and think of the generation to come after us.”
Q: What would you say inspires others to become #SAClimateChamps?
A: “A family to belong to that shares your values and supports you to become an agent of change for your community and the world. Career possibilities that are available for SAClimateChamps, and realizing you can get rewarded for doing good. It is not just life changing but it opens doors for others to become SAClimateChamps as well.”
Nominations for the #SAClimateChangeChamps are accepted. Nominate a champ of your choice by clicking here.
Please see below the nomination process:
- Submit the nomination (individual nomination is acceptable)
- Nomination is reviewed
- Notify nominee of the decision
- Profile nominee
- Publish profile
- Climate change champ rating badge awarded
To become a Climate Change Champ, click here. To nominate a Climate Change Champ, click here.
GreenCape, leading the delivery of the SA Climate Change Champs, will be visiting several communities around the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape, to host such workshops. This initiative is funded by the European Union and implemented by GreenCape in partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
