Name

Oluwatoyosi Bakare

Location

Lagos, Nigeria

What was your ‘eureka’ moment for getting into sustainability?

My ‘Aha!’ moment came when I was taking a ride with my dad and we passed by an overflowing refuse dump with children playing around it. I thought to myself, this should not be their reality. That scenario made me start thinking of what I could do to make it better, I started equipping myself with the knowledge I needed to combat the situation. I took on different volunteering positions that revolved around leadership and environmental sustainability which helped harness the different skills I already have. What changed as a result of this was I created a non-profit organisation that brings together diverse communities to push sustainability action.

What have you been doing on sustainability since?

I initiated a non-profit organization known as ACTIONGX whose mission is to blend environmental sustainability into formal education and continuous learning for a well-rounded life. I run a number of projects here and one of it is tagged Act On the Go which allows people to love where they live by taking action on making their communities greener and healthier. The focus revolves around environmental challenges such as waste, energy efficiency and pollution. I currently work with an NGO called “The Community Girl Project” where the young ladies involved get to work on aspects of their environment they will like to change. This project enables the individuals involved to be leaders, while also providing them with life skills and the ability to think critically.

What’s your vision for reaching a sustainable future?

My vision for a sustainable future is where generation after generation love their environment enough to keep it healthy, a future that is clean. The greatest obstacle is the human response to its environment. It is in the way that we tend to overuse materials.

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