From the rural community of Zhombe to international climate discussions in Addis Ababa, 22 year old Nonhlanhla Makosi has risen to become one of Zimbabwe’s promising young voices in the fight against climate change.
A Level 2.1 Public Management and Governance student, Nonhlanhla developed an interest in environmental conservation at a young age.
Her passion for climate change was ignited in her community, where she witnessed the effects of erratic rainfall patterns and land degradation on local farmers.
After completing Climate-Smart Agriculture training with the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) in 2024, she began volunteering to help farmers in her ward improve crop yields through sustainable practices.
“My journey started as a Community Agriculture Guide in my ward, but to create real change, I knew I needed deeper knowledge and when I joined the university, I didn’t stop,” she said.
She continued to build her capacity through various online learning platforms.
“I used the MSU Wi-Fi for online courses on Climate Change, and now I have five certificates from different organisations which I managed to acquire online,” she said.
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Through determination and hard work, Nonhlanhla balanced her academic studies with virtual learning, allowing her to attend four international summits that offered opportunities for networking, growth and engagement with young people from across the world.
Her commitment to environmental issues earned her a place at the Africa Youth Climate Assembly, where she represented both the university and CAMFED. She later participated in a two-week Climate Justice training programme at Addis Ababa University.
During the programme, she interacted with other youth leaders from across Africa and the diaspora, discussing policy and developing strategies to promote climate justice.
“Attending these summits gave me exposure and connections with brilliant minds who share the same passion,” she said.
Back home, she implemented what she had learned by mobilising her community and a local secondary school to take part in a tree-planting initiative.
“One of the most achievements I made in my community was the plantation of 600 trees together with secondary students, making them to understand the importance of conserving environment,” she said.
She encouraged other young people to use every opportunity available to them to make a difference in their communities.
“I encourage every student to grab opportunities outside their programmes. You can still make an impact while you are a student,” she said.
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