Guardians of Planet Earth launch

This summer, I spent two weeks in East Africa investigating stories about environmental regeneration. I spent time with the Maasai in Kenya, a grassroots organisation regenerating a refugee camp in Uganda, and a group of people with disabilities creating incredible permaculture gardens in West Uganda, right near the Congo border - we got so close that my phone sent me a text welcoming me to the Democratic Republic.

​But first, I'd like to tell you about my time with African Biodiversity Network (ABN) in Kenya. I parted ways with the colleague I'd travelled with in Uganda, and went off to Tharaka in Kenya along with Simon from ABN, so that he could introduce me to some of the Indigenous Communities helping ABN find solutions to problems across Africa. 

The lady in the photo above is called Sabella, and she's an Indigenous Elder in Tharaka, where I was staying. I took this photo of her when she took me to see the sacred site where a megadam is being planned by the Kenyan Government. If this dam is built, thousands of people will be displaced.

After I'd interviewed them (Simon translated), the Elders in Tharaka blessed me, putting some of their traditional beads round my neck, and giving me the name 'M'Kenna,' which they said means 'a happy person.' Then I had a swig of their maize gruel, which tasted a little like fizzy porridge. Although we couldn't speak each other's language, I felt so welcomed by the Elders, and so at home.

​​Over the last few weeks I've been locked away in the editing studio, putting together my first audio documentary and can now reveal the first episode of Guardians of Planet Earth. You can listen to episode one on the Lush Player and read the accompanying article on the Lush Times site. I'll be travelling around the world to make more episodes, about the people dedicating their lives to protecting the planet.