- 17-year-old local high school student and climate activist, Zoe Prinsloo, returned home to Cape Town today from New York City after having been selected to attend the United Nations Youth Climate Summit!
- She, along with youth from all over the world, attended the summit at the United Nations Headquarters where they participated in a full-day of programming that brought together young activists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers who are committed to combating climate change at the pace and scale needed to meet the challenge.
It was action-oriented, inter-generational, and inclusive, with equal representation of young leaders from all walks of life. Zoe was one of a 100 that were chosen to attend the summit “after demonstrating her commitment to addressing the climate crisis and displaying leadership in advancing solutions”.
Zoe, who in August 2018 started her own eco-friendly product distribution business called Save a Fishie, runs regular beach cleanups by Milnerton Lagoon. She is the president of the Edgemead High School Interact Club and is also a Ranger with the Bothasig Girl Guide company. She also attended a week-long eco camp called the Eden Festival of Action earlier this year where she helped plant 5000 trees, and spent 10 days in Mozambique volunteering with Operation Smile in July.
“Being selected to attend this event was SUCH an honour!! This has been an emotional and exciting experience. Seeing Greta Thunberg in person … listening to her speak … priceless! There were so many amazing people at the Summit, and to be there with so many like-minded individuals, hearing their stories, seeing what they are all doing to help save our planet was so inspiring and heart-warming! I feel so motivated and positive now…ready to take on the world and make it a better place for my children and my childrens children! I want to do more. I want to do more beach cleanups. More community cleanups. Find more ways to reduce plastic consumption. Find more alternatives. Find more ways to make our voices heard. I want to plant more trees. I want to save more fishies! I want to do it all!” ~ Zoe
Zoe also participated in the global climate strike in New York on Friday, 20 September, where she, together with over 4 million youth and adults from around the world made their voices heard, demanding that governments everywhere make the necessary changes to save our planet!
Author: GBA News Desk
