Whenever theres a Youth forum in active conservation there are some few names that will eventually pop up, Peter Moll is definately top on the list. We met way back in 2014 during one these forums and up to date Peter is still pushing on wildlife advocay. If youre looking for an inspirational wildlife worriors story to motivate you and better yet get a way forward on how you too can get involved , Got to have an interview with him and this is his conservation success story.
I am Peter Fredrick Moll, 28-year-old Kenyan (mixed race, mostly Kenyan (Maasai and Kikuyu) and British) Founder & CEO of the global youth movement, and International Non-Government Organization World Leaders of Today whose main program is Stand Up Shout Out (SUSO) based in over 20 countries and 60 cities (35+ counties in Kenya with 7000 plus members in Kenya alone) WLT deals with good governance, poverty reduction, conservation, youth inclusion, youth empowerment&engagement. I am also Chairman of Africa Conservation Youth Council, WWF Africa ND4NP Youth rep, one of the Africa Youth For Nature leaders, the Vice Chairman of the National Conservation Education Forum which is chaired by KWS, Global March For Elephants and Rhino Youth Rep, and former head of Youth section and outreach of the #HandsOffOurElephants campaign and now behind the developing of the National Youth Platform “Mabingwa” in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife through the National Wildlife Strategy 2030 that I helped develop.
I recently won the Kenyan National Diversity and Inclusion award for Youth in Leadership 2019 and this organization was overall 1st Runners up Kenyan National Diversity and Inclusion award Best Youth Employment and Engagement Strategy, I was also recognized for my mentorship of youth and youth work by H.E First Lady of Kenya Margaret Kenyatta in 2017.
Last year I went to Geneva Switzerland for the CITES CoP18 with the Kenya government as the youth rep. I was the second rep in the history of that UN convention, and SUSO was the first official Youth run NGO at that UN convention.
I was recently appointed as the UNITED NATIONS Youth Representative for World Wildlife Day 2020 where I also gave an address at the UN HQ New York in March 2020,
I got a one-second final stage nomination in health services and two individual categories finalist nominee in environment and youth champion/advocate/practitioner in this year’s 2020 Top 35 under 35 national awards in and two organizational categories. In the individual category, I won the top 35 under 35 YOUTH OF THE YEAR 2020 – ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION /ADVOCACY.
PETER MOLL AND PART OF HIS TEAM
I’m a dreamer doer and I know we youth in Africa are the biggest asset to our continent, so I dream to put Kenyan Youth and African Youth at the table from creation, planning, implantation, and management as well as benefit sharing in order to secure a sustainable future. For how dare they create the future without us when we shall live in that future without them.
WALKING THE TALK
How did you end up in wildlife advocacy?
In 2013 when I started Stand Up Shout Out which was a movement at the time, which was about standing up for what you believe in, your values, your morals and then Shouting Out not just noise but action, and due to the high poaching at the time, wildlife conservation and elephants was our first official project and I started with conservation education in high schools and universities doing workshops and calls to action, I then organized Jim Nyamus first walk and then was taken on board the Hands off our elephants campaign when it started as the youth leader of the campaign.
How can one join SUSO?
There are three ways to join SUSO:
1. If you are in a High school or university that has a SUSO Club, you can join the club or create one
2. If there is a SUSO Division in your county or city you can reach out us via social media and we link you to the executive team or if you do not have a division in your county or city you can propose to start one via info@suso.world
3. Through online application on our website www.suso.world
Peter I must applaud you for your zeal and determination in wildlife advocacy where do you get the energy from?
It’s simple, once I realized the deeper connection between nature and our futures, between wildlife and my tomorrow, it did not matter whether we love wildlife or not, our destinies are interconnected. If you have a dream, be it to be a doctor, engineer, research, make money, etc, no matter what dream you have that dream needs tomorrow to exist, and for tomorrow to exist, we must protect, mitigate and restore our habitats and wildlife for a healthy planet with a healthy population. So the work we do is to secure tomorrow for our dreams, and this for me keeps my zeal at the highest level.
What plans do you have for the future?
Create Government-led and backed National, regional, and contently youth platforms for wildlife conservation (AU, CITES, Governments), There is a lot of space for Biodiversity and Climate Change but not enough for wildlife conservation yet it’s all interlinked. I shall lobby for Youth engagement in wildlife conservation to be included in National Strategies and or policies, creating structured space and engagement for youth to bring needed capacity. I want to also push for youth mainstreaming within the county and national governments in general in order to utilize our number one asset in Africa.
You have been recently appointed GMFER Youth lead with over 100 countries under your lead, how does that make you feel?
God is good! I started organising workshops and marches for Global March For Elephants, Rhinos and Lions (GMFER) in 2014, the marches happen in 111 countries every year. This Global organization deals with wildlife advocacy and conservation. looking forward to working with you all on pushing the youth engagement on wildlife conservation, youth action on wildlife conservation, and wildlife advocacy!
Showing the links between wildlife conservation, biodiversity work, climate action is key on my agenda.
Pushing for international and national youth platform for conservation spearheaded by youth and government together, opening the door for all types of youth with different social-economic backgrounds, genders, and educational backgrounds to know what role they can play in wildlife conservation.
I am living in the tomorrow I created, and we need to create an army of ready youth Who are well equipped, trained, experienced, and empowered to take up the mantel across all fields in conservation; in order to restore, mitigate and protect fauna and flora for our future and well beings.
Advice to anyone interested in wildlife advocacy and conservation
Do it differently, do not be stuck in ways of conservation that have been tried and arent working, so dare to be you and bring your different approaches to the table, your innovation, creativity, and how you see the world differently is your greatest power. Also, ensure that you know why you are doing what you are doing, ensure your why is strong because conservation isn’t for the faint of heart, your why should allow you to be resilient and determined. Lastly do not be afraid to start or go alone, but make sure after you start, along the way you create a community that shares the same values and goals as you, and be open to partner with other youth, there is enough space for all of us if we work together to create it! #Ubuntu.
“For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive. In this century he has to realize that in order to survive he has to protect it.” Jacques-Yves Cousteau Here we celebrate the unsung wildlife heroes in the grassroots doing remarkable work to conserve our wildlife heritage, Get to learn about wildlife from a ranger/ ecologist in Kenya a freelance eco-traveler, experience the diverse cultures and African heritage from the natives and take an adventure to new destinations to learn about rare attractions that are hardly talked about and to top it all up some of the best wildlife photographs that will make you reconnect to your wild side appreciate everything around us and fall in love with the natural world, because “It is not enough to love the natural world; the point is to defend and preserve it.” Edward Abbey
Our wildlife, our responsibility. When it comes to standing up for our wildlife it’s better to be outspoken than unspoken.
@Gareth Jones