On the Frontlines of Change: How South Africa’s Youth Are Leading the Climate Fight
Photo Credit: Heather Dugmore
Every year on Youth Day, South Africa reflects on the courage of young people who stood up for justice during the 1976 Soweto Uprising. Today, that same spirit burns bright in a new generation—one that’s not only demanding a better future, but building it from the ground up. Nowhere is this more evident than in the rural heartlands of Matatiele, where young environmental warriors known as Eco Champs are rewriting the narrative of what it means to be young, hopeful, and powerful in the face of climate change.
Backed by the WWF Nedbank Green Trust, through partners ERS and LIMA, the Eco Champs are an extraordinary force of local youth who are protecting their land, water, and communities—while restoring dignity and livelihood to themselves and their families. Their pride in their cultural heritage is propelling them in ways that make them find the critical paths to be inclusive of everyone in their community, recognising that everyone has something to contribute including indigenous knowledge and cultural practices that make them who they are.
These young people, raised in the very villages they now serve, have become the eyes, ears, and hands of environmental stewardship. They lead the charge in spring protection, sustainable grazing, alien vegetation management, wild fire prevention, livestock health and marketing of livestock and products, and environmental awareness. They are not outsiders swooping in with solutions—they are the heartbeat of their communities, with roots as deep as the lands they protect.
“We are part of the change,” they say. And they are.
Clean Water, Clean Futures
In areas where protected springs have been built, communities no longer drink from polluted sources shared with livestock. Nkarabeneng Matabane (23), a young woman from the Sibi Traditional Authority, remembers the illnesses that plagued her village before the clean springs were built. Now, thanks to the Eco Champs, her community has access to clean water—transforming health, hygiene, and hope.
“If you have clean water, you are healthy,” she says. “The protected springs changed a lot of lives.”
These projects don’t just deliver health—they return time and agency to women and girls who used to spend hours fetching water from unsafe sources. Tukulo Mtshayelo (24) highlights the rise in female farmers thanks to the proximity of clean springs. What once drained energy is now a source of empowerment.
From Survival to Sustainability
The Eco Champs don’t just conserve the environment—they’re building resilient rural economies. Through training in conservation grazing, livestock health, and agroecology, they’re reviving ancestral knowledge while leveraging scientific best practices.
Zuko Kibi (31) is restoring degraded grasslands with local farmers using rotational grazing—ensuring both food security and water regeneration. Motobatsi Nthunya (29) runs a small poultry business with training from ERS and sells eggs to support his household. They are turning stipends into livelihoods, and learning into leadership.
Against All Odds
Many Eco Champs came into the programme unemployed, having sacrificed studies, dreams, or city opportunities for family, survival, or circumstance. Today, they are role models, mentors, and climate champions, often going beyond the call of duty—working long hours “with our hearts,” as several put it.
They are proving that climate action isn’t the preserve of scientists in lab coats or policy- makers in suits—it’s lso the calling of rural youth on horseback, of young mothers with shovels, of eco-entrepreneurs with grit and vision.
Luphindile Siwane (24), a gifted horse rider, uses his steed “Distance” to cover long rural routes, ensuring water safety and helping with mobile livestock auctions. Nomzamo Phakamisa (29), a single mother of a six-year-old, now raises 60 chickens and educates her community on the value of clean water and good grazing. These are stories of resilience, rootedness, and rising potential.
Youth as Legacy Builders
What makes this movement extraordinary is not just its environmental impact—but its intergenerational bridge-building. Chiefs and Headmen, including women traditional leaders, welcome these young voices. Some even lead by example—like Chief Nkosana, who drinks from the protected spring and supports livestock management with conservation.
The Eco Champs are restoring not only land and water—but the social fabric of responsibility, respect, and collective vision. They have led the way in establishing climate smart gardens in their homes as hubs for the communities to get together and learn how to be food secure through building resilience and extending the growing season. This is very important for places like Matatiele where winters can be long and brutally cold.
And perhaps most inspiringly, they are planting seeds—not just in gardens and grasslands—but in the hearts of younger youth watching them lead, live, and thrive without having to leave home.
“We mentor younger people,” says Motobatsi, “and share the knowledge passed down through generations—how to look after the land, the water, and the animals.”
A Green Trust in Youth
The WWF Nedbank Green Trust’s investment in the Eco Champs is an investment in climate justice, youth empowerment, and inclusive development. It affirms a simple but powerful truth: when we trust our youth and equip them with tools, training and opportunity—they will change the world.
This Youth Day, let’s celebrate not just the history of youth activism—but its living legacy. Let us honour the Eco Champs of Matatiele—and all young South Africans leading the fight for a just, sustainable future.
They are not waiting for tomorrow. They are building it, today. With their hands. With their hearts. With hope.
End.