The women reviving Kenya’s vanishing coastal ecosystems - BBC Africa

What happens when the women who were once left out of decisions about the ocean become its biggest champions? In Kenya’s Lamu archipelago, a group of women known locally as the eco-mamas are stepping up to protect the environment their communities depend on. Mama Mangrove (Zulfa Hassan) is helping restore mangrove forests that shelter marine life and protect the coastline while Mama Coral (Mwanasha Mbwana) is working to revive coral reefs and safeguard breeding grounds that keep local fisheries alive and Mama Plastic (Jamila Hassan) is leading beach clean-ups and plastic collection efforts that support sea turtle conservation. She also turns discarded plastic into beads, keyrings, and other handicrafts, creating income opportunities for local women while keeping waste out of the ocean. As climate change, overfishing, and habitat loss put increasing pressure on coastal communities, these women are proving that protecting nature and supporting livelihoods can go hand in hand. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/ Producers: Anne Okumu & Njoroge Muigai