POLOKWANE – Kgabo Legodi (29) has been recognised with an honorary Green Award at the 7th annual South African Heroes Awards for her work in environmental preservation.

The Green Award honours individuals who run projects or programmes that contribute to sustainability and environmental protection. Legodi, a certified youth climate champion, has dedicated herself to raising awareness and advocating for climate action.

Her passion for environmental justice began in her youth, growing up in a rural farming community where she witnessed the impact of climate change on her parents’ agricultural practices.

“I saw how our produce was affected, which motivated me to make a difference,” she said.

Legodi began her climate advocacy in 2015, joining the University of Limpopo’s Biodiversity Student Society, where she learned about sustainable farming practices, including crop rotation, soil preservation, and organic manure use.

In 2020, she joined the Community Engagement Exchange Programme, a collaboration between the South African Institute of International Affairs, the University of the Witwatersrand and Howard University in the US. The programme connected her with young activists working on policy change and food security, which she completed in 2022.

That same year, Legodi joined the Youth Climate Champion bootcamp, led by WWF South Africa and the Climate Ambition to Accountability Project. Representing Limpopo, she was one of five participants empowered to collaborate, share knowledge, and develop climate-focused initiatives, including bootcamps, podcasts, training and internships.

The programme addresses the fragmented involvement of young people in South Africa’s climate policy processes. “Youth are often marginalised, with limited access to resources and opportunities,” Legodi said.

Since its inception, the programme has trained 25 young climate activists, equipping them with the tools and support to drive change in their communities.