There’s a trend going around. You’ve probably seen it dramatic, tongue-in-cheek, and oddly powerful. A person walks away from something symbolic as the audio drops: “I can never come back… oh no no no…” On the screen flashes text of some past struggle or identity, often one they’ve outgrown, conquered or risen above.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMSMSVWwk
At first glance, it’s playful, a meme. But underneath, it’s layered with deep truth about healing, boundaries, transformation and arrival. And as I watched it, I couldn’t help but see my own story reflected in it, the journey of The Eco Advocate and me as a person.
Before the Blog, There Was a Voice
Long before I became known as The Eco Advocate, before the blog, the panels, the partnerships or the campaigns, I was just a girl with questions. A girl wondering why we let rivers choke on plastic, why forests disappeared overnight and why wildlife always seemed to be running from something.
But my questions often met silence. Or worse, laughter.
“It’s just how things are.”
“That’s not for you to worry about.”
“You’re too young to understand.”
I remember feeling invisible in rooms where decisions were being made about the future I was expected to inherit. I knew the environment mattered, but it seemed like the world didn’t care enough to act. Still, I didn’t stop asking. I kept learning, listening and observing. That was my quiet revolution.
Blogging as a Rebellion
When I started The Eco Advocate, it wasn’t polished. It wasn’t big. It was just me trying to make sense of everything, climate change, wildlife conservation, as well as community resilience. I wrote for the girl I once was, for the ones like her now, curious, eager and shut out.
Each blog post became a form of resistance. A way to say:
“I’m here. We’re here. And we have something to say.”
It was scary at first. Hitting “publish” felt like shouting into a void. But slowly, people responded. They read. They shared. They engaged. And The Eco Advocate grew not just as a platform, but as a voice in the climate movement. Thank you very much for always joining me in this journey.
The Road Was Never Smooth
Let me be clear: there were many moments I wanted to quit.
When funding dried up.
When political will felt non-existent.
When tokenism crept in and youth voices were only invited for show.
When activism led to burnout, and burnout led to silence.
When some said, “You’re just a blogger.”
But here’s the thing, I’ve already faced that version of the journey. I’ve felt the sting of being underestimated. The loneliness of being the only woman or the only youth in a space. The exhaustion of pushing for change that feels too slow to come.
So when I hear that trend now, the one that says, “I can never come back… oh no no no…”—I feel it in my bones.
I can never go back to doubting my voice. Oh no no no.
I can never go back to shrinking for comfort. It’s already late, oh.
I can never return to silencing myself just to fit in. It will never make this ohhh.
That era is over.
We’ve Already Come Too Far
Together, we’ve built something real.
We’ve planted indigenous trees in Mombasa, Kajiado, Muranga, Garissa, Nakuru, Nairobi, Voi, Yatta, Tala, Narok, etc to celebrate Mother Nature..
We’ve created kitchen gardens in orphanages through the YMA Going Green Initiative.
We’ve trained young people on climate advocacy, hosted dialogues, and amplified unheard voices.
We’ve worked with platforms like Greenpeace, Global Citizen, just to name a few, to tell stories that matter.
These are not small things. They are the work of love, commitment and a refusal to back down.
I think often of how far we’ve come. From a solitary blog post to a vibrant, growing network of advocates. From being seen as a “youth voice” to shaping actual programs, influencing policy, and shifting narratives.
And while there’s always more to do, one thing is certain: we are not going backwards.
The Power of Moving On
In every journey, there comes a time when you realise some battles are behind you—not forgotten but won, integrated and resolved.
I’ve learned to stop trying to convince spaces that were never designed to hold us. Instead, we build our tables. We light our torches. We chart new paths.
We’ve moved on from merely asking for inclusion. Now we’re demanding equity.
We’ve moved past waiting to be heard. Now we’re leading.
We’ve stopped hoping someone else will fix things. Now we act.
This isn’t pride. It’s clarity.
We don’t return to what almost broke us just to prove we survived.
We move forward because we’re thriving.
What We’ve Learned Along the Way
This movement has taught me more than any formal training ever could. It’s taught me:
- That community is power – the kind that sustains us when systems fail us.
- That nature teaches resilience – nothing regrows overnight, but everything adapts.
- That stories matter – especially the ones we were told not to tell.
- That rest is part of resistance – burnout helps no one.
- That joy is a revolutionary act – even in serious work, we must celebrate.
To the New Generation of Eco Advocates
The road won’t be easy if you’re just starting out, but it will be worth it. You’ll face pushback. You’ll question your impact. But don’t let that stop you.
Be bold in your truth. Be kind to your younger self. Be stubborn in your hope.
And when the day comes when you realise you’ve outgrown a version of yourself that was quiet, fearful and uncertain, let it go.
