Interview with Olanike Olugboji

Abstract

An award-winning environmentalist and advocate, Olanike Olugboji works primarily with women in northern Nigeria to build a sustainable and safe environment. As a founding member of the Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA), in 2006 she participated in a global forum with several other organizations and later in WEA’s first ever Women and Water Training in Kenya (2008). Thereafter, she went on to establish her own NGO, Women’s Initiative for Sustainable Environment (WISE). Through both organizations, Olugboji has successfully supported and encouraged up to 9,000 women to launch clean cookstoves. Up to 30 others have been trained and empowered to start their clean cookstoves businesses. Following a recent “catch them young” awareness program, Olugboji launched a school-based tree-planting initiative aimed at promoting the practice among younger generations and encouraging them to become aware of and care for their environment. Olugbogi is a correspondent for World Pulse, an organization that focuses on amplifying women’s voices where she speaks especially on the environment and climate change. Her writing has been featured in Time magazine.