Steve Misati is a Kenyan Marine Conservationist, and an Environmental Defender. He is the founder and director of Youth Pawa, a nature restoration and ocean conservation organization based in Mombasa, Kenya. The organization’s mission to promote public support for and raise community awareness of nature restoration and conservation issues, ocean and environmental protection, climate justice advocacy, sustainable development and youth empowerment. One of the organization’s flagship projects is the Mangrove Eco-Restoration Project, which aims to restore over 50 hectares of degraded mangrove forests in Kenya by the year 2030. Misati’s work is driven by a deep love for the ocean and a belief that everyone has a role to play in protecting it. He is committed to working with youth and the local communities to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all. Misati’s approach to restoration is based on the belief that communities are at the heart of conservation success. He has adopted the Community Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) approach which seeks to empower local communities to restore and steward their mangroves while deriving sustainable mangrove-based livelihoods. CBEMR methodology, works to restore underlying hydrology and considers adjustments to a disturbed area’s topography, so that mangroves may regenerate naturally, resulting in true ecosystem restoration with a richer biodiversity. He also believes in the importance of education and outreach, and he works to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove forests and other marine ecosystems. He is an inspiration to us all, and a reminder that even one person can make a difference in the fight for a healthier planet and a sustainable future.
