At a Glance
On 23 September 2014, a young poet from the Marshall Islands spoke to 120 heads of state at the UN Secretary-General's Climate Summit. Kathy's impassioned poem entitled "Dear Matafele Peinem", written to her 6-month-old daughter, triggered a standing ovation and tears of inspiration from world leaders.
That day in New York, the world witnessed a bold changemaker rise up and embark on a heroic journey to save her sinking country, as well as many other climate vulnerable countries worldwide. Earth Company joined and supports Kathy's journey in building the foundations of her organization, Jo-Jikum, to empowering future generation Pacific Islanders to not only survive but also thrive in the impending world of unpredictable, irreversible shifts due to climate change.
Kathy's ambition to save her home country led her to expand her influence from grassroot movement to public policy. She currently holds a pivotal position as the Marshall Island's climate change envoy, lobbying with Marshallese government as well as foreign head of states to ensure the Paris agreement of keeping the global temperature threshold at 2°C, is kept.
Rising Above the Climate Challenge
Sustainability-focused Education
When it comes to climate change, experts’ voices make headlines; victims’ voices sink below. But now, the Marshallese youth are standing up to fight for their future, their home, and themselves. Today, Jo-Jikum empowers youth to: advocate the international community to take proactive action, explore local solutions to the global challenge, and become stewards of their own cultural traditions at risk of inundation.
Since its opening, Jo-Jikum has gathered and empowered more than 3,000 Marshallese youth who have reached millions of audiences through their digital media, and presence in international conferences such as COP.
Regenerate Culture
Preserving indigenous traditions and culture is a critical challenge in the face of climate change. Jo-Jikum facilitates a cross-generational dialogue, employing various mediums and skills to safeguard sacred knowledge for the future. Through their cultural regeneration program at the youth center, young individuals interview elders about the impact of climate change on the islands, digitally documenting these stories for promotional campaigns.
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