Abigael Kima: Advocating Clean Energy through Podcasting

Hali-Hewa – the Swahili word for climate – is the chosen name for Abigael Kima’s game-changing podcast launched in 2022. An energy expert, Abigael produces and hosts the show with the intention of grappling with challenging energy topics and making them accessible to all who come across her work.  

Encountering Climate Change 

Abigael’s podcasting path has its roots in the 24-year-old’s childhood hometown of Iten. Growing up, she revelled among lush trees and a stream that snaked its way across her family’s farm – providing enough water for flourishing crops. For her family and the surrounding community, the greenery meant extra income. But after Abigael set off for high school, she returned to an Elgeyo-Marakwet quite different from the one she knew growing up.  

It was 2015 and the stream she vividly remembered had dried up completely – leaving no evidence it ever existed. As a result, poor harvests pushed local farmers into the forest area and deforestation became the order of the day. Even then, Abigael recognised that she needed to do something about the degradation her home had experienced.  

Pursuing Environmentalism

She went on to study Environmental Science at Kenyatta University and even took a leadership role at the institution’s environmental club for three years. Still, Abigael sought to increase her knowledge of the state of the climate. She read reports and attended meetings where te climate topped the agenda.  

When she attended the UN Climate Change Conference held in Glasgow in 2021, she discovered a whole new world of climate solutions. It occurred to her that not everyone had access to this information, and she began posting key climate adaptation takeaways on Instagram for her keen followers. 

The Power of Storytelling 

Seeing first-hand how climate change affects real communities from her childhood, Abigael wanted to push past numbers and statistics to highlight the human face of the problem. To do this, she turned to audio storytelling. But the journey proved to be arduous. Any potential sponsors for her podcast wanted her to have a larger audience than she did starting out. That meant she resorted to using her own savings to support her dream.

Through perseverance, Abigael has held incredible conversations with other climate activists from across the continent. These lively discussions all prioritise African voices and solutions where they are typically excluded despite the continent emitting the least carbon emissions and being the worst affected by poor energy practices. Abigail propagates fundamental messages such as the idea that accessible, fairly-priced energy positively impacts all sectors of society – even how communities engage in education and industry. Guests who frequent Abigael’s platform provide valuable insights about everything from transitioning away from fossil-based fuels, and even the role that youth can play in championing these necessary changes.  

She also uses her podcast to impress the need for individual responsibility in making energy choices that mitigate the effects of climate change. These include investing in appliances that are energy-friendly and even cycling to work where possible. The impact of Abigael’s vocality has been felt by many and she has gained recognition from reputable international platforms such as Climate Home News.  

Abigael Kima chose to speak up and grab the future by the reins rather than sit by as the energy and climate crisis worsened. For using the power of her voice relentlessly to ensure clean energy solutions become mainstream on the continent, Abigael is one of #OurGoalGetters.