Often, our moral compasses are our navigation instruments throughout the day. For Ian Elroy Ogonji, ikigai, the Japanese concept, is where he derives his purpose in life. A journalism graduate from the University of Nairobi, Ogonji balances his time as a communication and media consultant with volunteering in advocacy for the environment. 

Passion  

Ogonji’s volunteer experience began in 2019 when he was in form four as a social media manager for the Young Men’s Christian Organisation (YMCA). A Gen-Z well-versed in the algorithmic social media world, Ogonji was more than happy to lend his time to the organisation. As he went about helping YMCA amplify its story on social media, Ogonji found that within YMCA was a diverse range of other volunteering opportunities, and this piqued his interest. He reviewed all the available openings and gladly set on the path that was closer to his heart: environmental advocacy.  

Moving forward with this choice felt like opening a cookie jar with an assortment of sweet treats. As soon as he joined the environmental team, YMCA forged a partnership with 350 Africa, an African movement seeking to fight climate change. At the time, 350 Africa was looking for writers, and Ogonji, gifted in penmanship, welcomed the opportunity with both hands. 

Vocation 

At 350 Africa, his passion for communication set alight with a new flame and transformed into advocacy. Ogonji put his writing skills into curating inspiring and creative campaigns on climate and the environment. Here, he found his volunteering footing: helping organisations launch successful digital campaigns for social change. 

In his advocacy, Ogonji has witnessed immense success and transformation. The most remarkable campaign he was privileged to participate in was the fierce resistance against the construction of the proposed Lamu coal plant in 2019. This project held calamitous impacts to the people and ecosystems of Lamu and threatened to taint the integrity of the county as the host to our first UNESCO World heritage site and coveted tourist destination. Ogonji wrote a story about it, and 350 Africa ran the campaign from 2019 all the way to early 2021 when the National Environment Tribunal outlawed the proposal. 

Fulfilling Mission 

Five years since embarking on this journey, Ogonji has remodelled his career from journalism to consultancy, but volunteering has gelled itself into his life and found a warm home in his heart; he still volunteers with YMCA and 350 Africa. With the wealth of experience he has gained from volunteering, he runs the Youthing Magazine, a youth-based publication that has given a platform to many youths to contribute to societal issues, showcase their talents, and engage with their peers in the interconnected digital web. 

Additionally, he has widened the scope of his voluntary work beyond environmental advocacy. He takes part in the YMCA Hi-Y programme, a teens and youths initiative aimed at improving the quality of lives of young people in both rural and urban settings. As the Y-Art programme facilitator, he empowers young people to live holistically. In 2021 as well, he joined PACEmaker International as an SDG 4 volunteer, where he worked as an English and Science teaching assistant in a community-based school in one of Nairobi’s low-income areas. His efforts made a mark in the school as the KCPE pupils of that year registered quality grades in English, and he was awarded for his dedication to service. 

To Ogonji, volunteering is a love language; it is about giving, helping individuals, communities, and organisations make impactful change. He believes that everyone has an ikigai – a reason for living – and encourages all of us to tap into what we can do beyond the professional realm to unlock the gateway to a fulfilling and transformative life. 

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