I have been an activist for the past 7 years and counting – having worked with multiple charities and organizations within international affairs including the ONE Campaign (UK), Christian Aid, Child.Org, UNICEF, Restless Development, Amnesty International, UNDP Asia to mention a few. I have gained experience in the international development field which has empowered me as a young leader/changemaker to continually make an impact in society.
As a youth ambassador for the ONE Campaign (UK) between 2017 and 2019, I was a key part of the Poverty is Sexist campaign advocating for an increase in funding towards increasing the number of girls in school by 2030 thereby improving gender equality in education. Lobbying UK MEPs at the European Parliament (Brussels) on the International Day of the Eradication of Poverty in 2017, gave me the opportunity to advocate for an increase in foreign aid towards the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) funding towards girls’ education in 2018. My key involvement in projecting ONE UK’s campaign in my local community contributed to my feature on Amnesty International UK’s Suffragette Spirit Campaign Map in March 2018 to celebrate women human rights defenders across the UK.
For over a year now, I have been volunteering with the ONE Campaign as a community leader whereby I design my local community actions to sensitize and create awareness of different campaigns of focus at a point in time during the year. In the previous year as part of the Global Fund Campaign, I lobbied my local MP, Richard Burgon, on the Global Fund campaign which was geared towards increasing the UK’s contribution to the Fund to fight HIV, TB and Malaria. Upon meeting him, I stated facts, figures and the need for the UK government to contribute towards this fund to fight TB, HIV and Malaria globally. It was also an opportunity for the MP to learn about the campaign whilst pushing the meeting’s agenda. In the end, my MP wrote to the Foreign Secretary expressing his support for the campaign and why the UK government needs to act. This resulted in the UK pledging £ 1 billion to the Global Fund although it was not quite the £ 1.8 billion I campaigned for. The proof of this decision is in the feedback received from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) that this is ‘a direct result of the civil society’s sustained and high visibility campaigning over many months. Ultimately, I also won an award for ‘Best in MP Advocacy’ at the end of the year celebrating my hard work. Furthermore, my contribution towards this campaign earned me a feature in my local newspaper.
Between June and December 2021, I campaigned with Christian Aid as a Climate Campaign Organiser where I raised awareness on the climate crisis within Leeds days leading up to COP 26 in Glasgow. I also lobbied my local MP, Rachel Reeves who affirmed her support towards ending the climate crisis and the UK’s climate finance commitment before and after COP 26. I also joined a march across the Leeds city centre together with other climate activists from several NGOs across the city advocating for climate justice.
In February 2023, I met UK MPs in the House of Commons where I lobbied them on the East Africa Hunger crisis fueled by climate related droughts where they committed to maximizing efforts to ending the crisis which has claimed the lives of thousands of people especially children and women. This was also an opportunity to learn more about the damaging effects of climate change and how the UK in particular can increase their climate finance commitments towards ending the crisis.
In June 2023, I led a delegation of ONE UK activists to present a petition from over 174000 ONE supporters across the globe to the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, urging him to attend the New Global Financial Pact Summit in Paris which saw world leaders convene to commit to ending the climate crisis – adversely affecting Africa. Though the Prime Minister did not attend, the UK Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell attended the Summit which saw him announcing climate partnerships with Africa and the Caribbean. This is a testament to my impact as an activist passionate about ending the climate crisis.
I also met with the UK’s Minister of Energy Security, Graham Stuart (MP) in September 2023 to talk about UK’s climate financing towards ending the climate crisis specifically as COP 28 approaches. During the meeting, I highlighted my involvement in climate activism and how it is important now, more than ever, that the UK government and the G7 prioritize climate financing commitments on their national agendas.
In September 2023, I represented the ONE Campaign UK at the Gates Foundation annual GoalKeepers event in New York, which celebrates changemakers working towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
In October 2023, I lobbied my local MP, Richard Burgon, on the In Donor Refugee Costs Campaign highlighting why the UK government should initiate a separate funding from the overseas aid budget towards refugees and asylum seekers. This was well received by the MP who agreed to write to the Chancellor demanding the government to take a firm stand on the refugee crisis.
As an activist, I am currently a Their World Global Youth Ambassador advocating for equality in education and was just recently a UN Women UK delegate to the CSW 68 conference. In the recent past, I was a Local Pathways Fellow with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Youth, Review Panelist for United Nations Systems Staff College (UNSSC), One Young World Ambassador, AFS Youth Assembly UK Ambassador, World Bank Youth Summit Delegate, African Changemakers Initiative Fellow and a Speaker at the SDG Student Programme’s Global Issue Forum, March 2023 edition. I am also a writer, a teacher and a speaker.
Gertrude with his MP, Richard Burgon in October 2023 presenting ONE UK’s report on the In Donor Refugee Costs Campaign (IDRCs)
Gertrude Speaking at the Results UK National Conference in July 2023
At GoalKeepers 2023 in New York
