Former US Vice President and founder of The Climate Reality Project, Al Gore, has presented the Alfredo Sirkis Memorial Green Ring Award to Kenyan climate communicator and grassroots organizer, Risper Asembo, at the conclusion of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Green Ring Award is one of the highest honors given by The Climate Reality Project, recognizing Climate Reality Leaders who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to climate education and advocacy.
Born and raised in Budalang’i Constituency, one of Kenya’s most flood-prone regions, Risper Asembo has seen the direct impacts of climate change on communities. Her climate leadership journey began in 2015 with a tree-planting initiative led by the East African Wildlife Society. Since then, she has taken on leadership roles with organizations like the Young African Leaders Initiative, Greenpeace Africa, and most notably, Beyond the Trails Kenya, a youth-led organization she founded to advance climate literacy and conservation among young people.
After completing her Climate Reality Leadership Corps training in 2021, Risper expanded her advocacy efforts across Kenya. One of her flagship initiatives is the Plant for the Planet, School Edition project in Siaya County, supported by the African Climate Reality Project. The program planted 100 fruit trees and trained over 60 students, teachers, and local leaders in tree planting, composting, and conservation. It also strengthened school environmental clubs and encouraged the integration of climate education into school curricula.
In addition to her grassroots work, Risper continues to engage in national and international climate dialogues. She has been recognized for her contributions, receiving the Eric Hosking Trust Award in 2021 and the Amplify Her Voice Grant in 2024. Through her initiatives, she continues to center youth, women, and vulnerable communities while building long-term climate resilience.
“Risper Asembo is exactly the kind of leader this moment demands.. bold, resilient, and relentlessly committed to building a better future,” said Phyllis Cuttino, president and CEO of The Climate Reality Project. “Through her work, she’s planting knowledge, building movements, and creating lasting change in communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Her leadership embodies the very spirit of the Green Ring Award, and we are honored to celebrate her.”
The Green Ring Award closed three days of training in Nairobi, the 59th Climate Reality Leadership Corps training and the first to be held in Kenya. The event brought together climate advocates from across East Africa and beyond to build skills in climate communication, policy, and grassroots organizing, with a focus on clean energy access, green industrialization, and climate finance.
The Climate Reality Project aims to recruit, train, and mobilize passionate climate advocates from across the region. They join a global network of more than 3.8 million supporters worldwide.
For more information about the Climate Reality Leadership Corps program and to learn how to participate in the next training, please visit:
