KARATINA UNIVERSITY HOSTS THE 2025 SUSTAINABILITY YOUTH SUMMIT TO EMPOWER A GREENER FUTURE

Karatina University was honored to host the 2025 Sustainability Youth Summit on Friday, 23^rd May 2025, at the Main Campus. Held under the theme “Preparing Youth for a Sustainable Future in the Era of Climate Change,” the event was organized by the Directorate of Career Services, University Industry Linkages and Alumni Affairs, in collaboration with Pioneer Child Development Programme, Kenya Commercial Bank, Equity Bank, among other partners

Participants during the 2025 Sustainability Youth Summit held at Karatina University

The summit brought together students from various High Schools in the Mt. Kenya region, Technical Training Colleges, and Universities. It provided a unique platform for students, academic leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to deliberate on youth-led sustainability and climate action.

The Chief Guest Principal Secretary Energy Hon. Alex K. Wachira CBS officially opening the Youth Summit and addressing the audience and participants at Karatina University

The event was officially opened by the Principal Secretary for Energy, Hon. Alex K. Wachira, CBS, who served as the chief guest. In his keynote address, Hon. Wachira emphasized the critical role of youth in driving Kenya’s energy and environmental agenda. “The energy of youth is the very fuel that drives sustainable  transformation,” he stated. He encouraged the youth to embrace clean energy solutions, adopt responsible consumption practices, and actively engage in national conversations on sustainable development. He further highlighted the government’s commitment to empowering young people through policy support, innovation hubs, technical training, and green energy partnerships, aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Hon. Wachira also introduced a fourth “C” to the climate call to action “Time Counts” reminding participants of the urgency required in addressing climatechange.

The Vice Chancellor Prof. Linus M. Gitonga addressing the audience during the youth summit.

The Vice Chancellor Prof. Linus M. Gitonga reaffirmed Karatina University’s dedication to nurturing future leaders in environmental stewardship. He urged participants to embrace the “Three Cs” – You Count, Everybody Counts, and the Youth Count – to promote inclusivity and shared responsibility in climate action.

Speaking during the summit, Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Franklin Wabwoba, highlighted the university’s commitment to integrating sustainability into education and student development. “We must sustain what we have so that the future can be there for us,” he said, encouraging young people to take ownership of climate solutions.

Other distinguished speakers included

• Esther Ndung’u, Chief Executive Committee Member for Gender, Youth, and Social Services, who advocated for inclusive participation of youth in county development initiatives and called for gender-sensitive climate policies.
• Representative from the County Executive Committee Member for Water, Environment, and Climate Change, who emphasized the importance of youth-led innovations in advancing water conservation and enhancing climate resilience.

A section of the participants keenly following through the panel discussion during the youth summit.

The summit featured engaging presentations and panel discussions from:

• Dr. Dennis Maina, Director of the Tea Institute, Karatina University
• Mr. Erick Asande, Senior Accountant at KUCCPS who took the participants through KUCCPS operations.
• Prof. Michael Lokuruka, Director of Research, Innovation and Extension, Karatina University

The Vice Chancellor and the PS for Energy interact with student innovators during the exhibition segment of the Sustainability Youth Summit 2025, aimed at empowering youth-driven climate solutions.

Participants showcased their innovations at exhibition booths, displaying a variety of sustainable solutions and technologies developed to address pressing environmental challenges. The exhibitions provided a dynamic space for networking, learning, and exchanging ideas among students, experts, and guests.

The event concluded with a vibrant awards ceremony recognizing outstanding contributions from participants and exhibitors. The best innovations were awarded with trophies as well as certificates of participations.

The 2025 Sustainability Youth Summit not only elevated youth voices in climate discourse but also laid the groundwork for strategic collaborations aimed at equipping the next generation of sustainability champions. The event demonstrated Karatina University’s unwavering commitment to mentoring, empowering, and engaging the youth as key drivers of sustainable development.

The participants pose for a group with the University Management, the Principal Secretary and other guests during the 2025 Sustainability Youth Summit.