Imanam Maqwazima
South Africa, 17
He/Him
Project: Restore the Cape
After wildfires tore through Cape Town, Imanam started Restore the Cape to get young people into the work of restoring the environment. The organization rehabilitates fire-damaged ecosystems by clearing invasive species and replanting indigenous fynbos, with student volunteers doing the restoration alongside hands-on climate education and leadership training. So far, 1,900+ students have restored seven hectares of land, and another 1,300 have learned about climate challenges, ecosystem science, and biodiversity conservation through school workshops and community outreach. Imanam is now working with schools, conservation organizations, and international youth and academic networks to adapt the Restore the Cape framework for schools globally, including through IB CAS programs. Pairing real environmental work with education, the initiative is preparing a generation to act on climate now and protect biodiversity for the long term.