AMARACHI NWUNELI (AMARA)
NIGERIA, 17
She/Her
Project: Preserve Our Roots (POR)
After a flood devastated her community in 2020, Amara founded Preserve Our Roots (POR) — a global movement dedicated to restoring and protecting the environment, while uplifting the stories of those impacted by climate change. POR has engaged 3,500+ young volunteers in reforestation and flood relief efforts, and impacted over 15,000 people across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, the USA, and the UK through grassroots action and educational storytelling campaigns. In 2024, Amara launched the G.R.E.E.N. Initiative, transforming urban sites into sustainably-built, educational green spaces to foster environmental responsibility and collective action. Recently named the 2025 Africa Awardee by The Earth Prize, Amara received $12,500 to build the first G.R.E.E.N. park in Lagos. She envisions these spaces as hubs for experiential learning and climate innovation, inspiring a global shift towards sustainable urban living, youth leadership, and powerful storytelling.
Check out Amara’s work here: LinkedIn