Changeworker of the Week #37: Veronica Mulenga Making Climate Education Accessible for All

For Veronica Mulenga, climate education is more than information. It is empowerment.

As a Climate Educator from Zambia, Veronica works to make climate conversations more accessible, relatable, and engaging especially for communities most affected by the climate crisis.

Through the #MyPieceForChange campaign, we invite people to share their unique contributions to collective transformation. This series exists to honor their stories, amplify their voices, and connect them with a wider community of like-minded peers. Today, we’re honored to introduce our Changeworker of the Week: Veronica Mulenga whom we had the pleasure of interviewing for this special spotlight.

What’s your piece for change?

My piece for change is climate education. I work to make climate conversations more accessible, relatable and engaging, especially for people and communities most affected by the climate crisis. To help them better understand the climate crisis, and why it matters to our lives and futures.

What inspired you to begin this work or stay committed to it?

The 2015 drought in Zambia was what first opened my eyes to the climate crisis. At the time, I didn’t fully understand why it was happening, but learning about climate change changed the way I saw the world. Staying committed comes from knowing that in vulnerable communities like ours, climate change affects lives, livelihoods, and futures. What keeps me going is the hope that change is still possible.

What’s one hope or vision you hold for the future?

I hope for a future where climate education is accessible to everyone, regardless of where they come from. I want more people to understand the climate crisis, care about it, and feel empowered to take action together.

What support or connection are you currently looking for?

I’m looking to connect with people and organizations who care about climate education, and community change. I’m also seeking opportunities, mentorship and support that can help me grow my work and reach more people.

What’s one thing about your field or topic you wish more people knew, considered, or acted on?

I wish more people understood that climate education is powerful. Conversations matter, and educating even one person can create a ripple effect. The more we talk openly about the climate crisis, the more awareness, action, and community we can build together.

What practices, tools, or resources have supported you most on your changework journey?

I never really learned about the climate crisis in school, so a lot of my understanding came from researching on my own. Documentaries, books, and films played a huge role in helping me learn and connect the dots. Works like Years of Living Dangerously, Before the Flood, and How to Blow Up a Pipeline shaped the way I think about climate change, activism and systems. Beyond media, on-the ground community work, workshops and climate education spaces have been the most meaningful part of my journey. Social media is a powerful tool for awareness, but real change happens through conversations, organizing and educating people directly in our communities.

Can you share a moment or experience that deeply shaped the way you approach change today?

Learning about the climate crisis and realizing how deeply unequal its impacts are shaped the way I approach change today. Seeing vulnerable communities suffer the most, despite contributing the least to the problem, made me understand that climate justice is also about people, fairness, and protecting livelihoods and futures.

What collective shift do you believe is needed for meaningful change to happen and what gives you hope that it’s possible?

I believe meaningful change requires systems change and stronger collective action. Individual actions matter, but we also need governments, industries, institutions, and communities to work together and take responsibility. What gives me hope is seeing more young people speaking up, organizing, educating others, and refusing to stay silent about the climate crisis.

How do you take care of your own energy or wellbeing while doing this work?

I try to balance activism with things that bring me peace and joy outside of the work. I love music, especially piano music, being in nature, artwork and spending time near water, mostly the beach. Resting and taking care of my mental health are also important to me, it’s not always perfect, especially while dealing with anxiety, but I try to give myself space to recharge and stay grounded.

Where can people learn more about your work or connect with you?

People can connect with me through my social media platforms:

• Instagram : @veronicamulenga_ and @youthclimatesavezambia
• Linktree: @veronicamulenga
• TikTok : veronicamulenga_

The Parayma community is rooted in authentic, supportive relationships. 

Veronica’s changework reminds us that education is not passive, it is transformative.

Because every conversation has the potential to shift awareness, inspire action, and strengthen community.

Thank you, Veronica, for your powerful #PieceForChange.

If you are helping create a more informed, just, and sustainable future, we invite you to share your story and join the movement.