Back to Headlines
Sports
May 12, 2026
Analyzed by GPT OSS 120B

Kenyan Rugby Star Kevin Wekesa Champions Climate Action with Play Green

AI Summary
Kenyan rugby sevens star Kevin Wekesa is using his platform to highlight climate injustices, launching the Play Green initiative that links sport with climate action. His efforts include cutting single‑use plastic in Kenyan rugby, planting thousands of trees, and engaging schools across Kenya.

Kevin Wekesa’s Climate Call from the Rugby Pitch

Kevin Wekesa, a 25‑year‑old Kenyan rugby sevens Olympian, argues that climate change is already affecting sport at the grassroots level. He notes that while most climate voices come from North America and Europe, Kenyan athletes are confronting rising heat, cracked pitches, and erratic weather daily.

Founding Play Green and Tackling Plastic in Kenyan Rugby

In 2024, ahead of his debut at the Paris Olympics, Wekesa founded Play Green, an organisation that connects sport with climate action. The programme supplies schools with rugby equipment, promotes reusable water bottles, and campaigns to ban single‑use plastic in Kenyan clubs and upcoming events such as the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Quantifying the Impact: 1,000 Plastic Bottles Saved Weekly and 6,200 Trees Planted

  • 1,000 single‑use plastic bottles saved each week by the men’s and women’s national sevens teams.
  • 6,200+ fruit trees planted across 40+ schools, providing shade, nutrition, and carbon sequestration.
  • Workshops delivered in 10 schools during May, with plans to expand further.

Why Kenyan Sport and Communities Are Feeling Climate Injustices

Play Green’s education focus highlights that Kenyan children, despite a low per‑capita carbon footprint, face disproportionate climate impacts—drought, floods, heatwaves, and food insecurity. By turning students into active participants—planting trees, conserving water, and sharing climate knowledge—Wekesa aims to shift the narrative from victimhood to empowerment.

Future Outlook: Scaling Play Green Across Africa and Influencing Policy

Wekesa is meeting with Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, to embed plastic‑reduction policies in the 2027 AFCON. He envisions a cascade effect: eliminating plastic in Kenyan rugby clubs, inspiring other sports, and eventually shaping national environmental legislation.