Dr. Alice Ekwu, a GCF TF delegate from the Cross River State, Nigeria, received the “Everyday Hero Award” at the GCF Task Force’s Eleventh Annual Meeting in Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia.
Alice, who has a PhD in Hydrobiology and Environmental Toxicology, has been a Commissioner for Forests and Climate Change of Cross River State, Nigeria for the last 4 years. With a passion in aquatic science and oceanography, she has also taught hydrobiology, water chemistry, and coastal zone management courses at the University of Uyo in Nigeria.
Anyone who has ever met Alice knows how warm and friendly she is. Her positive energy is infectious – her dedication and intelligence is an inspiration for millions of people. But Alice is also a fierce advocate – and an incredibly hard worker. She finds creative solutions and she gets things done. Dr. Alice has been instrumental in promoting the active participation of the indigenous peoples of the Nigerian Cross River State—not only in forest conservation, but also in the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate the effects of climate change. Working with Governor Ayade, she has been able to take Cross River State’s conservation efforts to the next level.
Like all of our previous everyday heroes – Alice is deeply respected by her peers from all of the GCF states and provinces for her judgment and her ability to work with people from many different perspectives. She speaks with great authority and integrity. Like so many of our GCF delegates, Alice has spent years doing the hard, often thankless work that is so important to keep moving their governments and the GCF forward on climate and forests. She stands for Hope and Action in a world that needs so much more of both. It was an honor to celebrate her leadership in Caquetá!