Led by the Enlite Youth Group from Gambella, a youth-managed tree nursery is playing a key role in restoring the Gambella Wetland in Meru County, Kenya. By producing native seedlings for wetland and landscape rehabilitation, the nursery links restoration with income for young people, who are earning from seedling sales while building practical conservation skills.

The Gambella Wetland sits between the water-rich Mount Kenya highlands and the arid lowlands. It is a dry-season refuge for wildlife, pastoralists, and farming communities. In recent years, rapid land-use change and groundwater abstraction have strained this fragile system, reducing water availability and intensifying competition among users.

Situated between the water-rich highlands of Mount Kenya and the arid lowlands, the Gambella Wetland is a critical source of water for wildlife, pastoralists, and farming communities—especially during dry seasons. Rapid land-use change and increased groundwater extraction have placed growing pressure on this fragile ecosystem, threatening water availability for both people and nature.

By linking youth leadership, tree nurseries, and wetland restoration, the initiative strengthens local ownership, builds conservation skills, and supports long-term ecosystem recovery. Implemented by CETRAD in partnership with the Wyss Academy for Nature, and in collaboration with local communities, Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs), and government institutions, the project demonstrates how nature-based solutions can deliver lasting ecological and socio-economic benefits.

Watch to see how youth-led action is helping restore the Gambella Wetland while creating opportunities for the next generation.

The video above is produced by CETRAD, directed by Beverline Isaboke