The environmental organisation Owe2 Green Economy is committed to empowering people, conserving the environment and promoting sustainability. It aims to create a green carbon-caring society, where the most vulnerable are empowered to be leaders and agents of change, contributing to a sustainable future for the planet. Owe2 Green Economy was started in 2017, just after the Paris Agreement was signed, in reaction to the climate crisis. Chief executive Nkosinathi Hlabeni has a team of 17 members, who are all volunteers. By connecting and equipping the people who are most affected they aim to create a conducive environment for sustainable development. Owe2 raises awareness and holds workshops about climate change, the circular economy, recycling, upcycling and waste management. In addition, the team teaches through storytelling and they have planted more than 1 556 trees in Poortjie. They also preserve and protect local cultural heritage sites. Owe2 Green Economy recently launched a women’s empowerment platform in mining-affected communities, boosting them through education, advocacy and environmental stewardship. It also facilitates social labour programmes for DRDGold and Sibanye-Stillwater in Far West Rand.
Greatest achievements
- Being mentored by the Federation for a Sustainable Environment.
- Planting over 1 556 trees in Poortjie in just a year.
- Being part of the Citizens Science State of Rivers Report.
- Being part of the final draft of the US Embassy visit to sewage pollution sources in South Africa.
- Facilitating social labour plans for Sibanye-Stillwater and DRDGOLD in the Far West Rand communities.
- Represented our mining communities and monitored the tailings in the Far West Rand under the Bench-Marks Foundations.
What message or advice would you give to future generations?
Take care of our planet as if your life depends on it, because it does. Every action you take to protect nature, no matter how small, is a step toward a thriving, green future. Keep our rivers clean, our soil rich and our air clear, so that you, and those after you, can live in a world where nature isn’t a luxury but a guarantee. Our future is green, but it’s only there if we build it together, starting now.