Campaigning for world leaders to act on climate change since she was 15 years old.
As a toddler, Bella loved to go on adventures in her garden and watch the ants scurry and the snails glide as they went about their day-to-day life. When Bella grew older, her admiration and passion for nature continued – only now, she was able to venture wider than her garden. She travelled to other places, watched videos, read books and searched the Internet to see and learn about animals.
Bella discovered Sir David Attenborough’s videos and was in awe of his amazing work. She started writing him letters with questions and he would reply. Bella developed a special passion for Great Apes and was fascinated by the fact that we humans are really just another species of Great Ape.
When Bella was 11 years old, she watched a video about deforestation. She was horrified to learn that cutting down rainforests was causing Orangutans to lose their homes and die. ‘How could it be that we humans felt entitled to destroy the homes of an animal so closely related to us?’ she thought to herself. This marked the start of Bella’s campaigning. A few weeks later she spoke in an assembly at her school to encourage her classmates to join her in the fight against deforestation. She also set up a Twitter account to reach other young people who didn’t go to her school. And she hosted fundraisers such as lemonade stands to raise money for charities combatting deforestation.
Bella’s latest endeavour has been co-founding the charity Reserva. Reserva has a vision to create the first youth-funded nature reserve in the Choco rainforest in Ecuador, helping children and young adults raise money.
Bella believes that young people are in a perfect position to act. In 2021, Bella received the Points of Light award from the Prime Minister, recognising the change she is making. She says, ‘I think young people have an advantage – it’s rarer for them to be speaking out so when they do, people generally stop and listen.’
Campaigning for access to clean water for Canada’s indigenous communities since she was 8 years old.
Raising awareness of the effects of the Syrian civil war and calling for peace since she was 6 years old.
Challenging the representation of girls and women in society since she was 11 years old.
Running a marathon in 10 days to raise money for homeless people when he was 7 years old.
Fundraising for the farmers whose incomes have been affected by drought in Australia since he was 11 years old.
Inspiring girls to learn about and aspire to work in science and technology subjects since she was 16 years old.
Creating and growing a bank that helps children save money by recycling since he was 12 years old.
Designing technology to supply electricity and water without emitting greenhouse gases since he was 15 years old.
Campaigning for the banning of plastic bags in Bali since they were 10 and 12 years old.
Designing a solar powered ironing cart to reduce charcoal burning in India since she was 12 years old.
Petitioning for schools to give children reusable water bottles since he was 7 years old.
Campaigning for people and businesses to stop using single-use plastics since they were 10 and 12 years old.
Set up organisations supporting cancer patients, people in poverty, and promoting golf in young black girls, since she was 10 years old.
Saving the lives of hundreds of hedgehogs in the UK since they were 9 years old.
Campaigning to promote proper battery disposal and recycling since he was 10 years old.
Campaigning for people and businesses to stop using single-use plastics since they were 10 and 12 years old.
The world’s youngest sustainability advocate – working to make the world a better place since she was 3 years old.
Solving the problem of water contamination using science and technology since she was 11 years old.
