Menita Mpokonyeki Kupano

Menita Kupano is a conservationist and social innovator from Kenya, and co-founder of Green Earth Warriors, a grassroots organisation restoring dryland ecosystems in Laikipia and Isiolo through community-led approaches.

He holds a BSc in Biology from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Social Innovation from the University for Peace (Costa Rica), merging science, Indigenous knowledge, and systems thinking to address land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate vulnerability. Growing up in the Maa pastoralist community shaped his belief that lasting conservation must be driven by local people.

He leads projects that link ecological restoration with livelihoods, including the Elephant Mushroom Initiative, which turns elephant dung into a substrate for growing oyster mushrooms. He also supports community-led ecological monitoring, collaborates with partners like Wyss Academy for Nature and Bioversity International, and mentors youth and women in restoration leadership.

This fellowship aligns with his commitment to conservation that is just, locally owned, and regenerative. He is excited to learn from peers, exchange ideas, and scale community-centred solutions for people and nature.