2 young Filipinas among National Geographic Society's 2020 Young Explorers
Two young Filipino women are breaking barriers for being recognized by the prestigious National Geographic Society for their respective initiatives in addressing some of the world’s most complex and pressing issues to date.
Youth advocate Josefa Tauli and farmer-entrepreneur Louise Mabulo were among the 24 young change makers around the globe who made it to the 2020 Young Explorer Program of the National
Geographic Society.
Belonging to the KankanaeyIbaloi Igorot ethnic group in the Cordillera region, Tauli is a member of the Steering Committee of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, a platform for youth participation in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
Aside from championing biodiversity, the 25-year-old lady from Baguio also uses her platform in promoting the rights of indigenous peoples (IPs).
“Being named a Young Explorer means being in a community of young people who are also very passionate about fighting for a better future for people and nature, while being supported by an organization that has a similar vision,” Tauli said.
Bringing extraordinary people together
Since 1888, the National Geographic Society has brought together extraordinary individuals from around the world.
This batch of Fall 2020 National Geographic Young Explorers, with ages between 17 and 25 years old, are representing 15 countries. They are one in promoting advocacies on nature and biodiversity conservation, food insecurity, climate change, and access to quality education, among other topics.
Capacity building for IPs
“This opportunity provides funding for our projects, fosters connections, and amplifies our work, all of which are very valuable to support young people and youth-led initiatives,” Tauli said.
“Particularly for me, the project that National Geographic will be supporting is an initiative that aims to build capacity among indigenous peoples of all ages, but especially indigenous youth, to engage in decision-making and implementation for environmental and community well-being at local, national, and international levels,” she said.
Promoting Filipino farmers
On the other hand, 22-year-old Mabulo is the founder of The Cacao Project, a social venture aimed at equipping farmers for sustainability, ensuring food security, and establishing resilient livelihoods.
“I recall feeling so much honor to be recognized by the National Geographic Society, and knowing that I could move forward with the advocacies I believe in knowing that I would be supported by an institution that shares our goals and visions for the future,” Mabulo said.
The young advocate shared that being part of the National Geographic Young Explorers and #GenGeo will further bolster her plans to cultivate resilient and biodiverse agro-forests in the Philippines.
“I plan to use this platform to promote local Filipino farmers and cultivate resilience through sustainable and regenerative farming practices among local cultivators— allowing farming to continue to preserve our ecosystems,” she said.
As the Philippines celebrates the National Women’s Month this March, Mabulo and Tauli are among exemplary Filipino women who have brought pride to the country for their initiatives in improving the lives of their fellowmen and their community.
Global commitment for people and nature
The future is also expected to be bright for these young Filipinas as their recognition will surely expand their horizon, and open countless possibilities for their advocacies and projects.
“I am very much looking forward to continuing to contribute my time and skills to the capacity development, empowerment, and mobilization of diverse youth for a more sustainable and equitable planet, not just through this opportunity but also through the activities we do at the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN),” Tauli said.
“We at GYBN are also actively bringing youth voices into the wider process of developing the next global diversity framework under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, which will be a significant stepping stone in terms of global commitment for people and nature,” she added.
For her part, Mabulo intends to transform the way people approach food systems, and deconstruct the way farming industry is viewed in society.
“What if we could harness the power of our forests to create equitable and resilient livelihoods for farmers?” she said.
“I believe we can empower Filipino farmers to be the stewards of the environment and build resilient livelihoods that benefit both people and planet,” she added.