Age: 27

Nigeria

Charles (he/him) is a science communicator who fosters public interest in pangolins and their conservation.

How are you using education to build more sustainable and equitable communities?

I founded a nonprofit called Pangolino to foster public and institutional support for pangolin conservation. Pangolino uses art to communicate the science of pangolin conservation and actively engages the public in awareness-raising campaigns.

I also communicate the science of my research to inform better policies for pangolin conservation. For example, I led a piece of research to estimate the number of pangolins involved in Nigeria-linked pangolin scale seizures and then developed a scale converter to make the findings accessible to policymakers, including the Nigeria Customs Service.

In addition to running for 55 km nonstop in a pangolin suit to raise awareness and funds for pangolins, I also lead projects to raise awareness of pangolins and pangolin trafficking among students and adults in southeast Nigeria.

Tell us about your journey to where you are today.

I was born in a rural part of southeast Nigeria. I grew up appreciating the natural world, most of which I saw change drastically by my teenage years. I thus became determined to contribute towards saving the wild animals that were expressly hunted and the rivers that were occasionally poisoned as a means of fishing. I decided to focus on pangolins, a species that continues to fascinate me since first seeing them on television when I was about six. I'm also currently a student at Cambridge University, in the United Kingdom.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME

What makes you most excited to be an EE30U30 awardee?

Meeting and connecting with global changemakers.

What are your hobbies?

Diving, caving, and wildlife spotting.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

To make everyone care about the environment and help them make eco-friendly decisions.

What’s your favorite food to celebrate with?

Jollof rice