Ikal Angelei

Kenyan environmental lawyer stopping destructive dam projects to protect Lake Turkana

Ikal Angelei is a Kenyan environmental and human rights activist whose 2010 campaign successfully halted the construction of the controversial Gibe III Dam. Born in 1971 to the Ogiek indigenous community, she witnessed first-hand the ecological devastation of Lake Turkana - the world's largest desert lake - caused by upstream dam projects. In 2008, she founded the Save Lake Turkana Coalition, mobilizing over 500,000 people across Kenya and Ethiopia through grassroots organizing and international advocacy.

Her efforts led to the 2013 World Heritage Committee's decision to list Lake Turkana as a 'site in danger,' pressuring the African Development Bank to withdraw funding. This victory preserved the lake's ecosystem supporting 500,000+ livelihoods and crucial fish stocks. Angelei's work was recognized with the 2012 Goldman Environmental Prize, often called the 'green Nobel,' and the 2020 Right Livelihood Award.

She has since expanded her advocacy to climate justice issues affecting East Africa's drylands. Her 2018 report here exposed water rights violations in Ethiopia's Omo River Valley, leading to UN Human Rights Council resolutions. As a UNDP climate resilience advisor, she developed early warning systems now used in 12 African nations. Angelei's TED Talk here has over 2 million views, making her a global voice for indigenous environmental stewardship.