Ecofeminism in action: Marie Christina Kolo’s fight for sustainability in Madagascar
- Karla Yunupingu
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
In the face of Madagascar’s growing ecological fragility, Marie Christina Kolo has emerged as a bold and strategic voice in the global sustainability movement. From founding Green N Kool, a social enterprise transforming waste into opportunity, to confronting ministers at international climate forums, Kolo’s work exemplifies how climate resilience, gender justice, and grassroots innovation can intersect to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
Born in Ambodirano in 1989, Kolo began her environmental activism as a child protesting local industrial pollution. After earning a master’s degree in humanitarian project management in Paris, she returned home to lead one of Africa’s most dynamic ecofeminist movements.
Transforming waste and water scarcity into solutions
In 2016, Kolo launched Green N Kool, a circular economy initiative that builds playgrounds and community spaces from recycled materials and produces eco-friendly goods that support schools and vulnerable communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the enterprise developed Alt. Soap, a no-rinse handwash made from used cooking oil, responding to a dual crisis of hygiene and water scarcity. The product gained national support after Kolo’s team won Madagascar’s first public hackathon and partnered with the Ministry of Water and Sanitation.
These innovations respond to critical sustainability challenges in Madagascar, where over 70% of the population lives in poverty, and severe droughts have pushed more than a million people into food insecurity.
Amplifying climate and gender justice
Through Ecofeminism Madagascar, an online platform co-founded in 2018, Kolo shines a light on the often-overlooked link between climate change and gender-based violence. Her advocacy extends to international arenas: at COP25, she publicly challenged Madagascar’s environment minister for excluding young voices, and in 2021 at COP26, she addressed UN Secretary-General António Guterres directly on the issue of climate-induced famine in the south.
Kolo’s leadership bridges grassroots organising with high-level policy discourse, highlighting how marginalised voices can shape global climate strategies when given the platform.
Green livelihoods and circular empowerment
Her model of eco-entrepreneurship provides sustainable income and skill-building for vulnerable women, including survivors of violence and former sex workers. Workshops produce biodegradable masks, reusable menstrual products, and bamboo straws, offering both ecological benefit and social reintegration.
Furthermore, fuel bricks made from agricultural waste reduce dependence on charcoal, helping combat deforestation, while biogas and soap production recycle waste that would otherwise pollute local ecosystems.
Building sustainable systems in fragile democracies
Kolo’s approach offers a scalable blueprint for addressing multiple SDGs simultaneously. It roots innovation in local context, responding to Madagascar’s specific environmental, economic, and gender-based challenges, while connecting these efforts to international policy frameworks.
Her recognition, including the WWF Africa Youth Award, Martine Anstett Human Rights Prize, and inclusion in BBC’s 100 Women in 2022, reflects the growing acknowledgment of grassroots leaders in shaping global sustainability pathways.
The global society’s role in local change
Marie Christina Kolo’s work illustrates the importance of global collaboration in empowering local actors. International partnerships have amplified her innovations, while global platforms have provided visibility for her advocacy. Yet her success stems from a bottom-up model that aligns with community needs—not external donor agendas.
As the world edges closer to the 2030 SDG deadline, her story reminds us that real impact begins at the intersection of justice, environment, and empowerment.
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