Kgosietsile Velempini | North American Association for Environmental Education

Kgosi is an environmental and sustainability educator, and his research focuses primarily on Sub-Saharan Africa and the Appalachian and eastern coastal landscapes in the USA.

About Kgosi's Community Action Project (CAP)

Our project focuses on civic science engagement to improve water quality in the Cape Fear River Basin on North Carolina's coastal plain. I am carrying out this project in collaboration with residents in Dublin City, Bladen County, Cape Fear River Watch, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington. PFAS chemicals have been widely reported in the Cape Fear River. The goal of our project is to use community engagement practices in civic science to examine water quality in the river. We will engage residents in becoming familiar with and using citizen science tools such as the Yellow Spring Instrument (YSI) and the Earth Force Water Monitoring kit. We will conduct semi-structured interviews. YSI and the Monitoring Kit are tools for testing water quality. Residents will use these tools to measure water parameters, such as pH and dissolved oxygen. We will measure water levels at sampled locations in the river basin each month from January to April. We will share the results of the community action project with all stakeholders, including adjacent schools. The project will raise awareness of the importance of water quality and increase local people's expertise in operating water-testing tools.

About Kgosi

I enjoy conducting research with residents and other individuals at the grassroots level. I enjoy studying and protecting natural resources, and imparting knowledge and skills to all stakeholders to strengthen their initiatives for community livelihood development and to ensure a sustainable, pristine environment for all generations.

More About Me

What is your favorite memory of being in nature?

It was in 2021, while walking in the Chobe National Park of Botswana, that I saw an African Buffalo. I got scared, but I did not run or scream as I walked slowly to the offices of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP). The wild animal just steadily gazed at me and did not spring to attack me. Later, I reflected on this encounter and found it important to respect nature and not disturb it.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up?

Truly speaking, I wanted to be a medical doctor specializing in surgery. However, this did not work out because after high school, I was assigned to a remote, rural place in the Kgalagadi district, and it became difficult to submit my applications for admission to the Bachelor of Science program at the University of Botswana.

What (or who) keeps you hopeful for the future?

The Almighty God keeps me hopeful for everything.