Anusha Seechurn : the young Earth warrior

Young but determined, Anusha Seechurn, 26, is the voice of the wildlife, of conservation and of all things that are related to planet Earth. Passionate about adventure and agriculture, she is an advocate for various issues including climate change.

By profession, Anusha is an Educator in Agriculture at a specialised pre-vocational school in Moka. She is also the President and co-founder of the NGO Sustainable Agricultural Organisation. The objective of the organisation is to promote sustainable agriculture to achieve the SDG No 2 Zero Hunger. “I love being a teacher as it is gratifying to partake in the personality development and growth of students. Moreover, this noble job allows me to impart my knowledge to help students develop technical skills in agriculture, and at the same time, leave a legacy for young leaders. Besides, I train children in bio agriculture at Le Velo Vert,” she shares.

Being passionate about climate change advocacy, she joined the Climate Leaders Initiative.  She also founded the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Mauritius to promote early detection and break the taboo that men also get breast cancer. Recently she has graduated in Civic Leadership at the Young African Leaders' Initiative (YALI).

Why environment and agriculture?

Being an ardent lover of nature, she wanted to study something related to environmental protection, forests, natural resource conservation, plants and animals.

Therefore, she opted for a BSc in Agriculture with Specialisation in Land & Water Management.  “After my first year, I was convinced that this is my vocation as to sustain life we need the primary basic need which is food. More agriculture refers to having more food, sustainable production leading to food security. We have a colossal challenge of feeding 9 billion people by 2050, as stated by the Food and Agricultural Organisation.”

She trusts that standing up for the environment is one of the most rewarding things one can do right now. She strongly believes in the saying of Barack Obama that we are the first generation to experience the effect of Climate Change and the last who can do something about it. “Nature is of paramount interest to me, so militate to conserve it became a passion. Being a social activist is simply a means for me to be an agent of positivity. I am giving back to my community. There are so many social cues, and taking action will definitely aid in reducing them. Young people can do much more since we have the energy and the powerful tool of social media,” she says. 

She enjoys dedicating her time to worthwhile things and being an environmental and social activist gives her a sense of belonging to this world at the same time she is serving her purpose on Earth.

International platforms and recognition

Anusha has also left her footprints on international platforms. Her voice and her battle have allowed her to participate in highly reputed events around the world. In 2015, she represented Mauritius at the 9th UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris France, a cornerstone event preceding the COP 21. There, she met youths from all UN countries and collaborating with them broadened her outlook as well as deepening her knowledge on world issues. “It was an excellent opportunity for networking and developing team spirit. I presented my group project and I gained much confidence when I received accolades for my innovative idea and public speaking skills.”

During the same year, she participated in the 11th Conference of Youth which was held in Antananarivo Madagascar.  It was her first encounter with islanders of the Indian Ocean. This experience made her even more grateful and grounded about life. This year she was selected by the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and was offered a seat for cohort 8 training in Civic Leadership.  “It has strengthened my personality and brought me stability.  Working with young leaders from the SADC region was an enriching and extraordinary experience.”

“Life is a constant struggle”

“My life is a constant struggle but I enjoy meeting challenges and change them into stepping stones and learning and growth opportunities”, outlines Anusha. From being a bullied student, passing through a difficult and tough teenage hood to an overweight artist and a young teacher, she has strongly faced all. “When I stepped into adulthood, it was a conscious choice to change my life and be the best version of myself. I have always stood out of the crowd and lived on my own terms. That is why I have faced numerous challenges; it is the outcome of wanting to be different and also a test to how much you want what you planned to be. Today I am happy to say that I am living the life I chose, this is the biggest rewards of all the challenges I have been through.”

Her parents are her biggest inspiration. “My parents have set the example of hard work, integrity, altruism, genuineness and sacrifice. They brought my sister and me up very well. They taught us to be independent and how to make good choices. Success is result perseverance and good deeds. My sister inspires me a lot.  She is an air hostess and works very hard. She showed that if you have a will then all is possible. She realised her dream of travelling the world by working as a cabin crew and being a law graduate. She proved that though it is difficult, it is possible.”

Anusha is also the winner of various titles such as

• Top 4 finalists for JCI Young Outstanding Person 2017
• 100 Most Influential Women in Mauritius 2016
• Miss Social Media Miss India Worldwide Mauritius 2015
• 2nd Runner up Jolly Bolly Games 2014
• Best Delegation Model African Union Summit 2014

Women empowerment

Her team and the young lady are working on a women empowerment and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices during YALI. It is a project which she will continue in the Mauritian context and expanding it to the youth. “Mauritius is a beautiful country and a relatively safe place to live. Yet some changes would entail a sustainable and prosperous future for our people. Changes should accentuate that our unity and strength lies in our diversity, eliminate crime, increase road safety as well as empower youth to be action takers and leaders. Mauritius should also become a sustainable island, conserving our remaining 2% of native forest, protecting our ocean and land while give more value to agriculture as we have the best soil type for crop production,” she adds.

Sharing her philosophy about life and motivating others, she advises: “Everything is possible, always believe in the beauty of your most cherished dreams.  Have faith in God and in life.  Life is itself a sine curve, take every step as a learning experience. Seek growth opportunities through a positive outlook on life. Have faith in yourself.  Difficulties are only tests of our resilience, be a problem solver. Everything on Earth is temporary, make the most of each moment. Enjoy the process of self-transformation, because the only constant thing about is that it changes.”