The social side of green

Hey,

Welcome to Green Jobs Rising!

Remember our social media star, Risper Kiama? 

Today we’re catching up with her to hear what it’s really like to sit on a seat thousands were eyeing.

Q: Risper, thousands of people were eyeing this role, yet you got it. How did that moment feel for you?
A: Surreal is the word. This is what I have always wanted to do. I'd say a dream come true. I have always been preparing for such an opportunity by volunteering, attending conferences, workshops, fellowships and even online courses.

Q: What first pulled you into the world of social media, and why choose the green sector of all places? 
A: I had a school project that was being awarded marks on the basis of your social media engagement, so I rallied classmates to engage and after the project I thought maybe I would use the socials to promote my personal projects and it worked. Ever since, I have been a “social media” person. 
Why the green sector? Being a storyteller and having grown up in Nanyuki, a semi arid area, I wanted a way to share my personal story of how climate changed and affected livelihoods and in  pursuit of how and where to share it, I found myself in the green sector.

Q: Walk us through a typical “day in the life.” What is it really like being the person behind our channels? 
A: First, It's fun and fulfilling that I get to do what I love in a field that I love. Managing the channels especially now that they are still new means breaking a dance for a single like or follow on tiktok😂. 
Checking every notification hoping it's a follow. 
Typical day entails checking how many followers we gained overnight😅, analysing how the content is doing, convincing colleagues to shoot them, researching and creating more content. 

Q: If your job had to be summed up in just three emojis, which ones would you go for?
A:
😂(Laughing because it's fun)
😭(crying because there are days I'll pour my heart, invest 3 hrs editing a video then get 1 like and 3 views) 
♾️(Infinity because it is a continuous learning process. I am always learning)

Q: Imagine the green jobs universe had a special gift just for you: infinite creativity, viral engagement, or a community that never stops growing. Which one are you picking? 
A: Huh! This is a hard one, but I'll go for community. With a community,  even if a social media account gets hacked or shut down it's very easy to rebuild or even redirect your community to another platform. Not to say the others are not important but a community is the dream and end goal of every creator so if I'm handed that as a gift why not. 

Q: Long content days happen. Are you team coffee, tea, or something else to power through? 
A: Team coffee all day every day, with a sprinkle of chocolate.

Q: What is one myth about green careers you wish more young people understood?
A: That they are real and not just a “donor and funding” thing. Many young people tend to believe that green jobs are “foreigners" kinda thing giving donations to Africans.

Q: And for anyone dreaming of working in green communications, what is the one skill you think they should master first? 
A: Beyond technical skills, have good communication skills, Learn to express yourself confidently, to present yourself.