‘For me, climate change isn’t just data. It’s my daily life’ - Roy Wasi

Roy Wasi is a teenage climate activist from Solomon Islands who is working to educate his own community and New Zealand youth about the risks of climate change. Photo / Supplied

• Activist Roy Wasi from the Solomon Islands shared climate change impacts with New Zealand students.
• Wasi highlighted rising tides and heavy rainfall affecting communities and children in the Solomons.
• He emphasised the power of stories and collective action through initiatives like World Vision’s 40 Hour Challenge.

When people talk about climate change, they often speak in numbers – sea levels rising by so many millimetres, ice shelves shrinking by centimetres, and temperatures increasing by degrees.

But for me, climate change isn’t just data. It’s my daily life.

It’s not just a story I’m sharing – it’s the reality I live.

I come from Solomon Islands, one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impacts of climate change. And I’ve seen with my own eyes how it affects children, families, and communities, including my own community.

This year, I have been in New Zealand to speak to young leaders about the realities of climate change as part of World Vision’s 40 Hour Challenge.

But this has been more than just a speaking tour. It has been a powerful reminder that our stories – our truths – can change hearts and minds.

What touched me most was the kindness and curiosity of the New Zealand students I met. They asked deep questions. They listened with open hearts.

Some had never heard about the struggles we face in the Solomons – such as how rising tides are swallowing parts of our islands, forcing families to move inland away from their ancestral homes.

Or how heavy rainfall damages crops, floods homes, and cuts off access to schools and basic services, like healthcare.

One moment I’ll never forget was when a student came up to me and said, “I didn’t know. I want to help.”

That simple sentence reminded me why speaking out matters. When people hear the truth from someone who lives it, they begin to understand – and care.

In Solomon Islands, I’ve seen kids walking long distances through floodwaters just to get to school. Islands, that were once home to families, are now sinking beneath the rising tides.

I’ve seen families struggle to grow food in land that’s slowly disappearing under saltwater. I’ve seen my own village worry about what the next few years will bring. But I’ve also seen strength. I’ve seen hope.

I’ve seen people helping one another, and refusing to give up – even in the face of disaster.

This is not just something I read about. It’s my life. It’s our life. When we talk about climate change in the Solomon Islands, we’re not talking about the future – we’re talking about right now.

But my visit to New Zealand teens has shown me that change is possible when we work together.

The World Vision 40 Hour Challenge is more than just a fundraiser – it’s a movement of young leaders standing in solidarity with children around the world.

This experience made me think deeply about the power of connection.

Climate change can feel distant when it’s not happening in your backyard. But when we share real stories – human stories – it brings the issue closer.

What I want New Zealanders to know is this: your voice matters. Your choices matter. Whether it’s speaking up on the need for emissions targets, supporting climate action, or participating in events like the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge – every action helps.

We may come from different islands, but we share the same ocean. The same future. And the same hope – if we act now, we can protect our children, our homes, and our planet.

Tagio tumas. Kia ora rawa atu.

Roy Wasi is a teenage climate activist from Solomon Islands who is working to educate his own community and New Zealand youth about the risks of climate change and the value of joint action.