Biography
Ikal, a grassroots Indigenous rights activist, is deeply committed to increasing the participation of Indigenous grassroots groups. Her work focuses on the nexus of water, energy, and economic justice, land and territorial struggles, and the political ecology of ever-changing Indigenous landscapes. She tirelessly works to empower these groups, especially women and youth, in demanding access, control, and decision-making within their territories.
She won the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2012 for her environmental justice work to protect Lake Turkana, its ecosystem, and the communities. Currently a PhD Candidate, she is exploring Land Formalization and Neoliberal policies that enable Commodification and dispossession of Turkana’s pastoral commons. Ikal holds a master’s in Public Policy from SUNY Stony Brook and a Degree in Finance from the University of Nairobi.