Hope is found in Brighton in Ruth Anslow who co-founded the supermarket called HISBE (How it should be). Can you have a supermarket that honours suppliers well, pays employees living wage as a minimum and that only stocks ethical products?

My story of hope would have to be about surfers not street children who do such incredible work in Mozambique and South Africa. I've met many guys who have come through the programme who've experienced tough upbringings or have had long spells of hardship. Tandel for example is an incredible surfer who grew up on the streets and had a tough upbringing but the programme and surfing really helped him find direction in his life. This is just one of the many kids that have come out of this programme.

When I think of hope I think of collectives who we can look to as role models. For example, the Kayapo, which is an indigenous population in Brazil (around 9000 people) or other indigenous populations, in the Amazon forest who keep fighting big powerful lobbies, to preserve the natural beauty and importance and the biological richness of the Amazon forest. I find it so inspiring and challenging to see the courage it takes to speak up for their rights in countries where their voice is not welcome.

My story of hopefulness, is a boat. And it's not just any boat. It's a Dhow boat made of plastic that's being collected from the beaches and oceans and clad in 30,000 flip flops, which is the footwear of 3 billion people and the most common item found on our beach cleanups in Kenya, The flipi floppy is an icon in East Africa, to advocate for ending single use plastic, and also for for reusing the plastic that's being collected. It is one of the most vibrant, optimistic, icons that makes you smile.

There is so much hopefulness for me as I look at the calibre of fashion designers across Africa. Lucilla Booyzen in South Africa, Adama Ndiaye in Senegal, Gloria Wavamunno in Uganda and Omoyemi Akerele in Nigeria are all moving the fashion industry forward in an exciting way.

My hopeful story is about Leah Penniman who wrote a book called farming while Black which is an excellent read. Leah set up a farm in Albany, New York called Soulfire farm and is an amazing communicator. She particularly talks from a black perspective in terms of the relationship to land and farming in the United States. But again, she does it with this elegance and clarity and force that knocks you off your feet. I feel like no one could not be moved by what she says and what she shares, and some of the things she talks about are extremely challenging for many people, including myself. The work she does at soul fire is about empowering young black indigenous leaders, particularly teaching them how to farm and return to land based activities as a form of healing. It's just created a whole momentum shift in the United States and globally.