Meet Howey Ou, China's version of Greta Thunberg

Known as Ou Hongyi in China, she has faced run-ins with police and harsh online criticism

Last updated: August 17, 2020 | 12:38

AFP and Compiled by Christian Borbon, Senior Web Editor

2 MIN READ

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While most of her peers are preparing for university or enjoying summer vacation, 17-year-old Howey Ou is braving intimidation and criticism in China to save the world from climate catastrophe.

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She was inspired by Swedish teenage climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, and held her own week-long solo protest in May last year outside her local government buildings, gaining international recognition.

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While Thunberg has addressed global leaders at the UN Climate Action Summit and received awards for her work, the Chinese activist has been kicked out of school for refusing to give up her campaigning.

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Known as Ou Hongyi in China, she has also faced run-ins with police, family pressure, and harsh online criticism.

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After her protest outside the government offices, she started planting trees in the surroundings of Guilin, the southern Chinese city where she lives, and studied methods of non-violent protest, poring over the works of Mahatma Gandhi.

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She has also tried to recruit more young people to join her cause, but most of the time she is a lone figure, carrying hand-painted placards as people walk by, oblivious.

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As her campaigning attracted more attention, Ou chose to move out of her family home - highly unusual for a minor in China - and now lives alone at a hostel in Guilin.

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Ou has thousands of followers on social media but has struggled to find wider support within China. Last summer she travelled solo around the country on a shoestring, meeting with environmental NGOs and activists.

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Ou believes the Chinese public are either ignorant or dismissive of the climate crisis, but she still hopes to build a youth movement, like her idol Thunberg. | Howey OU paints some signs and placards at her hotel in Guilin.

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"There are many young Chinese people who may only need a bit of encouragement to bravely step forward. But if my voice does not reach them... we can't unite," she said. "So right now I am trying my hardest to make sure my voice gets heard."

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