Patricia Kombo
Celebrating women across the globe helping to prevent deaths from pesticide self-poisoning.Using strategic communication to inform, educate, and advocate for the elimination of highly hazardous pesticides
Name
Patricia Kombo
Job role
Communications Officer at CEJAD Kenya
Location
Kenya
Tell us about your role?
One of CEJAD’s key advocacy campaigns is the elimination of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) to prevent deaths from pesticide self-poisoning. As a communications officer, I am leveraging social media and other communication tools to raise awareness, advocate for policy changes, and disseminate critical information to the public and stakeholders. Through targeted campaigns, I ensure that at-risk populations, including farmers and rural dwellers, are informed about the dangers of HHPs and introduced to safer alternatives. Additionally, I translate scientific data into accessible messages, making complex information understandable for diverse audiences.
Why is this work important to you?
I am deeply concerned by communities affected by pesticide exposure and mental health challenges. Farmers, rural families, and young people deserve access to safer alternatives and a future where hazardous pesticides are no longer a risk to their health and well-being. What keeps me going is the belief that change is possible. Every policy shift, like decriminalizing suicide in Kenya or recognizing mental issues as a health concern, is a step that ensures life is saved and brings us closer to a world where pesticide self-poisoning is no longer a cause of suicide.
This profile has been compiled for International Women’s Day 2025, to celebrate the incredible women worldwide who are helping to prevent deaths from pesticide self-poisoning.