A non-governmental organisation, Save the Earth Initiative, with support from Global GreenGrants Funds, has launched Environmental Friendly Clubs in two schools in Cross River State.
This is part of efforts to combat deforestation, reduce carbon emissions and promote environmental sustainability in coastal communities.
The project, described as a pilot scheme, commenced on Monday and Tuesday at Jehovah Shalom African Secondary School in Esuk Ekpo Eyo and Government Primary School, Ikot Okon Okpo, both in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state.
The initiative seeks to mobilise students and communities on the importance of forest conservation, reduce deforestation of mangrove forests, contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation, reduce the vulnerability of communities to coastal erosion and establish environmental clubs in schools.
Speaking during the inauguration of the clubs, the Project Coordinator, Victoria Ukpong, urged the pupils and students to take environmental issues seriously and serve as ambassadors of environmental protection in their communities.
She said the programme was designed to teach children environmental friendliness from an early age and encourage the culture of tree planting.
Ukpong said, “The establishment of environmental friendly clubs is basically among children of primary schools where they would be taught how best to be environmentally friendly from an early age and to let them know the importance of preserving our environment and cultivating the habit of planting trees.”
She explained that the two schools were selected because they are located in coastal communities vulnerable to environmental degradation and climate change impacts.
According to her, the organisation has over the years partnered with several groups to implement environmental education and people-centred projects aimed at promoting sustainable rural communities.
Also speaking, the Programme Coordinator, Ekei Joseph Offiong, said the project would be extended to other forest and coastal communities in the state.
She noted that the initiative was aimed at improving environmental knowledge among pupils and students through awareness creation on climate change and tree planting activities in schools.
Offiong said, “The project is a pilot scheme in the two schools in the state and we intend to extend it to other forest and coastal communities to ensure that the problem of deforestation, carbon emissions and others are reduced.”
Some of the pupils, who were inaugurated as pioneer environmental ambassadors, expressed excitement over the initiative and pledged to champion tree planting and environmental protection campaigns in their schools and communities.
The pupils displayed placards bearing inscriptions such as, “Fight deforestation, stop climate change” and “Support environmental sustainability.”
