SCHOOL CHILDREN TAKE ACTION

By Sheila Ngigi

The war against environmental degradation and climate change is one that has been embraced globally by governments, NGO’s, groups and by communities; men, women, youth and children alike. It is now, in the 21^st Century, that the realities of droughts and famines leading to death have been experienced more than ever before.

As such, pupils of Isinya primary school, in standards seven and eight, together with their teachers have not been left behind either.  Their teachers have imparted on these pupils the knowledge that trees are very important to contend with environmental degradation and the effects of climate change, and that the war should be a collective action by each one of us. 
The school’s management got a boost from the Kenya Climate Change Challenge Programme and Healthy Learning to purchase tree seedlings. With motivation and assistance from their teachers, the young children did not question taking up the noble task to plant and tend young tree seedlings upon themselves. As the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine, and these kids, maybe without their knowledge, are saving a lot. After the planting, it has been the duty of each pupil to water and weed around the trees to ensure that his/her tree is growing steadily in addition to their flower gardens.

Children weeding

“We decided to only involve the class eight and seven pupils because they are older and more responsible, with time however, each student will have a plant to attend to everyday,” said Mr. Nyamwaro the school’s head teacher.

About two hundred trees seedlings were planted, and one month down the line, there is hope for their survival. Mr. Enoch, the school’s teacher in charge of environment says that the project has been a great success. 

Children fetching water to water their plants

"The children have been very enthusiastic about the whole thing and have been very consistent in tending the seedlings. This will be a great lesson to their parents and community around and we are glad we are leading by example,” he said proudly.

Isinya being a dryland has borne the effects of land degradation and desertification in a big way and certainly, planting trees is one way of mitigating these effects. For the school, the trees will also act as windbreakers, provide shades for the pupils as they play and their branches will provide for firewood later on which is the main source of cooking energy for many homesteads in this region.

As demonstrated by these children, this fight cannot be won by sheer goodwill and gaining of knowledge. On the contrary, we must harness all efforts and be ready to expend considerable time and resources to see that we succeed and our communities rewarded in full; with enough water, food and their livelihoods protected. As experts knock their heads together in workshops, meetings and summits, we at the ground bear the greatest responsibility, to act after hearing. Let us follow the pupils’ example and do what we can to improve our environment.