Pupils of the Yameriga primary school in the Talensi district have shared knowledge with parents about some practices that destroy the environment. The pupils mentioned human activities such as bushfires, illegal logging, and illegal gold mining, among others, as examples of activities that have an impact on climate change.
The pupils have sensitised their parents through art exhibitions. The drawings and poster works that were colourfully painted by the students depicted how the above-mentioned human activities have consequences for the environment and human lives.
Divine Duunzor, a class six pupil of the Yameriga primary school and president of the eco club, drew a picture to depict the causes of drought and how it affects human lives and the environment.
Another pupil, Cindy Samari, a member of the Eco club and in primary 6 in her drawing urged parents to avoid cutting trees saying “we get fruits from some trees like mango, pawpaw and we get medicines or herbs from trees like moringa, neem trees, etc.”
Secretary to the Eco club Anthony Soore who took his turn to explain his drawing to the parents who were seated in one of the classrooms of the Yameriga primary, portrayed in a poster how a vast land was ravaged by bushfires which he said some of the bushfires are caused by either “farmers who cooked but failed to put off the fire or cigarette smoking”
The pupils of Yameriga Primary School were speaking to their parents at a durbar which was organised by the Forum for Natural Regeneration (FONAR). FONAR is an environmental non-governmental organisation that promotes the regeneration of native trees and shrubs, using the Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (Tintug Libge Til) approach.
The NGO, through its funding partner called EKO, a US-based human rights and social justice organisation.
Christopher Pubeng, the Program Officer at FONAR, said FONAR covers 15 primary schools in the district, with 20 pupils forming the Eco Club for each school.
“FONAR in collaboration with the Talensi District Education Office, launched the inter-school FMNR eco club creative art (drawings) competition early this year under the theme: Our Environment is Our Lives. The purpose of the contest was to support the creative expression of our eco club members as young minds, to reflect on critical environmental issues in their communities as they see them”, he added.
He stated that the pupils were used as changemakers to protect the environment, knowing very well the influence they have in their families and communities.
Samuel Bantang, Secretary of the Yameriga FMNR, who is the Parent Teacher Association chairman of the Yameriga primary school, pledged to support the pupils in their advocacy work.
The head teacher of the Yameriga primary school, Asona Jackson, said the Eco School Club is not only inculcating the habit of protecting the environment among the pupils, but its activities will go a long way to improving their academic performance.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Yameriga|Ghana
