By Daniella Samura, Communication Officer
Tacugama Community Outreach Program (TCOP)
“It’s the little things citizens do that will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.”
(Wangari Maathai).
Environmental education is a crucial aspect of modern-day education which aims to raise awareness and educate individuals about the importance of preserving the natural environment and its resources. It plays a vital role in promoting environmental literacy, which is the understanding of how the natural world works and how human activities impact the environment. The purpose of environmental education is to lead to positive social and behaviour change in order to create a society that is conscious of its actions, and is aware of the impacts they have on the environment. Environmental education also aims to promote sustainability, which is the ability of the environment to maintain its natural balance and support human life over an extended period. This is accomplished through a variety of methods, including classroom instruction, hands-on experiences, community outreach programs, educational campaigns, etc. Like many organizations focused on creating environmental awareness globally, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary (TCS) has taken multiple strides to teach Sierra Leoneans about environmental protection. We have launched our environmental education programs. We are still implementing multiple awareness projects, and also working with different demographics all over Sierra Leone.
Tacugama Kids Environmental Education Program (TKEEP) has been operating for over ten (10) years. TKEEP aims to increase sensitization and environmental awareness in primary schools, and give pupils the life skills to solve the environmental issues of the future. This programme has been successful in 12 schools around the Western Area Peninsular National Park (WAPNP) and other rural schools from Moyamba, Tonkolili, Karen And Pujehun Districts. Currently the program involves over 900 students and distributes exciting and comprehensive environmental curricula, while also facilitating hands-on learning experiences for the students. TKEEP is operating in over 40 schools across the country. We prioritize working with schools in rural and smaller communities who have traditionally used the forest reserve to support their livelihoods. The main purpose of TKEEP is to create an understanding of the importance of the forest and generate interest for its protection. The forest plays a crucial role in ensuring clean water supply for the country and is coming under increasing threat from excessive human activity such as construction of roads and houses. TKEEP teaches in accordance with the national curriculum and includes an introduction to ecosystems and habitats, tropical rainforests, the water cycle, pollution, biodiversity and wildlife of the WAPNP. It also discusses themes like conservation, logging, hunting and bushmeat trade. The lessons are taught using participatory methods, fun and games. At TCS, we believe that changes start with children, so that is why we work with them to spread the environmental message. According to Sem Van Loon, the Education Coordinator at TCS, environmental education is important because it creates awareness about the consequences of deforestation and hunting bushmeat. In the communities we work, a lot of kids and adults don’t know that it is illegal to hunt for bush meat and deforestation causes a lot of environmental hazards and is a key contributing factor to climate change. She stated that the information the children get from our environmental education sessions do not only impact their lives and decisions, but also those that are close to them (relatives and community members).
Roots and Shoots is a youth leadership program started by Dr. Jane Goodall in Tanzania. It has gained momentum across the globe and now exists in over 50 countries and is growing. This program is intended to engage young adults to be exposed to a variety of environmental topics through a range of activities. For the TCS Roots & Shoots Program, each month is assigned a different theme e.g. November is “Waste & Pollution” and participants are guided through different practical activities, debates and discussions to fully comprehend the theme at hand. Throughout the year, participants are encouraged to take action so they can raise awareness, create community events and engage people themselves. There are now eighteen (18) TCS Roots and Shoots clubs across Sierra Leone. Noah Conteh, a Roots and Shoots Coordinator at TCS, said the nature club is very important because it encourages young people around the world to be agents of environmental change. He stated that by participating in environmental projects, they will be able to effect change in their various communities which helps to keep the environment and the animals that live within safe.
Environmental education plays a vital role in preserving our ecosystem. Through individual action, collective effort, and grassroots education, we will be able to unanimously impact positive change in our environment, which in turn will help us benefit from our ecosystem and its resources whilst preserving it. Let this quote from Wangari Maathai (a Kenya environmentalist and Nobel Peace Laureate) serve as a constant reminder to protect our environment as responsible citizens “It’s the little things citizens do that will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.”
