Catching them Young: SEPSiL Establishes School Nature Clubs in Freetown

In its endeavor to integrate schools into its work, the Society on Environmental Pollution in Sierra Leone (SEPSiL), has commenced the establishment of School Nature Clubs (SNCs) in Freetown. The activity, which started on 2nd through 28th October 2024, was meant to galvanize required support from schools and communities to roll out its education programme targeted at imbibing environmental consciousness among schools and communities, and to trigger appropriate actions to mitigate climate change impacts on vulnerable coastal communities.

The outreach team, led by the Operations Coordinator, Abdul Salfu Conteh, earlier concluded preliminary engagements with heads of schools around Allen Town and its satellite communities in Freetown for the establishment of the clubs. This was followed by several follow-up visits, ensuring proper constitution of the respective clubs’ membership. Each club comprises at least fifteen (15) pupils, with two (2) Teacher Coordinators to guide their operations.

A total of six schools have so far been established, which include Redeemed International Academy, Sierra Leone Muslim Congress, Grace Elizabeth Primary School, Jewels Model Academy, Children in Crisis and Huntingdon Primary and Secondary Schools.

The Executive Director of SEPSiL, Abdul K. Dumbuya encouraged the teachers in one of the schools to support SEPSiL in ensuring that their pupils inculcate and practice proper environmental behaviours. He said, “catching the children at this tender stage and transforming them into environmental ambassadors will assure Sierra Leone of a better environmental future”. The Head Teacher at the Children in Crisis Primary School, Madam Jalloh applauded the initiative and assured SEPSiL of their fullest support and cooperation. “As an administration, we will commit our fullest support to this initiative, making sure our community is also well sensitised about their role in keeping the environment safe for us and our children”, she assured the team.

SEPSiL will continue to establish mores nature clubs across the country to heighten environmental consciousness among communities.

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