08/13/2024

Young people drive restoration acitvities in schools

A group picture of boys and girls
Chibweya Youth club members and their two advisors.

Through the IKI-funded Alliance for Restoration of Forest Ecosystems in Africa (AREECA), young people in Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi and Rwanda are becoming champions of environmental stewardship. By integrating restoration activities into schools and communities, AREECA is creating a generation capable of protecting and restoring natural resources, to ensure a sustainable future.

Growing a greener future: Malawi's youth take action

A large number of students are crowded into one place at a school in Malawi
Students at Chibweya Primary School interacting with FAO and government officers during monitoring of tree planting activities at the school.

In Malawi’s Ntcheu District, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Malawi are harnessing the energy and enthusiasm of of young people to combat environmental degradation under the AREECA programme. With 80 per cent of Malawi's population under the age of 35, engaging young people in sustainable practices is vital. AREECA has transformed 11 primary and two secondary schools into centres of environmental education and action.

Students, trained in forest restoration, have planted 5000 seedlings on their school grounds. In partnership with Youth Net and Counselling (YONECO), activities such as tree planting, manure making, and environmental management are integrated into school programmes. The project has reached 4283 students with important restoration messages. As 14-year-old Eveness from Chibweya Primary School remarked, “This tree planting exercise is good for us as we remind ourselves of what we learn in class and can use this knowledge as we grow up.”

Key achievements include 200 hectares under restoration on school grounds and 80 per cent of students gaining essential knowledge about forest and landscape restoration. Beyond schools, AREECA supports youth at the community level. The Chibweya Youth Club, established in 2022, is an example of this impact. With 20 members from four villages, the club has planted 2900 trees and is expanding into honey production as a sustainable livelihood.

Youth in Loitokitok: Pioneers of environmental conservation with WWF Kenya

A group picture of young people. In the background are WWF flags.
A picture of WWF-Kenya staff with a group of youth from Kenya Medical Training institute just before they planted trees.

A dynamic movement is emerging in Loitokitok, Kenya, driven by the passion of young people and the expertise of WWF Kenya. This collaboration, under the AREECA project, aims to educate and engage young people in forest conservation and contribute to Kenya's ambitious 15 billion tree-growing strategy.

A group of young trees
Some of the trees planted in 2021 all grown.

The initiative began at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Loitokitok, where students, guided by AREECA, planted the first trees in 2021. Since then, more than 10,000 trees have been planted. Dr. John Kioko, Programme Coordinator for WWF Kenya's Amboseli/Chyulu Sub-landscape, emphasized, "Today, we continue this legacy with the youth of Loitokitok, who represent the future stewards of our natural resources."

Young volunteers are actively involved in tree planting activities, planting saplings of white bottlebrush, red bottlebrush, African wild olive, casuarina, and African acacia. Efforts extend beyond the college grounds to places such as Kimana Chapel and Tuele Children's Home. The initiative is gaining momentum, with the youth of Loitokitok becoming the driving force behind a movement that is inspiring others. 

The youth of Loitokitok have proven themselves true champions of environmental conservation, and we at WWF Kenya are honored to stand alongside them.
Dr. John Kioko, Programme Coordinator for WWF Kenya's Amboseli/Chyulu Sub-landscape

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