Green Scenery Takes Climate Change Education To Schools and Communities In The Western Area Peninsular

Green Scenery Takes Climate Change Education To Schools and Communities In The Western Area Peninsular

On  September 29th  2023, Green Scenery and it’s climate Justice  partners ( CAN- SL, SLAFU, Youth Alliance, EBAFOSA  ),ENFORAC, Conservation Society of Sierra Leone, YARDO-SL,WONAPI -SL, Africa, SLAAFU,CEFCON) and other  organizations   on Climate change advocacy  campaign,  engaged Tombo Community , Russel Technical Scenery School Tombo, in the western Area  Peninsular National Park (WAPNaP) on climate Change mitigation strategies. The objective of the intervention  is to raise the awareness of  Communities    and school on the negative effects  of climate change. The activities  were championed by  the climate change  awareness raising and education Committee established by Green Scenery through the implementation of    TROCAIRE  climate change advocacy campaign supported project.

Tombo is a coastal fishing town, located on the southern coast of the Western Area Rural District of Sierra Leone. The town is approximately 30 miles (49 km) east of Freetown. The major  industries or activities  in the town includes Fishing,  stone, sand  and coal mining. These activities are largely responsible   for environmental risks and climate change in the community. The town  is a major trade and transport hub for fishing boat. As a results of the activities  of  the Tombo inhabitants  , exposés the   community to high  environment risks including climate change.

In 2023,Green Scenery Secured support from  TROCAIRE to roll out climate change advocacy camping in the Western Area Peninsular Park/Forest((WAPNaP)).

Green Scenery Takes Climate Education in Schools The education and awareness raising committee  visited Russel Technical Secondary School and  raised the  awareness of pupils  and teachers  on climate change  and its impacts.  The team further met with group  of young men and women and educates  educate them on Climate Change issues how it is shaping the world, its impact on Sierra Leone as well as Sierra Leone’s contribution to the phenomenon.

In the engagements, key  environmental  issues  were raised and hence characterized as key major factors  largely responsible for climate change .These  includes :deforestation, poor fishing management, coal burning, settlement expansion and rock/stone  mining as key  major activities taking place in the National Park. At the plenary discussions in the community and the school, the key takeaway from the conversation were as follows: the community presented rock mining and flooding, while the school pupils presented deforestation.

A food for thought question raised by a pupil in the Russel School was: ‘’my father is a rock miner and this job is helping him to provide food and support for my school, how do I engage him in this matter?”
The signature message from the team to both community and children school is: ‘’Forest can combat Climate Change. Protect Western Area Peninsular National Park’’.