On 13th March, Safe Space Development Foundation (SHADEF) conducted a Comprehensive awareness program at SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTRE, UYO, focusing on climate change education, environmental pollution, and the establishment of the Young Environmentalists Club (YEs) Club. The program’s goal was to raise awareness among students living with disabilities about environmental challenges and ways that they can mitigate their effects.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” — Albert Einstein
Upon arrival, the team from SHADEF, led by Director Comrade Evelyn Eyo, was warmly received by the School Principal, Vice Principal, and other teaching staff of the school. Comrade Evelyn Eyo delivered an insightful session on climate change that refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns, emphasizing the importance of diligent actions to environmental protection and climate justice. She also spoke briefly on the deliberate efforts of human actions that bring about climate change including the burning of fossil fuel, plastic pollution, and deforestation. She focused on the effects of climate change, and the responsible and appropriate use of plastics, which includes recycling, reducing, and reusing them to create less plastic in the environment and eventually eliminating plastics. There was an interesting conversation during which the students actively participated and showed that they were keen to learn more about plastics.
To be an agent of change in the environment, SHADEF established the Young Environmentalist Club as part of the intervention for sustainable initiatives and an environment free from plastic waste. Mr. Wisdom Edem took over as the YEs Club’s head, and SHADEF appointed a committed group of student executives to manage its operations. Every month on the first Thursday, club meetings are planned to include interactive projects and instructive lectures.
To sum up, the program ended with staff and students expressing their gratitude for a successful awareness and sensitization program. The program gave students useful knowledge and gave them the tools they need to actively participate in environmental conservation initiatives as change agents.
“I want people like me to see that they shouldn’t let a disability get in the way. I want to raise awareness—I want to turn my disability into ability.” — Susan Boyle
