We Are Nurturers: NGO Takes Climate Education To Nigerian Schools.

Future Savers Sustainable Development Initiative, founded to pursue the very many climate actions targeted at mitigating the effects of climate change in Nigeria.

For the kids, who will be the inhabitants of either a cleaner or polluted planet earth, there is a need to teach them about climate change, its effects and actions targeted at reducing it. While at it, there is also the need to lay hands on practical steps to fight climate change. One of these is #treeplanting, a major project on our work plan.

Tree planting, as confirmed by researchers and scientists, is the cheapest climate action aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change around the world. Through the natural process of photosynthesis, trees absorb CO2 and other pollutants, store the carbon and emit pure oxygen.

Carbon dioxide, the commonest greenhouse gas, aids the heating up of the environment and polar regions by trapping heat which melts huge ice caps, increases ocean levels and therefore results to flooding. The resultant effects of flooding, heating and global warming can be economic, social, medical, agricultural and even political. Apart from rendering people homeless and making them Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) in their lands, floods also destroy crops and plantations rendering the farmers economically powerless for the season.

Climate change, caused by these greenhouse gases, also causes migrations which lead to internal strifes and clashes amongst pastoralists/herders and farmers as seen in Nigeria’s MiddleBelt region.

The health of living organisms too are threatened by climate change as it encourages respiratory and skin diseases. It also affects access to education as only healthy students and teachers will be present in school to impact and gain knowledge respectively.

These, and many more, prompted Future Savers to take the bull by the horn to save the planet earth by teaching them on climate change and taking them through #TreePlanting as one of its model projects.

Days ago, the organization visited schools in five states in Nigeria to teach the kids climate education, laying emphasis on tree planting. Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Rivers and Benue states paid host to volunteers of the organization.

ONDO: Corpus Christi, Akure played host to volunteers from the state. Seven(7) #futuresavers were in the school to teach fifty-seven(57) kids about climate change where they had the privilege to watch the young climate activist, Greta Thunberg, speak about the destruction of the planet and the need for everyone to rise up and defend what’s left of the warming earth.

They were later taken through the process of planting trees by the volunteers who also encouraged them to advise their parents to do the same.

LAGOS: The five(5) volunteers who visited Foursquare Nursery and Primary School, Somolu, Lagos, impacted over sixty(60) pupils who were taught the advantages of a cleaner and cooler environment. These #futuresavers also taught the kids how to plant trees and the practical class was done in the school premises.

RIVERS: In Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, seven(7) #futuresavers were in Ludena International Academy to talk to over 60 students on climate change and the many actions being taken across the world to mitigate the effects. The volunteers were intentional in their approach at converting the kids to climate activists because according to them ‘the planet belongs to you and your actions or otherwise will determine the state of the earth years to come’.

This kids were taught how to plant trees with the reminder that the trees, their new ‘baby’, is a treasure.

EDO: Two(2) volunteers in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, covered two schools in the city, impacting over one-eighty(180) students. The #futuresavers were in Highfliers British International School and Itohan Girls Grammar School. The kids were taken through all the beautiful things of life they will miss if they do not take their future environment serious. They were happy to plant trees knowing it is the cheapest and easiest means of curbing the menace of climate change.

BENUE: Demonstration Secondary School, Makurdi and over 130 students were taught on climate change, actions and their futures. Our two(2) volunteers were quick to remind them that they are the last generation to end climate change and must nurture the younger ones on the way out.

In all, twenty-two(22) volunteers reached out to almost five hundred (500) students in five (5) states across the country.

In days and weeks to come, other states like Oyo, Ekiti, Anambra, Enugu, Katsina, Adamawa States etc will join in the #teenandclimate project.