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| School children planting trees to help conserve Kaptagat forest in Uasin |
Over 12,000 children aged seven to 12 have been reached in an effort to encourage participation in conservation activities.
WildlifeDirect, a Kenyan-based organisation focused on preservation of wildlife, said their programme has provided children with educational content to inspire them to become conservation leaders.
“We are immensely proud of the achievements of Team Sayari and the positive impact it has had on young people across East Africa,” said Paula Kahumbu, CEO, of WildlifeDirect.
The Nature Positive Kids Outreach Programme runs in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania.
Following the successful impact, WildlifeDirect, in partnership with Kenya Wildlife Service, hosted the Team Sayari Watch Party on August 9.
The event was held at Nairobi National Park to mark two years of National Geographic’s Team Sayari and the programme, which has empowered young conservationists.
The watch party featured a screening of the “Wild in the City” episode, filmed in the heart of the national park.
Present at the event were Team Sayari presenters, educators and conservation leaders who have been instrumental in the programme’s success.
“This watch party is a celebration of empowerment and dedication to protecting our planet,” Kahumbu said.
The US Department of State, Usaid, the Walt Disney company and White Rhino Films – the production partner, collaborated to create a twenty-part television series.
The series, featuring 14 child presenters from across Africa, has reached children in 200 schools and 4 conservation hubs in the three countries.
Children are encouraged to participate in conservation activities such as tree planting, plastic recycling and waste management.
“We have noticed a behavioural change in learners. Learners have become responsible. Among them, we have been able to identify leaders,” said Mwanaidi Mwasina, patron at Kwale School for the Mentally Challenged.
To enhance learning and increase environmental awareness, 232 teachers received conservation education training and supplemental materials, including fact sheets, teacher’s guides, and access to the National Geographic Society Resource database.
Some 79 schools have been awarded grants of $500 (Sh64,440) to carry out conservation projects.
Team Sayari’s content has been translated into Swahili and Kinyarwanda, reaching a wider audience and is available on National Geographic’s Africa YouTube Channel, amplifying its global impact.
BY GILBERT KOECH