By IJEOMA UKAZU
Teaching children about the environmental impact of their daily life and activities as well as the concept of sustainability would help keep them informed about potential future hazards such as poor air quality and polluted drinking water.
According to an academic journal, Research Gate “The great challenge of the twenty-first century may well be achieving sustainable development – which is ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (WCED, 1987: 8). Children stand at the heart of this definition in two respects. First, concern for future generations, which takes form in each new cohort of children, motivates the development of this kind.
“Second, if practices consistent with sustainable development are to be carried forward through time, then children must be the bridge conveying their values and ways. For these reasons, many municipal governments and agencies that work with children are currently experimenting with approaches to integrate children into environmental planning.”
Effective environmental education and training for children would build their knowledge base and understanding of the environment and its challenges.
Environmentalists say a clean environment involves minimizing environment-degrading acts and processes and taking initiatives aimed at eliminating dirt already discarded into the ecosystem.
According to an Environmental Performance Index, (EPI) 2022, Nigeria, despite its huge natural and human resources ranked 168 out of 180 countries.
EPI is an international ranking system that measures the environmental health and sustainability of countries. The assessment is based on 40 performance indicators, which are listed under three policy objectives: Environmental health, ecosystem vitality, and climate change.
Environmental researchers at Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, Nigeria is occupying the 41st position out of 46 countries in the Sub-Saharan region.
The result from the research states that Nigeria scored 28.32 out of 100 on ‘environment and sustainability. Along with Chad, Mauritania, Madagascar, Ghana, and Liberia, it is among the poorest performing nations in the African continent on this metric.
In the sub-Saharan region, Seychelles ranked first with a global score of 32 (out of 100), followed by Botswana (35) and Sao Tome and Principe (38).
Another report by UN Industrial Development Organization on solid waste management as well as ocean plastics pollution said Nigeria has fared poorly as it generates around 32 million tonnes of waste annually which is among the highest in Africa. Of this number, 2.5 million tonnes is plastic waste, which pollutes the oceans.
To contribute its quota to sustaining the Nigerian environment and ensuring the next generation are well equipped in climate matters, Nestlé trained over 1,000 children on sustainability.
The training which involves primary five learners is targeted at equipping them with knowledge on a more sustainable approach to managing and recycling waste in a bid to enable them to become better stewards of the planet. A task was carried out in collaboration with the International Climate Change Development Initiative (ICCDI).
The over 1,000 children beneficiaries of the Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK) program were drawn from six primary schools in Ogun State and the FCT to imbibe a sustainability mindset at an early age.
Nestle said the initiative is to support the company’s ambition of ensuring that none of its packaging, including plastics, ends up in landfills as litter, or in waterways, rivers, or oceans.
While speaking at the training at Methodist Primary School 2, Ago-Oko, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager of Nestlé Nigeria PLC, Victoria Uwadoka said, “Nestlé Nigeria is committed to driving more sustainability awareness to help protect the planet for future generations as embedded within our purpose at Nestlé.
“We are therefore delighted with the collaboration of all stakeholders including the Ogun State Ministry of Environment, Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board, and the Special Adviser to Governor on Education on this shared objective.
“As multiple types of research have proven, habits imbibed early in life are more likely to remain with us into the future. Therefore, training children on the importance of protecting our environment is a strong contribution towards ensuring more responsible management of post-consumption waste as they grow, taking us closer to achieving a waste-free future.”
Elaborating on the objectives of the training, Mr. Olumide Idowu, founder of the International Climate Change Development Initiative said, “The sustainability training is designed to equip the children with the requisite knowledge and support, enabling them to take responsibility in school and at home. Everyone, including children, needs to be involved in this huge task of protecting the environment.”
While commending Nestlé Nigeria, the Chairman, Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Dr. Femi Majekodunmi represented by the Board Secretary, Mr. Olalekan Kuye, said the initiative is laudable and aimed at enhancing sustainable environment-friendly practices within public primary schools in the state, adding that training learners on waste management and recycling will ultimately contribute positively to a safe and hygienic environment.
In her comments, The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo appreciated Nestlé’s consistent contribution and investment in education within the state. She stated that the expected outcomes of the training are positive behavioral change to enhance environmental sustainability and in addition, the opportunity for learners to be upskilled in the conversion of waste to useful items.
In 2021, over 150 children in 2 primary schools in Ogun State benefited from the Sustainability Training. This year, the program has been scaled up to 6 N4HK beneficiary schools, 4 in Ogun State and 2 within the FCT. The schools include – Methodist Primary school 2, Ago-Oko, Abeokuta, Oke Ona United Primary School, Abeokuta, NUD Primary School, Owode, and All Saints Primary School, Owode. The schools in the FCT are UBE Primary School Kuje and Science Primary School, Kuje.
Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK) is a flagship initiative that aims to help 50 million children globally lead healthier lives by 2030.
In Nigeria, N4HK incorporates a school-based nutrition education program, which helps children imbibe healthy habits including good nutrition, and active lifestyles through adequate physical activities, good hygiene practices, and healthy hydration.
An Environment consultant with Como Consult, Abuja, Juliet Ajayi said “Environmental sustainability is a job for everyone and no one should think their individual efforts are too small to make a huge difference. Keeping the environment clean and green should be a combined effort by all. There are steps in making a huge difference, it includes; minimizing wastage of natural resources, avoiding littering parks and walkways, and volunteering to support organizations formed to preserve the environment.”
Ajayi proffers that stakeholders should not relent in the struggle to educate and create more awareness on the importance of cleaning the environment even for children as it is more sustainable and could reverse pollution effects.
She said failing to keep the environment clean paves way for pollutants and toxins that have harmful effects on our health.