Opinion Piece By Simangele Msweli
Amidst the urgent triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, it is increasingly evident that human actions are the main drivers of these interlinked issues.
From relentless emissions of greenhouse gases due to the transport sector and the use of polluting fuels to significant habitat loss caused by deforestation and agricultural expansion, humanity appears to be waging war on nature.
This reality highlights the growing need to leverage and invest in education initiatives that impart knowledge and skills to foster pro-environmental behaviours and attitudes.
While increased access to environmental education does not automatically translate into more responsible behaviours, it is a vital catalyst that empowers individuals to make informed decisions for a sustainable future.
Africa is uniquely distinguished by having the world’s youngest population–40 per cent aged 15 or younger and 70 per cent of sub-Saharan Africa under 30– making it crucial for its youth and children to recognize the environmental issues around them, understand their impacts, and take action. Kenya mirrors this population trend, experiencing a youth bulge, with over 70 per cent of its population under 35.
Early this year, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), in collaboration with the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya (WCK), launched a four-year project to equip Kenyan Youth and students with conservation skills and resources.
WCK is a non-profit organization formed in 1968 to empower youth and communities to proactively engage in wildlife and environmental conservation for a better tomorrow.
The project, which targets 83,000 learners from 137 primary schools in Tsavo, aims to build a movement of young conservationists by scaling up and strengthening wildlife and environmental conservation initiatives.
Margaret Mereyian, AWF’s Senior Officer for the Conservation Education Program, explains the program utilizes learner-friendly resources and approaches to encourage students to connect with nature and apply environmental knowledge and skills at home and in their communities.
This includes posters, tailored curriculums, animated videos, art, and hands-on activities.
“These resources cover crucial topics such as climate change, soil health, biodiversity loss, charcoal burning, and plastic pollution,” Mereyian said.
Tsavo: A Vital Ecosystem for Educational Initiatives
The Tsavo conservation area houses the renowned Tsavo East and West National Parks, which cover 22,000 square kilometres together.
It shelters critical wildlife species, including nearly a fifth of Kenya’s black rhinos and over a third of its elephant population.
However, this richly biodiverse landscape has experienced a rise in poaching and illegal bushmeat hunting, with a significant increase in the snares retrieved.
Youth and schoolchildren are more engaged in these illegal activities due to socio-economic issues such as unemployment and a rise in poverty levels, showing the urgent need for educational interventions that foster coexistence.
Additionally, habitat loss and prolonged droughts further force wildlife to move beyond protected areas in search of vegetation and water, often resulting in the destruction of farm crops, which compromises livelihoods and causes human injuries or fatalities.
"These human-wildlife conflicts cause the rural youth and children in the Tsavo landscape, who represent the majority of the area's population, to perceive wildlife as a burden rather than an asset, which undermines conservation efforts,” said Ben Akatch, a Mobile Education Officer at WCK.
Embedding wildlife and environmental conservation into the formal curriculum, particularly in schools near wildlife-rich areas, is a strategic pathway to sustainable development.
When young minds understand the importance of biodiversity conservation and are meaningfully engaged in conservation activities, such as tree planting and plastic cleanups, they evolve into future leaders committed to protecting Kenya’s ecosystems for future generations.
Simangele Msweli - African Wildlife Foundation Senior Manager Youth Programme