Submitted by Wildlife Clubs of Kenya
Kenyan youth recently had the opportunity put into practice Baba Dioum’s famous edict, proclaimed back in 1968, that “In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught”.
The basis of the #NatureForAll movement, that saying guides our outreach programmes with our school sessions.
So much so that every time we hold sessions related to nature benefits, the learners always leave with the same question: “which natural area can we visit soon?”
We start with teaching, providing students with the knowledge and understanding of the benefits of nature conservation. Then, thanks to Club patrons who organize events for students, they get to experience natural areas.
For example, during the Mt. Kenya University Clubs and Associations Fair Day, we camped at the institution’s Wildlife Club exhibition stand. Here, we took a whole day to teach stand visitors, which included the entire university fraternity, about the importance of nature conservation, providing them with various publications with interesting successful conservation stories.
In this way, they were able to understand the issue, and they were inspired.
Various groups within the institution, such as the Journalism Club, Student Teachers’ Association, Scouts and others, were eager to organize a trip to various conservation areas to explore, experience and benefit from what nature offers. Within a few weeks after the exhibition day, just before the end of that academic semester, some groups had organized for a visit to places like Oldonyo Sabuk and Longonot for nature experiences. Currently the mood at these learning institutions is for a connection with nature.
And following a session at Moi Educational Centre, students went for an ultimate hiking experience at Oldonyo Sabuk National Park thanks to their Club patron. Their trek took them to 2,145 metres above sea level, an altitude many of these youths had never experienced!
The most exciting thing is the aftermath of visiting these areas. The school youth have the ability, and understanding, they need to engage by themselves in various hands-on conservation activities both at school level and at home. Their wish to make everywhere have a resemblance of the natural areas that they have experienced for air quality and other importance such as solutions to various life challenges.