This is the project run by the Toffo Youth Council (Benin)
Background:
Benin, like most African countries, is faced with the problem of pollution caused by
plastic bags. Because they are cheap to buy and easy to get hold of, they threaten the local ecological balance.
local ecological balance and the public health of local residents. Faced with this
problem, the Toffo Youth Council, through its PTA 2024-2025, is committed to carrying out
environmental education initiatives to raise young people’s awareness of the consequences of
the use of plastic bags and to promote sustainable alternatives.
The objectives are to
Encourage students to adopt sustainable practices
Select and train environmental ambassadors from among the pupils to carry out
eco-citizen actions within their schools and in the community.
Strengthen the knowledge and commitment of environmental ambassadors through
a competition
Encourage the administrative authorities to take appropriate measures.
The number of young people impacted:
The project aims to directly involve more than 3,500 pupils from seven secondary schools in the commune of Toffo
Toffo: CEG Colli, CEG Houègbo, CEG Sèhouè, CEG Sey, CEG Toffo, CEG Coussi and CEG
Djanglanmè.
Activities carried out:
In order to achieve the objectives and get the pupils as involved as possible, the project is
divided into three phases:
Phase 1: Raising awareness and selecting environmental ambassadors
The first phase consists of organising awareness-raising sessions in each collège,
highlighting the dangers of plastic bags for the environment and other alternative
sustainable alternatives. At the end of the awareness-raising sessions, environmental
are chosen in each class.
Phase 2: Training ambassadors and eco-citizen activities
Once the ambassadors have been selected, they will be trained in specific workshops on local environmental issues and the actions to be taken.
local environmental issues and the actions to be taken. The ambassadors will organise
eco-citizen activities such as clean-up campaigns and plastic waste reduction initiatives in their
waste reduction initiatives in their respective schools.
Phase 3: Competition
The final phase of the project will see the organisation of a competition between environmental
environmental ambassadors from all the schools. This competition will test
ambassadors’ knowledge of local environmental issues and encourage them to continue their
encourage them to continue their commitment. Prizes will be awarded to the participants
most involved and creative, as well as to the two best CEGs for limiting the use of plastic
plastic bags while preserving their immediate environment, reinforcing their motivation to work
their motivation to work to protect the environment.
Duration:
The project will be rolled out over a period of one year, including a pilot phase from February to May
2024, followed by the roll-out phase from October 2024 to April 2025.
Teaching children to love and respect nature means giving them a precious legacy for
a sustainable future. Please join us in making an impact on this generation!
If you would like to find out more about this project, please contact
Ulrich DANHAHOUNDE, Head of the Environment and Sanitation Department at Toffo Youth Council, virgiledguv@gmail.com Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)