The initiative “Acting for Nature Conservation – Educating and Empowering Future Eco-Citizens in Africa”, launched two months ago in partnership with the Audemars Watkins Foundation and Play for Nature, is already showing promising results on the ground!
This initiative supports 10 NGOs actively working in Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Senegal, and Madagascar. Their shared mission: raising youth awareness about environmental preservation through educational and engaging activities.
Numerous initiatives have already been rolled out. Despite the intense heat and heavy rains, children and young people are enthusiastic, school administrators and teachers are highly involved, and the NGOs are more motivated than ever!
Today, we shine a spotlight on the activities carried out by the NGO Health and Conservation, especially through the leadership of Frédéric Mbida Mbida, MOOC Conservation ambassador and Youth Conservation benevolent tutor.
Take a look at his firsthand account from the field!
🌍 Shaping Tomorrow’s Eco-Citizens: A Hands-On Environmental Education Project in Cameroon
L’urgence climatique et environnementale impose des réponses concrètes et durables. Parmi celles-ci, l’éducation à l’écoresponsabilité des jeunes apparaît comme une solution de fond incontournable. C’est dans cette dynamique qu’est né le projet « Agir pour la conservation de la nature : former et pousser à l’action les futurs écocitoyens en Afrique », soutenu par PAPACO/PFN et mis en œuvre au Cameroun par Health And Conservation (HAC).
Déployé dans les régions du Centre et de l’Ouest, ce projet vise à stimuler l’action concrète des enfants et des jeunes pour l’environnement à travers des activités pédagogiques et participatives autour de quatre grandes thématiques, dans quatre établissements scolaires.
♻️ In Yaoundé: Learning Waste Management and Recycling
Au Groupe Scolaire Bilingue Mgr Henri Vieter, les élèves ont été sensibilisés à la gestion et au recyclage des déchets. Des poubelles de tri sélectif ont été installées, accompagnées de formations sur le tri des déchets plastiques et organiques. Les jeunes ont également découvert l’art du recyclage créatif en fabriquant des objets décoratifs à partir de déchets plastiques : trousses, bracelets, pots de fleurs, etc. Ces derniers ont notamment servi à créer un jardin vertical de fraisiers.
👉 Résultats : plus de 700 élèves et enseignants impliqués, 150 objets recyclés créés, un jardin vertical monté, et un club environnement fonctionnel, équipé en matériel pédagogique YC.
🌿 In Nkozoa: Exploring Local Biodiversity
At Ste Famille de Nazareth Bilingual Complex, the theme was local flora and fauna conservation. Students participated in educational field trips, including visits to Mefou National Park and nearby forested areas. These outings led to the creation of a wildlife mural showcasing key species and their habitats, along with detailed herbariums containing both scientific and local knowledge on native plants.
👉 Results: Around 600 students and teachers engaged, five herbariums completed (with a sixth mural in progress), a wildlife mural created, and the existing environment club strengthened with new YC materials.
🌱 In Dschang: Acting Against Climate Change
At Marceline Bilingual Private Primary School, the focus was climate change mitigation. Students created an avocado tree nursery using seeds they selected themselves, with support from HAC facilitators. This was followed by a reforestation activity using useful species such as safou trees, avocado trees, and banana plants.
👉 Outcomes: 280 students and teachers involved, one nursery established, over 100 trees planted, and a new environment club launched and equipped.
🌾 In Yaoundé Again: Sustainable Natural Resource Management
At Mgr Henri Vieter College, students learned about producing and managing natural resources sustainably. After awareness and training sessions, students created compost using biodegradable waste from the school and nearby households. The compost was then used in a school garden growing celery, lettuce, and African nightshade—all destined for the school cafeteria.
👉 Figures: Over 500 students and teachers engaged, two compost bins created, a vegetable garden established, and a new environment club set up with Youth Conservation materials.
💡 A Youth-Led Initiative with Real-World Impact
Thanks to this project, environmental education goes beyond the classroom—offering students real-life, hands-on experiences aligned with their curriculum. The enthusiasm is palpable not only among students but also among school administrators, who see direct, positive impacts on both learning and nature conservation.
To date, over 2,080 students and teachers have participated in six concrete environmental activities across four schools. Parents report that these young eco-citizens proudly share what they’ve learned at home—spreading eco-friendly habits and enforcing green rules with confidence and joy.
And this is just the beginning.
With such strong momentum, there is great hope that these efforts will continue beyond the school year. The future is being shaped now—and with youth at the forefront, it’s bound to be greener 🌱.
Kudos to all the Health and Conservation volunteers for their incredible energy and commitment to empowering young people and protecting the environment!
If you’d like to learn more about their organization, feel free to reach out via email at healthaconservation@gmail.com or through their Facebook page.
