The initiative “Acting for Nature Conservation – Educating and Empowering Future Eco-Citizens in Africa”, launched some 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’re highlighting the many activities carried out by the NGO Réseau des Jeunes Solidaires pour l’Environnement (RJSPE) in Benin.
From March to July 2025, the Beninese organization RJSPE-ONG, with the support of Youth Conservation, Play for Nature, and other committed partners, launched the first phase of the project “Acting for Nature Conservation.” Its goal? To mobilize youth in Benin around biodiversity protection in a lasting and practical way.
🌱 Five Nature Clubs, Five Green Hubs
At the heart of the initiative were five CPN Clubs (Connaître et Protéger la Nature – Know and Protect Nature), set up in the following schools:
- Lycée Agricole Médji de Sékou (LAMS)
- CEG Houègbo
- CEG Colli
- CEG Toffo
- Complexe Scolaire Pépinière Mine d’Or de Dieu
These clubs became vibrant learning spaces for environmental education, reaching over 500 young people and covering topics such as:
✔️ understanding environmental challenges
✔️ agroecology and school gardening
✔️ responsible waste management
✔️ wildlife and biodiversity protection
✔️ hands-on green activities: recycling, reforestation, and nature observation
🎒 School Gardens and Eco-Materials
Each participating school received gardening tools and environmental kits, enabling students to create educational ecological gardens, host composting workshops, organize sorting stations, and turn the school into an eco-responsible learning ground.
👩🏫 34 Teachers Trained as Green Champions
On May 30, 2025, a capacity-building workshop brought together 34 teachers from the five participating schools. The goal was to equip them as environmental education ambassadors, capable of supporting the long-term development of the CPN clubs within their local contexts.
🌳 Field Experience: Connecting with Nature
On June 14, 2025, 55 students joined an immersive educational field trip to the Botanical Garden of the University of Abomey-Calavi and the Sitatunga Valley Wildlife Refuge. A moment to observe, connect, and learn from nature in a direct and inspiring way.
🌍 Reforesting the Future: 300 Trees Planted
In celebration of National Tree Day, on June 1–2, 2025, students and community members carried out educational reforestation activities in the sacred forests of Kpogla and Yê in Toffo, and around the schools in Colli and Houègbo. In total, 300 trees were planted, a symbol of youth-led commitment to a greener future.
🧹 Action and Awareness at LAMS
On July 9, 2025, the Lycée Agricole Médji de Sékou hosted a campus clean-up and awareness day.
Activities included:
- An interactive workshop on waste management
- Educational games around eco-actions
- A collective school-wide clean-up
- Community pride in maintaining shared spaces
This event, carried out in collaboration with the school administration, reinforced the project’s impact and highlighted the value of the tools and materials already in place.
✅ Concrete Impact, Long-Term Momentum
With over 500 youth engaged, 34 teachers trained, and a strong local dynamic built around conservation, education, and hands-on action, the first phase of the “Acting for Nature Conservation” project proves the transformative power of environmental education in Benin.
🔍 Key takeaways:
- Schools are powerful levers for building eco-awareness
- Youth are not just future leaders — they are leaders today
- Environmental education is central to sustainable development in Benin
💬 And this is only the beginning. When youth rise for nature, an entire society follows.
If you want to know more about this NGO, you can reach them on Facebook or by email:
contact@rjspe-ong.org.
