In Burkina Faso, environmental education is taking root at an early age. Through the Acting for Tomorrow project, the NGO Afrika Sini-Gnasigui is working to raise awareness among students while creating sustainable green spaces within schools.
This ambitious initiative is built on a strong belief: protecting nature starts with educating the citizens of tomorrow. Below the inspiring testimony of our volunteer mentor in Burkina Faso, Justine Coulibaly Simpri.
A pilot project rooted in local communities
As part of the pilot phase of Acting for Tomorrow, four schools were selected across different provinces of Burkina Faso. These schools are becoming living learning spaces where students explore the connections between environment, food systems, health, and the future.
So far, 1,171 students have already received training on:
- environmental education,
- nature conservation,
- everyday eco-friendly practices.
This first phase plays a key role in raising awareness and encouraging responsible behavior from an early age.
Hands-on learning through school gardens and nurseries
As activities continue, the project will move into an even more practical and participatory phase. Students will be trained in:
- creating and managing plant nurseries,
- establishing school gardens and vegetable plots,
- applying basic agroecology principles.
These green spaces will serve as open-air classrooms, fostering learning by doing and strengthening students’ long-term commitment to environmental protection.
A central nursery to grow hope
Alongside school-based activities, Afrika Sini-Gnasigui has launched a plant nursery at its headquarters to supply the partner schools with locally adapted seedlings.
In total, 1,500 plants—including forest, fruit, and medicinal species—are being produced. The first young shoots have already emerged, reflecting the careful and patient work involved: seed treatment, gradual potting, and daily monitoring.
Each plant carries a powerful message: protecting nature means preparing for tomorrow.
An initiative that embodies the Youth Conservation spirit
Through Acting for Tomorrow, Afrika Sini-Gnasigui perfectly embodies the spirit of Youth Conservation: a local, living, and participatory approach to ecology, driven by and for young people.
By planting seeds in schools today, the project is nurturing a more resilient, sustainable, and hopeful future at the heart of Burkinabè communities 🌱.
If you want to know more about this initiative, please contact the NGO directly by email : afrikasinignasigui@gmail.com or Facebook.
