With environmental degradation increasing in refugee camps, schools in Kakuma, northern Kenya, are becoming hotbeds of ecological initiatives. Thanks to programs run by the Kenyan government in partnership with specialized organizations, pupils are made aware of the need to protect their environment from an early age, through practical projects such as tree planting, briquettes making and green farming. 60 schools in the Kakuma refugee camp now benefit from this green education program.
At Life Works Tumaine Girls High School, a group of girls are busy mixing clay during recess. Mixed with other ingredients such as paper, the clay helps to make briquettes to replace charcoal that is widely used for cooking in the camp. Next to them, some other girls use clay to make energy saving stoves. They are all members of a Youth in Renewable energy and Clean Environment group, part of the Green Youth 360 project.
“After molding it that way, we leave it for a day to dry in a cool place. It is better used with briquettes so as to conserve heat. It also prevents pollution, it helps in preventing cutting down of trees because it does not need to use firewood. It releases up to less than 50 to 70% of fuel, which helps in conserving the environment and it releases less CO2 and black carbon which depletes the ozone layer”
Sammiah PHILIP, Member of the Youth in Clean Environment Group – South Sudan
Like Sammiah, the majority of the girls in this school are refugees. In the Kakuma refugee camp, the effects of climate change are plain to see: prolonged drought, deforestation, overpopulation and many more. In response to these challenges, several schools have adopted environmental projects, mobilizing students and teachers around tree planting and growing, waste sorting and water management and green agriculture among others.
“When we went to some places for the first time, they were completely barren but now when you look at them, they are more green, with more trees and more small gardens being planted in the schools; almost every space that is available in the schools now is being planted with reens, small gardens and trees. So, that’s quite reassuring. Another thing that makes us proud is that young people feel ownership of the projet”
Tareq Al BAKRI, Programmes Specialist, Education Above All – United Kingdom
With the climate crisis taking its toll on refugees, there is an urgent need to step up environmental education efforts. In just a few years of such interventions in 60 schools, the results speak for themselves, but these efforts must be continued with greater involvement of the host community. The Kakuma camp proves that even in adversity, the future can be full of hope.
