Photo credits: Action Education (Aide et Action) Africa
In the context of the project Action for Citizenship by and for All Children through Education in Africa (ACTE Africa), young people from the communes of Agoé-Nyivé 4 and 6 and the school government of the Kotocoli-Zongo public primary school (Togo) have initiated cleanliness activities for the hygiene and sanitation of their living and learning environment. These activities are supported by the project for a clean environment for the well-being of the population.
Young people's commitment to hygiene and sanitation in their living environment through the ACTE Africa project
In March 2023, the association of young people from the neighbourhoods of Agoè-Nyivé 4 and 6, called "Les Amis du Futur", partner of the ACTE Africa projecthas initiated a cleanliness campaign 30-day public consultation. It is a micro-project called "A clean environment for sustainable development" which ended on 28 March 2023 in Cotokoli Zongo. The clean-up campaign in the Kotokoli Zongo neighbourhood mobilised nearly 200 people, regardless of age or gender (children, women, men). They responded to the appeal launched by the association.
With maintenance equipment (cutters, pickaxes, hoes, brooms, wheelbarrows, etc.) in hand, they cleaned up the illegal dumps in the neighbourhood. Still in relation to the micro-project, the association added to the concrete activities of public hygiene, a door-to-door awareness campaign and training of awareness agents in the neighbourhood. Aware of the consequences of insalubrity on the health of the population, the young people of the association want to show public opinion the role that the population must play in the hygiene and sanitation of their living environment. The aim is to make the inhabitants of the district aware of the dangers of insalubrity and the cohabitation with unregulated dumpsites.
"We initiated this micro-project to invite our brothers and sisters of Kotokoli Zongo to come out en masse to clean up our environment. If this kind of activity is repeated, we will make this neighbourhood, which is currently dirty, totally clean. Our commitment is firm to keep our environment clean. Our survival depends on it.
Kide-Mokafo MOUBARAK, President of the association "Les amis du futur
Young students and school health and environmental issues
The School Government (GS) of the public primary school of Kotoli-Zongo was also very active in March 2023 in terms of cleaning up the school environment. Composed of six members, including a minister of cleanliness and the environment, it undertook activities to remove unauthorised dumps around the school. The cleanliness campaign ended on 7 April 2023.
This campaign carried out by the Minister of Cleanliness and Environment with the support of the school government and teachers, the activities specifically concerned pupils of the Cours Moyens 1 and 2 (CM1 and CM2) because they are the most suitable for this kind of work. The sanitation campaign is part of the school's action plan for the 2022 - 2023 school year, which is planned according to the Approaches for Change (AOC) with the support of the project team. A total of 250 pupils from CM1 and CM2 classes out of a total of 822 pupils took part in the activity organised by the school government.
For more information
- Empowering children and young people as agents of change
- ACTE Africa: Computer equipment for youth platforms in Burkina Faso
