The future of our environment and our climate depends on the actions we take today, with the full participation of our children, the Principal Secretary Ministry of Environment Dr. Festus Ng’eno has said.
The PS was speaking Thursday morning during a media breakfast that hosted journalists and stakeholders to discuss children’s participation in climate action and share the roadmap for the First Lady Mazingira Awards 1st Award Ceremony.
The FLAMA ceremony will take place during Mazingira Day on October 10th at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre starting at 11:00 AM, where the First Lady of Mama Rachel Ruto will award the winners.
The First Lady Mazingira Awards is an initiative mooted during the Africa Climate Summit 2023 that allows learners to contribute to Kenya’s climate action through creative expression, essays in English and Kiswahili, drawing and painting, and spoken word.
PS Ng’eno, announcing the inaugural award ceremony, urged young learners to seize the opportunity to become the planet’s defenders and engage communities in meaningful discussions on conservation and climate resilience.
According to PS Ng’eno, FLAMA provides an exceptional platform where young learners who represent the future of Kenya can express their creativity, solutions, and understanding of the pressing environmental and climate challenges we face.
Similarly, he noted that through art, creative writing, and spoken word, learners have the opportunity to become vocal advocates for the planet, engaging their communities in meaningful discussions about conservation and climate resilience.
“Through FLAMA, we are witnessing the seeds of change being planted, and with these efforts, we will secure a sustainable future for our nation.” He said.
On her part, the Chief Executive Officer MaMa Doing Good Elizabeth Koskei remarked that climate change is not an abstract issue but an everyday reality, especially for children.
“With 18 million learners in our country, children are at the heart of our society, and they must be central to our planning and national agenda.” Koskei remarked.
Adding that: “The First Lady’s Mazingira Awards falls under children’s participation, ensuring that learners across Kenya regardless of their abilities, location, or background are actively engaged in climate action.”
She said that inclusivity is at the heart of the initiative, engaging learners of all abilities, including those from special needs and marginalized schools, ensuring they have a stake in the national climate agenda.
Children are the most vulnerable victims of climate change, especially in Kenya’s vast arid and semi-arid regions. And yet, despite their vulnerability, children understand these challenges in ways we sometimes overlook.
The participants called on all to listen to children’s voices, as they understand the challenges they face noting that raising awareness of the critical issues of climate change and environmental protection, especially among children, is essential and calls for all to work together.
