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By Muchaneta Chimuka
With the support from from a non-governmental organisation called terre des homes (tdh),the Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children (ZNCWC) last Friday gathered young people who operate under a Child and Youth Environmental Forum at Tariro Youth Centre in Hopely to discuss environmental issues in Hopely mapping a way forward to mitigate the challenges that include land degradation due to massive tree cutting, veld fires, sand poaching among others.
The programme was done in commemoration of the Global Action Month running under the theme “Promoting the Children’s Rights to a Safe, Clean and Healthy Environment”.
Environmental Management Agency and Forestry Commission were also part of the Forum and explained the importance of environmental conservation.
The Forestry Commission donated five trees which children and Young people planted to show their commitment to conserve the environment.
Mr Duncan Chiwala, a Forest officer with the Forestry Commission, demonstrated how trees should be planted and encouraged children and young people to be environmental stewards in their communities.
“Trees are a essential part of our lives, they provide us with oxygen, food, wood, shade, manure through their leaves and protect soil from erosion. They maintain and protect the whole ecosystem, it is sad to note that deforestation is taking place rapidly across the country hence we encourage initiatives like these of greening our environment to achieve the Vision 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals because tree are part of our economy and they create employment direct or indirectly,” he said.
He pointed out that young people managed to identify some key environmental challenges affecting their community and how they can be addressed which include the issue of some open pits emanating from sand mining.
“Children and adults are losing their precious lives after falling into open pits that are being left by sand miners, let’s plant tree and ease the burden,” he added.
Webster Chisaze from Hopely Can Change Initiative a Youth led Community Based Organisation lamented over the mushrooming illegal dumping sites here in Hopley which he said they are causing land pollution.
Robson Mavodo the Officer Provincial Environmental Manager with Environmental Management Agency (EMA) said there was need to create Waste Transfer Stations and the Council need to identify sites to place these stations.
“We encourage communities to practice waste separation even at household level in order to reduce littering. There is a lot of money in waste materials such as plastics, bottles therefore communities need to be educated on waste separation mechanisms and markets and that will reduce the burden of illegal dumpsites to our councils,” said Mavondo.
However, children and young people demanded that they need functional refuse collection system and proper sewer systems.
“With the massive power cuts and deforestation people resorting to cutting of down trees for firewood and there is need to educate community on tree planting,” said Simbarashe of House of Talents Group that’s works with ZNCWC.
Eve Chatambarara Project Officer from Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children said there is need to strengthen coordination between local authorities and the community on mitigating these environmental challenges for sustainable development and to ensure a healthy and safe environment.
Meanwhile,Tinotenda Chimbindi, youth advocate said,
“Our environment is not one’s property to destroy but everyone’s responsibility to protect, we will not have a society if we destroy the environment”.
