– at annual #3G recycling camp

FORTY children from Kuru Kururu on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and surrounding communities have graduated from a Green Generation Guyana (#3G) recycler’s camp put on by the Ministry of Communities.

The primary school children learned of the role they can play in caring the environment and recycling unwanted materials under the theme, ‘Grow Green, Stay Clean: Sanitation Awareness for Kids’.

According to a release from the ministry, the graduation ceremony of the three-day programme took place last Thursday, and the camp was the first of three for 2018. Two more similar camps are expected to be held for the year, one at Rosignol, West Berbice, on August 20 and 21, and the other at Anna Regina, on the Essequibo Coast on August 23 and 24.

Previous camps were held in 2017 at New Amsterdam in Region Six (East Berbice –Corentyne), and at Vreed-en-Hoop in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
The camps are free of charge, while their locations are selected based on the current solid waste management needs, and areas where such public education campaigns tailored for children seldom exist.

The children participating in the programme are being mobilised with the aid of the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs), Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDCs) and Community Development Councils (CDCs).

Working in collaboration with the One Future Guyana, the 3G Project will also be sponsoring six “green” camps in South Georgetown to include Tucville, West Ruimveldt, Stevedore Scheme, Guyhoc and North Rumveldt communities.

According to the ministry, “It is proven that children are one of the main channels of promoting behavioural changes, especially those insisted upon in formal, educative settings.

“It is also our belief, too, that these projects will impact on the lifestyle choices of the younger population, and, over a period of time, will result in more conscious environmental practices.”

Though just in its second year, the programme has reached over 4,500 children from more than 40 primary and secondary schools across the country, including in all nine municipalities.

It has also evolved to include a waste-to-resource (‘green’) exhibition; a composting project for secondary schools; a national word-search competition; a recycler’s pageant; an online recycling application; a tree planting initiative; and support for environmental clubs.
Said the ministry in its statement: “Over the past two years,through the Green Generation Guyana Project, the Ministry of Communities has been encouraging primary school students to become environmentally conscious with habits that are “green” and sustainable.

“The ultimate goal of the camp is to ensure that students not only have a thorough understanding of the concepts of greening, but can also apply these concepts to meaningfully transform their communities and local economic circumstances.”