The Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN)-Guyana Chapter strives to strengthen environmental awareness among primary school children through its annual ‘Shaping Young Eco-Change Makers Day Camp.’
Launched last Monday, the camp is the third of its kind for the local arm of the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), and aims to instill in primary school aged campers fun and interesting concepts about the environment in which they live, since it believes that topics related to the environment are taught vaguely throughout the school system in Guyana.
CYEN believes that for an environmental ethic to be had, environmental education must be introduced at a tender age, thus, as a group, it seeks to engage a diverse group of children in fun and interesting concepts about the environment including their role in protecting and conserving the environment around them.
According to Dionne Cush, one of the camp’s facilitators, the idea was a joint one between herself and another CYEN volunteer, Nakasi Fortune back in 2014.
Speaking with Stabroek News, Cush related that the camp is designed in a way that fosters behavioral change towards the environment, while adding that the feedback received has been positive from both parents and the campers.
“We have four campers that have been with us from the inception and we see the capacity being extended. It is our hope that young people can be that face of change. We want them to be that influential body in their households; they can start that change process,” she said.
According Cush, interactions are made fun through a variety of teaching methods including short videos, presentations, practical exercises, and arts & craft sessions daily.
And with increased capacity being a part of its vision, the group has already started adding new concepts to its list of activities, some of which focus on renewable energy and agriculture.
Not wanting to neglect the children of the other parts of Guyana, this year, CYEN has decided to cater to children not only in Georgetown, but in Linden and Berbice as well.
As such, the group is calling on all interested parents to contact CYEN and have their children registered as soon as possible since space is limited.
Camp Jaguar (Georgetown) would have recently concluded its session and Camp Giant River Otter, also in Georgetown, is set to begin tomorrow and run until August 6, while the day camps in Berbice and Linden are slated for August 8 to 9 and August 11 to 12 respectively.
Cush further stated that while CYEN is the main force behind the daily camp operations, this year’s camp received support from Guyana Goldfields Inc.
For more information, interested parties are asked to contact Camp Coordinator Dionne Cush at 6014194 or Nakasi Fortune 6711847 or email CYEN at cyen.gy.chapter@gmail.com.
