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Pupils advocate environmental conservation through the arts
2005-06-12 07:48:07
By Deodatus Mfugale, Kilindoni, Mafia
This year`s World Environment Day will go a long way in the memory of residents of Mafia Island as for the first time in the Island`s history 11 primary schools gathered at Mwenge grounds to deliver one message: `environmental conservation.`
The primary schools, all of which are within the Mafia Island Marine Park conservation project, delivered the message through the arts – drama, choir, poems, traditional dances, wrap music, prose and recitals.
The performances were the climax of a three year programme of environmental education in primary schools conducted in the schools by WWF Tanzania Programme Office (WWF TPO) and sponsored by Dr David and Elaine Potter, British nationals who live in the UK, but have a yearning for conservation of the world`s biodiversity.
As a way of assessing the success of the programme, WWF TPO invited the schools to compete in the various forms of the arts, with the intention of deliveing the environmental conservation messages.
Through Makonde and Yao traditional dances, Mlongo Primary school group warned the residents to think of their children and their grand children before they embark on destroying the environment and plundering marine resources.
A play staged by Marimbani Primary school depicted how dynamite fishing and use of beach scenes destroyed the fish breeding grounds and in the process fish catches are reduced.
The play also reveled that environmental destruction often leads to hunger and stressed the need for law enforcers to do their duty of protecting the environment and dealing squarely with those who destroy it.
It ended by showing how environmental education chages people`s harbits as they start conserving the environment and harvesting natural resources sustainably.
Their lives become better as they have enough to eat, they land good catch of fish that they sell at a good price.
A song by Kiegeani Primary School choir rang the alarm bell on the extent of destruction of marine resources in the Island and stressed that everyone had the responsibility to conserve and protect the resources because eventually everyone would benefit.
``Conserve and you will get food, water, moneyand good houses.Continue to destroy and Mafia Island would be obliterated from the world map. So change your mindset now,`` the pupils sang.
Announcing the winners of the Dr Potter Primary Schools Competition, the head of a panel of judges, Bernard Bakobi, said that Utende Primary School were the overall winners and were awarded a new classroom.
Mlongo and Chemchem who were second and third runners up respectively were awarded a toilet for their staff members.
Dr Potter would meet the cost of construction and equipping the facilities.
Other schools which performed well and were awarded various prizes included Jibondo, Kiegeani, Marimbani and Bweju.
The Coast Regional Commissioner Ukiwaona Ditopile Mzuzuri presented the prizes to the winners.
Addressing the gathering earlier, the Director of Conservation for WWF TPO, Stephen Mariki, said that he was encouraged by the high level of awareness on environmental conservation in the Island and attributed this to dissemination of environmental education.
He also commended the government for emphasizing conservation of the environment which in turn had made it possible for WWF TPO to implement conservation projects in Mafia successfully.
``WWF is also encouraged by the communities on the Island who have also participated fully in conservation programmes particularly the Mafia Island Marine Project.
``You have made your mark even in international circles. People from other countries now come here to learn how their people can effectively participate in environmental conservation projects,`` the Director explained.
However, Mariki noted with concern that some communities in the island are against conservation activities and are at loggerheads with NGOs involved in environmental conservation.
``This should not frustrate us. Instead, NGOs, the local governments and other stakeholders should design new approaches so that these people too realize the importance of conservation and take active part in conserving our environment,`` he said.
During the ceremony, the Mafia District Environmental Committee also awarded individuals and groups that had shown exemplary efforts in conserving the environment.
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