Empowering Youths
A School's Battle Against Climate Change in Northwest Nigeria
Children in Nigeria face heightened vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, with the country ranking as the second-worst nation worldwide in terms of children's exposure, according to UNICEF's Children's Climate Risk Index. In the northwest Nigerian state of Katsina, schoolchildren are taking proactive measures to mitigate the effects of climate change on their school environment, with the support of UNICEF.
Katsina: 20 October 2023: Navigating a cart propelled by two bulls, a young boy guides his carriage towards the Gamfai River, jerrycans securely fastened at the back. The unhurried but determined glide brings him to the riverbed's center. Disembarking from the cart, he seizes one of the jerrycans, removes the cover, and submerges it into the water, initiating the water-drawing process.
Despite being September, shortly past the peak of the rainy season in August, more than half of the river's water has already dried up. The sandy riverbed serves as a stark reminder of the water that once flowed abundantly only a few months ago.
Situated approximately a kilometre from Government Day Secondary School Kaita (GDSS) in Katsina, northwest Nigeria, River Gamfai's diminishing state due to the impact of climate change is a forewarning of potential threats to the school and its sorghum farming community, located about 30 kilometres away from the Nigeria-Nigerien border.
Mohammed Ibrahim, a teacher at GDSS Kaita, accompanying a group of students on a trip to fetch water for the school's moringa plantation, reflects on the changing scenario: "A few years ago, that boy wouldn't have gone that far to fetch water in the river, which would have been overflowing at this time of the year, but for the climate change. Nowadays, the rainy season hardly begins before the water in the Gamfai river dries up."
"The urgency presented by that sombre outlook has fueled the creation of the Young Foresters’ Club in our school. Our commitment is not only to instill the importance of tree planting in the members but, indeed, to enlighten all our students about the critical need for tree planting."
Umar Abu Sufyan, the principal of GDSS Kaita, added his perspective on the issue, stating, "Our school is already feeling the effects of climate change, especially with the Gamfai River just in the neighbourhood drying up. We need to take action, be proactive, and adopt sustainable practices to ensure our school stays strong and provides a good learning environment," he emphasised.
The Young Foresters Club member Fatima Salisu, a 14-year-old junior secondary school student, states, "Our newly planted trees serve a dual purpose. They protect our classrooms' roofs and make our study environment cooler," she declares. Saudat Abubakar, 13-year-old, another member of the club concurs, adding that "planting trees around our school goes beyond self-protection; it safeguards the environment from wind and erosion."
The changing climatic conditions in the Kaita community have sparked a proactive response from teachers and students, who have embraced tree planting as a means to mitigate the impact of climate change. The crucial support of UNICEF has sparked this positive transformation. As part of this support, four students and two teachers from GDSS Kaita participated in training sessions that focused on finding local solutions to combat climate change and equipped participants with knowledge on planting techniques, preparing manure, and nurturing saplings using packaged water sachets, which are easily available in the environment. In addition, UNICEF provided small grants to GDSS Kaita and other schools in Katsina for climate change mitigation initiatives. UNICEF's assistance has played a pivotal role in driving this positive change, empowering schools with knowledge and resources to combat the impact of climate change. The use of readily available materials, such as disused water sachets, showcases the resourcefulness of the students in finding sustainable solutions.
Highlighting the significance of UNICEF's support, Michael Banda, the Senior Education Manager at the UNICEF Field Office Kano, stresses the inclusion of children in addressing climate change, stating, "Children play a critical role in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on our environment." The proactive actions taken by the members of the Young Foresters’ Club at GDSS Kaita further validate Banda's assertion that every small effort counts when it comes to confronting climate change.
