The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, has engaged children on environmental sustainability at the 2026 Eco Explorers Bootcamp.
The bootcamp, held on Saturday at Ndubuisi Kanu Park,
Alausa, Ikeja, was organised by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency
(LASEPA) in collaboration with the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency and
other partners to promote climate action and environmental sustainability.
Rather than relying solely on classroom instructions,
the programme exposed the children to hands-on activities, including gardening,
upcycling and science experiments.
During the gardening session, the participants were
taught how to identify different plants, including spider lily, aglaonema, also
known as Chinese evergreen, and hibiscus. They were also shown practical steps
involved in planting and caring for plants, including the use of compost
manure, planting materials and watering cans.
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The children were encouraged to identify the benefits
of tree planting and gardens, with participants highlighting
beautification, sustainability, carbon absorption and noise reduction
among the benefits.
A facilitator during the session explained that
planting trees and maintaining gardens could contribute to environmental
sustainability while encouraging the children to take responsibility for their
surroundings.
The participants also took part in an upcycling
session, where they learnt how waste materials could be converted into useful
resources. They were taught that organic waste could be processed into
resources for gardening, while plastic waste could also be transformed into
useful materials.
Speaking on the initiative, Bola Adewunmi, Director,
Circular Economy, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), said the
agency participated through LAWMA Academy and its Circular Economy Department
to teach the children about waste management and resource recovery.
Adewunmi said the programme was aimed at helping
children understand from an early age that waste could be converted into useful
resources.
She said LAWMA’s approach was based on the belief that
“waste is wealth,” adding that the children were being introduced to the
concept through both lectures and practical sessions.
The science session also featured simple experiments
aimed at helping the children understand environmental issues. One of the
demonstrations involved food colouring, baking soda and bleach to show how
chemical reactions could produce visible changes.
Mr. Elijah Adegoke of Kids Literary Circle (KLC),
which participated in the programme, said the organisation was focused on
making learning enjoyable for children.
Adegoke said the children were also taught about the
impact of human activities on the environment, including the relationship
between greenhouse gases, global warming and climate change.
He said practical demonstrations were used to make the
concepts easier for the children to understand.
Also speaking, Mr. Ojo Oluwaseyi of the Lagos State
Parks and Gardens Agency said the agency’s participation was aimed at
encouraging eco-friendly activities, including tree planting and gardening
Oluwaseyi said tree planting was one of the ways of
mitigating the effects of climate change, urging the children to establish
small gardens and share the knowledge gained with others.
The programme also involved parents, who participated
in games and recreational activities while the children attended their various
practical sessions.
The facilitators encouraged the children to see
themselves as eco heroes with a responsibility to make decisions that promote a
cleaner and healthier environment.
The bootcamp combined environmental education with
practical activities, giving the participants an opportunity to learn about
sustainability while applying the lessons through gardening, waste management
and science experiments.
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