After an intense week of learning, 52 more students received their well-deserved certificates from the Guardians environmental educational campaign on Friday 10 November 2023. These additional students are now part of over 1000 others who have completed the program since its inception in 2018.
The campaign was hosted as part of Samoa’s Environment Week with students from 5 primary schools joining the hands-on learning experience. The students were mentored by experts in the fields of sustainable fishing, coral reef ecosystems, mangrove ecosystems, waste management, and traditional voyaging.
“The Guardians was an eye-opening experience for me. There is so much to learn about our beautiful precious fragile environment—a treasure worth preserving for everyone. My favourite part of the Guardians is the voyaging program – I have learned a lot of traditional and survival skills and living off the environment from the Gaualofa teacher. I recommend all young students to participate and become Guardians of our beautiful environment,” says Yaonosuke Yoshida from Robert Louis Stevenson School.
“The Guardians campaign this week was the last one for 2023 and we were very happy to receive students from schools so close to the exam period. We look forward to working again with our partners in 2024 to deliver this important campaign to continue to inspire our young people,” says Le’ausālilō Leilani Duffy-Iosefa, the Director for Conservation International.
The schools which participated for the Guardians during the week’s celebrations included students from Vaiala Beach School, Saint Peters Channel Primary School, Ah Mu Academy, Lē Amosā Primary School, Robert Louis Stevenson School and All Saints Anglican Primary School.
The Guardians environmental education programme is a partnership implemented jointly by Conservation International and the Government of Samoa through its various agencies, Non-Government Organizations and Civil Societies in Samoa. The programme this week was undertaken with the guidance of mentors, educators and volunteers from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Ministry of Education Sports and Culture, and the Samoa Voyaging Society.
Guardians is supported by the New Zealand Government Manaaki Programme and the Waitt Foundation.
For more information on the Guardians Environmental Educational Campaign contact
Conservation International +685 21593.
About Conservation International
Conservation International is a non-government organisation that works to spotlight and secure the critical benefits that nature provides for humanity. Beginning with an office in Samoa, the non-profit has worked in the Pacific Islands region for more than 20 years. Through science, partnerships and fieldwork, Conservation International is driving innovation and investments in nature-based solutions to the climate crisis, supporting protections for critical habitats, and fostering economic development that is grounded in the conservation of nature. We work in 30 countries around the world, empowering societies at all levels to create a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet. Follow Conservation International’s work on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
