by Michelle Slavin
UNITE staged its second annual Earth Day Celebration in Bigodi, Uganda on 29 April 2011. Having learned many lessons from last year’s celebration, this year was full of new ideas and was much more organized…and it paid off. What a success!
Over 1,500 people attended the event. They were able to view exhibits, play games, watch movies and listen to speeches. It would not have been a Ugandan event if there weren’t at least five speeches! (We had seven.)
The exhibitions were spectacular. There were fifteen exhibitors—seven UNITE schools and eight local non-profits. The exhibitions included a wetland—yes, the students built a wetland—recycling polythene bags, culture as a part of biodiversity, education and the environment, population growth, fuel-efficient stoves, tree nurseries, alternative energy and many more. The creativity and hard work that was put into the exhibitions was incredibly impressive. Thank you to all that exhibited:
- Bigodi Primary School
- Bigodi Secondary School
- Rwengobe Primary School
- Busiriba Primary School
- Busabura Primary School
- Bunoga Primary School
- Nyabubale Primary School
- KAFRED
- Bigodi Health Unit
- Camp Uganda
- Tooro Botanical Gardens
- Kibale Fuelwood Project
- Bigodi Cultural Tourism
- Mmakob Processors Group
In addition to exhibits, attendees were able to watch environmental films about Africa, play environmental games and join competitions. Many prizes were given away to students who participated in competitions that involved drawing animals in their habitat, picking up rubbish and relay races. UNITE teachers Kamwera Coleb, Kamuhanda Narcensio, Olishaba Lydia and Natukwasa Gilbert did a spectacular job running the games and competitions for the day, and the Kibale Fuelwood Project did a great job showing the films.
The guest of honor for the event was Lucy Iyango, the Assistant Commissioner of Wetlands from the Ministry of Water and Environment. Ms. Iyango commended UNITE for its work in schools and called for replication of the program in other key regions of Uganda.
The celebration was a success for many reasons, most of all because of the UNITE teachers who committed themselves to the event worked for weeks to make it a day to remember. The teachers were not paid, and they gave up time in their school break to prepare for and work at the event. A huge thank you to the following:
- Bigodi Primary School Choir
- Bigodi Secondary School S3 and S4 Students
- The Earth Day Committee
- Nzaana Herbert, Bigodi Secondary School Head Teacher
- Mwesigyere Godfrey Brod, Bigodi Primary School P7 Teacher
- KAFRED employees Emmanuel, Ivan and James
- The UNITE teachers who volunteered at the event
The day would not have occurred without generous donations from businesses that recognize that, without the environment, they would not have business. Thank you to the following:
- Bigodi Trading Centre Shops
- Chimps Nest
- Ndali Lodge
- Andrew and Brother’s Supermarket
About the author:Michelle Slavin is UNITE's Conservation Education Trainer in Uganda
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