By Alhaji Musa Bah
In observance of World Environment Day, the Gender Climate Action Network Sierra Leone (GCAN-SL) led a powerful educational outreach in one of Freetown’s most vulnerable communities—Kroo Bay. Themed “Our Environment, Our Responsibility” with the campaign hashtag #BeatPlasticPollution, the initiative focused on raising environmental consciousness among children at the Sierra Leone Prison Pre-Primary School, the Kroobay Community Primary School, Orthodox Pre-primary School, and FAWE Community Primary School.
The event, held on June 5, 2025, aimed to instil climate literacy and environmental responsibility at a young age—an approach emphasized by GCAN-SL’s head, Makalay Sesay.
“We chose the theme because it captures the urgency of environmental degradation while reminding us of our individual and collective roles,” said Sesay in an interview. “And we believe that to build a sustainable future, we must catch them young—educating children early on about their role in protecting the planet is crucial.”
Makalay Sesay further explained the significance of targeting schools in Kroo Bay, a coastal slum community highly prone to flooding and environmental hazards.
“Kroo Bay is not just a community at risk; it’s a symbol of the intersection between poverty and environmental injustice,” she noted. “That’s why it was essential to bring this message here. The children living in this environment see the effects of plastic pollution and poor waste management firsthand. Empowering them with knowledge is a vital step toward long-term change.”
The event saw active participation from pupils and teachers, with interactive sessions, poster displays, and discussions on proper waste disposal, plastic recycling, and climate change mitigation. GCAN-SL also distributed educational materials and encouraged schools to keep the momentum alive beyond World Environment Day.
The outreach received support from the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, as well as Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency, providing meteorological and climatological services in Sierra Leone. Together, they emphasized that education must be central to climate action, especially in disaster-prone areas.
As the climate crisis continues to impact vulnerable communities like Kroo Bay, GCAN-SL’s World Environment Day celebration stood as a timely reminder that climate resilience begins with knowledge—and the earlier it starts, the stronger the impact.
