AS part of efforts to promote environmental awareness, conservation and sustainable living among children, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has hosted the second edition of its one-day summer environmental education programme, tagged “Eco Explorers Bootcamp 2.0,”

The programme, held at Ndubuisi Park, Alausa, Lagos, was designed to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the environment among children while inculcating sustainable environmental practices from an early age.

The bootcamp brought together 160 children between the ages of 6 and 15, who participated in a wide range of interactive and practical activities designed to make environmental learning engaging, memorable and impactful.

Activities at the bootcamp included science experiments, environmental painting, gardening and planting, recycling and upcycling, mini lectures, quizzes and competitions, among other hands-on exercises.

Speaking on the significance of the programme, the General Manager LASEPA, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, said the initiative was designed to equip children with practical knowledge of environmental protection and responsibility.

Ajayi represented by the Executive Assistant to Mr Governor on Environmental Protection Matters, Ms Tolulope Adebowale noted that the children should not only be regarded as future leaders but as change-makers today, stressing that practical learning would enable them to retain the lessons and replicate them in their homes and communities.

According to him, the children were taught how to upcycle everyday materials such as water bottles, plastic spoons and waste fabrics, while also engaging in gardening, planting, environmental painting and science experiments aimed at stimulating their curiosity and creativity.

He said: “We recognise them as change-makers today, not just future leaders of tomorrow. That is why we have brought them here, not only to teach them but also to engage them in practical activities so that they can retain what they have learnt and replicate it when they return home.”

The LASEPA General Manager emphasised that everyone has a role to play in protecting the environment, noting that environmental responsibility should not be left to adults alone.

He said inculcating positive environmental habits in children at an early age would make them easier to sustain throughout their lives and would ultimately contribute to building a cleaner, healthier and more environmentally conscious Lagos.

Ajayi further expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for supporting the initiative and making the second edition possible.

Also speaking, the Founder of Green Redesign Initiative, Mr. Sanwo Kehinde, a partner in the environmental bootcamp, shared his experience from the maiden edition, noting that the programme had created a lasting impact on children who participated.

He said the previous edition sparked curiosity and environmental responsibility in his children, particularly his daughter, who developed a passion for planting flowers and became what he described as a “mini environmentalist” at home.

Dr. Rafiat Gawat, who attended the programme with her children expressed excitement over the children’s experience at the bootcamp.

She noted that this was their second participation in the Eco Explorers programme, having also attended the maiden edition. She recalled that during the first edition, the children were given potted plants to nurture, an experience which increased their interest in environmental protection and encouraged them to return for the second edition.

Similarly, LASEPA Zonal Director, Alimosho II Zone, Mrs. Abolanle Kasumu, described the Eco Explorers Bootcamp 2.0 as an engaging and impactful initiative designed to help children develop a deeper understanding of the environment.

Kasumu noted that children possess a remarkable ability to learn and retain information, making early environmental education an effective tool for developing responsible attitudes and behaviours towards the environment.