“IDEAS-UGANDA CAMPS IN KASESE DISTRICT TO ENGAGE THE YOUTHS ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY”.

Banner used during the day

The day was Wednesday, 26/12/2012 when Youth focus on environmental conservation(YOFEC) through Intellectual decisions on environmental awareness solutions(IDEAS-UGANDA) organized a youths sports galla competition with a theme;  Engaging the youths for environmental sustainability at St. John’s seminary, Kasese  District, Uganda.

This attracted over seven hundred (700) youths in and out of school from the five constituencies of Kasese district that presented six teams for the one day galla. The galla was attended by IDEAS-UGANDA Management team represented by Mr.Adidas masereka, Mr. Isaac sinamakosa and Mainuka Paddy, media personnel and the District youths councilor, Hon Baluku Geoffrey Lubangula.The kasese Woman Member of Parliament registered her apologies for failing to turn up because of other official commitments but however advised that the youths councilor could deliver her message to the youths.

The district youth councilor in a neck tie presiding over the function

 

 

 

Before the games, mr.Isaac Sinamakosa presented a paper about IDEAS-UGANDA, narrating its aims and focus in Uganda at large. He explained to the youths that IDEAS is a youths-led global movement that campaigns for environmental conservation and sustainability in areas of; Water, Ecology, Wastes, Food, Transportation and Energy. He further advised the youths and other community members to join and spread the IDEAS’ message to the grass root communities for the good of our future generation.

Masereka Adidas guiding think tank

Mr.Masereka Adidas later organized the youths into six think tank groups where they discussed their community environmental challenges, causes of the challenges and how the challenges could be addressed. Challenges like; Deforestation, charcoal burning Poarching, poor wastes disposal, poor roads, pests and diseases, poor food storage, insufficient water supply and water contamination were highlighted by the think tank groups. Among the causes, poverty,  over population, inadequate sensitization on environmental conservation, weak laws on environment were given. And the think tank groups majorly proposed the following as solutions to the above challenges;  organizing sensitization workshops, influencing the government to enact strict laws on environmental degradation, building water reservoirs in homes, investing in mini-irrigations, constructing greneries in homes, sensitizing communities on dangers of over population, mobilizing communities for mass clean ups, constructing wastes disposal bins in public places and putting up mechanisms of turning wastes into important products.

The competitions later started and at the end, the best three teams were rewarded, where the first team received a trophy worth UGx 250,000 with UGx 30,000 Cash, and the second and third received UGx 25,000 and 20,000 cash respectively.

District youth councilor handing over the trophy to the winners

MAJOR OUTPUTS OF THE ACTIVITY.

• ·        Popularizing IDEAS-UGANDA in the district through the big number of youths that turned up and an FM radio presenter.

• ·        Winning support of the District woman member of Parliament and the district youths councilor who promised to immediately schedule a partnership meeting between IDEAS-UGANDA and the King of the Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu(Obr), Bishops of Catholics and Anglicans in the district and Kasese district local government leaders about strategies of enhancing IDEAS work in the district.

• ·        The youths leaders appreciated the work of IDEAS-UGANDA and requested IDEAS to link them to youths groups in other districts of Uganda and the world at large for a strengthened campaign.