In 2015, the United Nations approved the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to be applicable globally with the aim of actualizing them by the year 2030. These SDGs are a universal commitment that seek to address the most critical issues in the world today such as world hunger, social inequalities, environmental degradation and poverty. In recent times, the 2030 deadline that was initially set for the realization of these sustainable development goals have necessitated the need to urgently re-address the strategies being applied all over the world, seeing that we have few more years left.
One critical strategy that would make a world of difference in this global drive for sustainable development is the inclusion and education of young people for the purpose of raising more youths as active stakeholders in their Nations and the international community. With a youth population of over 70%, Nigeria has a population demographic which can be leveraged to mobilize millions of young people across our communities through more effective youth engagement and sensitization.
In the month of September, Prime Initiative for Green Development kicked off a series of Sustainable Development Goals Sensitization Campaigns for secondary school students in Rivers State. These campaigns have been designed to educate students on the 17 SDGs and instill in these young people a sense of ownership and a passion to champion change in actualizing these global goals.
On Friday, 29th September 2023, Prime Initiative for Green Development held the pilot SDG sensitization campaign at the Community Senior Secondary School, Ozuoba, Rivers State.
The event started by 12pm at the school’s premises with an interactive session where all the students were educated on the 17 SDGS by the team members for the organization. The students had the opportunity to ask their questions on global warming, quality education and the different sustainable development goals that were discussed. Furthermore, there was a tree planting exercise where several trees were planted within the school premises. The students were taught about the important role that reforestation plays in ensuring carbon sequestration in our world today and were further guided on how to plant these trees.
The event ended with the entire staff and students of The Community Senior Secondary School, Ozuoba expressing their gratitude for such an inspiring initiative while pledging their solidarity in ensuring they continually contribute and support the realization of the world’s sustainable development goals.
