WCD: Bauchi female student stands out as UNICEF’s Nature enthusiast  

From Paul Orude Bauchi

A female student, Hafsat Ali Sanda, 13, fom Sakwa community in Zaki Lozal Government Area of Bauchi State, stands out when it comes to the subject of climate change.

A year ago, Climate Change Study was introduced in the curriculum of Junior Secondary School curriculum by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

Abdullahi Idris, Miss Sanda’s teacher, disclosed that UNICEF, Bauchi Field office, trained a teachers on climate change and provided teaching materials.

“We have been teaching our students on the subject of climate change since our return and the impact is tremendous,” Idris stated.

Sanda and the Nature Club enthusiasts in Govt. Junior Secondary School, Sakwa, during a meeting

The GJSS has over 600 students who are taught the subject of climate change with no fewer than 100 actively involved the school’s Nature’s club,” he said.

Sanda spoke to a group of journalists who visited her school in Sakwa, as part of efforts to mark the 2023 World Children Day (WCD) being celebrated every November 20.

Not only was she eloquent, she had a grasp of climate change for her level and delivered what she had been taught with passion and dexterity.

This year’s WCD focuses on how climate change affects children and UNICEF, Bauchi Field Office, selected schools in Shira and Zaki local government areas in the state to assess the impact of the incorporation of the subject in the curriculum.

Sanda receives Climate Change teaching incorporated in the Curriculum by UNICEF in 2022

Sanda, who is evidently climate literate in the past one year, is the Head Girl of the school and an active member of the Nature club of GJSS Sakwa.

An enthusiast of the Nature club in her school, Hafsat carries out projects to safeguard the environment in community from the devastating effects of climate change.

Besides planting trees to check deforestation, Hafsat now knows that her community is at risk to impact of climate change.

“We have been taught that we are experiencing cold and later hot weather and the changes affect our lives,” she said.

In simple terms, Hafsat was able to explain to team of journalists that climate change can exacerbate desertification, as rising temperatures contribute to soil degradation and loss of vegetation in arid regions like Zaki.

 According to UNICEF, desertification in northern Nigeria affects 50 to 75 percent in 11 northen states including Bauchi State.

“I have been taught the importance of tree planting and at home we have many trees.

“I have planted a tree which I water and nature daily

“I now know that trees have several advantages such as reduction of windstorm, providing fresh air and makes the surrounding beautiful”

The form three student of Government Junior Secondary School Sakwa hails from a community has embraced climate change as one of her favorite subjects and has become an ‘expert’ in it.

UNICEF trained teacher Idris teaching students of GJSS Sakwa on climate Change

She strongly advocates  planting of trees because extreme weather in her community had caused flooding that destroyed schools and houses in the area and disrupted education of children in the past.

Sanda said she was also taught that recycling plastic items could also reduce environmental impact of climate change

“My friends and I ensure that we gather plastic items for recycling

“We ensure plastics do not litter the environment because they endanger human lives”

Sandra’s community is affected by increased temperature which contributes to food and water scarcity.

Mainly agrarians, her community is located in the arid northern part of the country where climate change threatens livelihoods of 40 million.

Sanda knowledge of climate change gives a beacon of hope to a threatened community.

The teenager is a Nature’s enthusiast, an ambassador of change to checkmate the impact of climate change particularly as it affects children.