BAPESU Active Participation at Tunza Regional Children’s Conference on the Environment in Cameroon
WANKE NANGA Tatiana Aminatou from BAPESU was one of the over 300 children from all over Africa and Norway that were present at the Tunza Regional Children’s Conference in Cameroon that took place from the 30th July – 3rd August 2007. TUNZA is a word in Kiswahili (the common language of most East African countries) that means to “treat with care”. The programme is based on a strategy that aims to provide young people with information and tools on how to “treat Mother Earth with care” and how to Act for a better world. This conference prepared the children for the Tunza International Children’s Conference that will take place in Norway in June 2008. At the conference the children deliberated on a variety of topics concerning Africa. The Conference was organized by UNEP, UNICEF, UNESCO and the Cameroon Conference Committee.

Opening the conference was the Representative of the Prime Minister, Jules Doret Ndongo, Secretary General at the Prime Minister's Office. While underscoring the huge importance the government gives in protecting the environment, Jules Doret Ndongo emphasised the role of children in any durable development. He said the conference is welcomed as it will help children know how to preserve the ecosystem through their activities. Talking on the theme of the conference which is "Practice what you preach", Dr Strike Mkandla, a representative of UNEP said the theme is suitable at this stage in world development. To Dr. Strike the theme is an important maxim not just for children but for everyone as there are vital adjustments required in the lifestyle of everybody towards environmental protection. Topics for discussion at the conference Centre on areas in which action is urgently needed to ameliorate the environment.

The main themes of discussion at the conference were: Climate change and food security; Forest and biodiversity (including a visit to a forest), and Survival of the Great Apes; Water (clean water and sanitation, situation in slums and other poor areas due to the lack of water and sanitation); Waste management and recycling; Dry lands and deserts (including information on the Billion Tree Campaign).

At the end of the conference the following outcomes were reached at. - each child delegate committed to plant at least 10 trees per year and 10 trees each before the Tunza International Children’s Conference that will take place in Norway in June 2008 - each child should raise environmental awareness in their local areas or communities through stories, drama and dances. To respect the commitment taken in Yaoundé WANKE N. Tatiana Aminatou has with her friends at BAPESU scheduled a Tree Planting Campaign to take place in September 2007 in Bambui Community (NW-Cameroon).