As part of efforts to promote girls' participation in environmental sustainability and leadership, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Girls for Environmental Resilience and Empowerment (GERE) Global, has empowered 100 female students of Avital College, Surulere, and LivingPasture College, Ikorodu, Lagos, on climate awareness and environmental responsibility.
Empowering Girls for Climate Action
Speaking during the awareness programme, the founder of GERE Global, Dr. Blessing Palmberg, said the initiative was designed to ensure that girls are not left behind in conversations and actions surrounding climate change and community development. She noted that empowering girls with environmental knowledge would have a multiplier effect on families and society at large.
According to her, projects like this are significant for the country because it has always been about the boys, while forgetting that girls are also part of the change. “When we educate a girl child, we educate the whole community. The woman, the mother, takes care of the family, and the girls are the leaders of tomorrow. Climate change affects everybody, so it is important to educate them about their living environment and how they can contribute positively,” she stated.
Palmberg stressed that many girls in society still struggle with marginalisation and lack of opportunities. “A lot of girls have gone through difficult experiences in society because people believe they do not belong or they should remain in the shadows. This time, we are saying no to that. We must educate our girls for them to rise and take leadership positions,” she said.
Environmental Ambassadors Inaugurated
During the awareness programme at Avital College, two selected students were inaugurated as environmental ambassadors to champion tree planting and environmental care within the school. They are Udeme Udofia from the senior class (SS2) as the president and Alisa Chuckuwuka from the Junior class (JSS2).
Palmberg described the ambassadors as whistleblowers who would take the lead in nurturing trees planted in the school environment and encourage other students to embrace environmental responsibility. She likened the care of the trees to raising children, noting that the students would learn leadership, responsibility and community service through the exercise.
“We have told the teachers to support the girls while the girls take care of the trees. It is like nurturing babies, giving them attention, care and resources to grow. Through this, the girls will learn how to lead and care for the community from an early stage,” she added.
Sustaining the Initiative
The Communication Lead, GERE Global, Ogechukwu Ugwu, stated that the organisation believes women naturally possess the capacity to nurture, manage and sustain both families and the environment, making the girl child a critical stakeholder in climate advocacy. Ugwu noted that women play significant roles in preserving balance within society and should therefore be equipped early with environmental responsibilities.
According to her, the awareness is designed to instill environmental consciousness in girls while encouraging them to become active participants in waste management and climate protection. She explained that the organisation is establishing GERE Clubs in schools visited during its outreach programmes as part of efforts to sustain the initiative and ensure long-term impact among students.
Ugwu disclosed that members of the clubs would be trained on environmental sustainability practices, including recycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles and other waste management activities aimed at keeping communities clean.
Expansion Plans
The Communication Lead further noted that although the programme has global relevance, Lagos was chosen as the flagship location for the programme before its expansion to other parts of the country. According to her, the organisation plans to extend the initiative to states in the South-East to deepen climate awareness among young girls nationwide. “It is a project that will affect the entire world, but we are starting with Lagos. From here, we are moving to the eastern part of the country,” she added.
The students inaugurated as environmental ambassadors pledged to ensure that the planted trees are properly maintained and to educate younger ones on the importance of environmental sustainability and tree planting. A certificate of partnership was issued to the school by GERE Global, and the students were also given educational materials.
