Hi, this is Stephanie, the new volunteer for the TKP. I have been here for 2 months, arriving just in time to organise the start of the 2009/10 programme. The Tacugama Kids Programme started in 2007, you can find out how the programme started and how the project progressed. Please read on to find out about the success of this year’s programme!

We’ve had smiling faces all around with an exciting and successful start to this year’s Tacugama Kids’ Programme (TKP). This year the programme is working with 11-13 year old students in 11 rural schools around the Western Area Peninsula Forest Reserve (WAPFR). The main objective of the program is to encourage a positive change in attitudes and practices with regards to local environmental issues.

Making educational posters to teach their friends about chimpanzees and rainforest conservation
.

The first stage of the programme was a survey of the local secondary schools. It was motivating to see how many of the schools are located right between the forest reserve and the breathtakingly beautiful peninsula coastline; consequently the communities rely heavily upon the environment for their livelihoods. It was also inspiring to see the determination and perseverance of the teachers in the face of a desperate lack of resources, even holding classes in huts made of woven mats and on benches of sticks. One coordinator from each school was invited to take part in a training workshop at the sanctuary before taking responsibility for teaching the theoretical lessons of the TKP programme.

Excited students at Huntingdon Secondary School receive their new Tacugama Kids Programme exercise books
.

Coordinators from the sanctuary also run activities in each school to reinforce the teaching curriculum, starting with a simple ‘Clean-up the School Environment’ activity. This aims to teach students that keeping the environment clean can be beneficial for the environment and their own hygiene. As well as the enjoyment of the activity there was an important underlying lesson which we hope will be passed on to the rest of the community.

Having fun and cleaning up the environment at the War Wounded Academy
.

Class discussion to conclude the activity; Peninsular Secondary School found the highest volue of rubbish was plastic bags!
.

The week finished off with the TKP in full swing as the first group of young adventurers from Mountain Rural Secondary School visited the sanctuary. It was especially rewarding to see some of the students who had been members of past TKP nature clubs remembering and sharing their knowledge of the chimpanzees. The day was enjoyed by all but the moment that will be most memorable for me will be the students making the ‘promise wall’. By placing their hand print on the wall the students promised to ‘Protect the chimpanzees, their rainforest habitat and their own local environment.’

Pa Willie takes students from Mountain Rural Secondary School on a tour of the sanctuary
.

“We promise to protect the chimpanzees, the rainforest and our local environment”
.

As the poda-poda (school mini-bus) drove away with the students cheering “We love this place, we want to stay forever!” it not only gave us a chance to breathe a sigh of relief at the successful completion of the first week but also a newly fuelled determination and enthusiasm for the opportunities and challenges to come in the weeks ahead.