Guest of Honour Mrs Faith Gotore
By: Chimeno Azriel
Worth Noting:
- The day was organised by Forestry commission (FC), Environmental Management Agency (EMA), CCBICA, Zimbabwe, Church and Community Transformation Network (ZCCTN) saw various stakeholders, Organisations, schools converging to commemorate this observance day with the gist to create an eco-conscious Society.
- Speaking during the speech, the Guest of Honour who is also Sanyati District Development Co-ordinator Mrs Faith Gotore said the commemorations urges people to become active supporters of sustainable and impartial living inorder to promote awareness and an understanding that communities and schools play a Central role in changing attitudes towards Environmental issues. “These commemorations urges people to become active supporters of sustainable and impartial living understanding that it is the young generation that play a Central role in changing attitudes towards Environmental issues.” said Mrs Gotore.
Zimbabwe’s mining town of Kadoma joined millions of people around the world to celebrate World Environmental Day.The District enfolded the theme “# Beat Plastic Pollution” to draw attention to this insistent environmental concern and how schools and the Communities can improve the quality of the environment. The commemorations were held at Odyssey Hotel in Kadoma.
Government Officials, School Children and Organisations converged at the hotel to commemorate the Environmental Day which also coincided with Children’s Conference Day which saw schools showcasing their talents in research and findings as they try to beat the pollution.
The day was organised by Forestry commission (FC), Environmental Management Agency (EMA), CCBICA, Zimbabwe, Church and Community Transformation Network (ZCCTN) saw various stakeholders, Organisations, schools converging to commemorate this observance day with the gist to create an eco-conscious Society.
Speaking during the speech, the Guest of Honour who is also Sanyati District Development Co-ordinator Mrs Faith Gotore said the commemorations urges people to become active supporters of sustainable and impartial living inorder to promote awareness and an understanding that communities and schools play a Central role in changing attitudes towards Environmental issues. “These commemorations urges people to become active supporters of sustainable and impartial living understanding that it is the young generation that play a Central role in changing attitudes towards Environmental issues.” said Mrs Gotore.
During a key note address, Environmental Management Agency’s District Environmental Officer in Sanyati District Mr Knowledge Kabesa said as EMA, they see the commemoration às a way of highlighting the importance of the Environment to wellbeing of the human race. He said the day was designated based on the recognition of the numerous Environmental challenges confronting the world in particular the African Continent. “The day was designated based on the recognition of Environmental challenges confronting the world especially the African Continent.” said Mr Kabesa.
Running under the theme “Solution to Plastic Pollution, # Beat Plastic Pollution” , the theme is meant to highlight the key global problem that is affecting all that is marine and terrestrial ecosystem. Mr Kabesa noted that Zimbabwe has been putting a lot of effort to run along with the NDSI goals and this has led to realization of about 10% waste being recycled from generated waste and that the total waste generated in Zimbabwe , 18% was plastic waste , hence the call to reduce plastic pollution. “Zimbabwe is putting a lot of effort to run along with the NDSI goals and this has led to realization of about 10% of waste being recycled and we noted that 18% of waste generated in Zimbabwe is plastic waste and therefore there is need to reduce plastic pollution.” said Mr Kabesa.The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) through its Act and SI 98 of 2010 controls the production, trading and usage of the plastic bottles and packaging materials
Schools provided entertainment in poetry, and drama from Munyaradzi Primary School, drum majorittes from Chedonje Primary made the day memorable and the theme highlited the need to beat the climate change by avoiding pollution in Kadoma. Speaking on the sidelines of the function, Sanyati District Forestry Extension Officer Mrs Namatai Maunzagona said that they were happy that they managed to commemorate the Environmental Day and as well as Day of Forest.
“we are delighted in that we managed to commemorate the Environmental and as well as the Internal Day of Forest as we try to beat the pollution.” said Mrs Maunzagona. She continued by saying that the commemoration was vital to all including children as they needed to have a relationship with their environment.
“This commemoration is of paramount importance for it leaves school children with the option of transforming the climate through improving their relationship with the nature, this they have to beat plastic pollution.” said Namatai. Mrs Maunzagona touched on competition for schools in planting and caring. “We are targeting to plant 120 000 trees as a District and we are going to run a tree growing and caring competition for all the schools in the District.” said Namatai. “Our forests are part of the Environment and if plastics are not properly disposed off, it means they would end up choking the roots resulting in drying of trees, herbs and even shrubs.” noted Namatai
Community Capacity Building Initiative Centre for Africa (CCBICA) Director Mr Rodreck Dick also said they were happy to work with school children and this opened their minds in working with the environment and it will conscientise their minds about pollution.
“Working with the young ones gives them an open mind so that they work with the environment and in the end they will beat the pollution.” said Mr Rodreck Dick who is the Director. Mr Dick also said the World Environmental Day is commemorated every year and the Organisation’s aim is to catch them young and promoting Environmental Education for the younger generation. “We need to catch them young and as an Organisation, we intend to promote Environmental Education for this young generation.” said Mr Dick.
He continued by saying that their Organisation plans to provide Environmental Projects inorder to improve food security and livelihood and as well as to establish Environmental companies that promote waste management and nutrition. “As an Organisation that work with schools, we have plans to provide environmental projects so that we improve dood security and livelihood and we shall encourage schools to establish Environmental companies that promote waste management and nutrition. “noted Mr Dick
Schools took part in the Schools Environmental Competitions and were awarded with Certificates and in the Primary Schools Category; Chedonje Primary School came first after they beat seven other Primary Schools to land top post. Waverley Primary came 2nd, Munyaradzi came 3rd with Sir John Kennedy coming 4th, Maranatha 5th, Cotton Research 6th, West View came 7th with Mupamombe coming 8th. In the Secondary Category, Jameson High came 1st, Waverley Secondary came 2nd , Ingezi Salvation Army came 3rd with Rimuka 2 coming fourth and Pen Academy coming 5th.
Also present was the Sanyati District Development Committee Chairperson and Exchanges Technical Committee (South Africa) Dr Langton Mabhanga who saw the importance of fighting the plastic pollution and the involvement of younger generations made him to praise the Government Departments and Organisations who organised the commemorations for coming up with the Competitions which made the schools to do the researches and the solutions to beat the plastic pollution.
Sanyati District Schools Inspector Mr Joseph Majasi thanked the steering committee for involving the school children in the fight against the pollution and by carrying some researches, made the young ones to love their environment in order to beat the climate change by avoiding pollution in schools and the community.
The Environmental Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment and it was first commemorated on the 5th of June 1974. The aim of the day is to raise awareness of the Environment and specific Environmental issues.
The Forestry commission partners with various stakeholders including CABICA, NEAT, ZECN, Anglican church, Forestry Commission, EMA, Kadoma City Council, Sanyati Rural District Council and Schools to mention only but a few to carry out their duties.
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