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Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

A FORM Six pupil at a school in Victoria Falls has been selected among 14 young persons into the global International Youth Environmental Leadership Council whose aim is to empower young people to advocate for a healthier and safer environment.

Originally from Marange in Manicaland, Charmaine Mupara (18) is a learner at Hudini School of Science in Victoria Falls and represents the country in the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programme together with Tafadzva Ashley Gore, another young Zimbabwean.

Bow Seat is a non-profit organisation based in Massachusetts, USA, whose mission is to educate and engage youth in environmental conservation and advocacy through the arts.

Since Bow Seat was founded in 2011, more than 32 000 school children from all 50 US states and more than 140 countries have participated in its programmes that educate learners about the issues impacting ocean health, uplift youth voices for conservation, and inspire them to participate in positive, creative actions.

Charmaine was among 125 applicants from around the world and her proposal won her the slot among the top 14 who will be ambassadors for the whole of 2024. Their role will be to mentor other young people and participate in international climate change activities as 2024 Future Blue Youth Council members.

Ms Linda Cabot, Bow Seat’s founder and president said: “We are so excited to welcome our 2024 Future Blue Youth Council. These new members are a diverse and talented group of leaders who are already making a positive impact on our world. As part of the Council, they will have the opportunity to actively mentor other youth environmental projects that Bow Seat awards grants to, as well as support our organisation’s programmes and develop their own initiatives.”

Charmaine said she has an interest in environmental conservation and is a member of Environmental Buddies Zimbabwe where in partnership with another girl, Thelma Sithole from Manicaland, she implemented a water harvesting project at Chigonda Primary School in Marange where the school now has a flourishing orchard which draws water from a nourished underground source fed through the two girls’ project.

She said the project addresses water scarcity through water harvesting pits which they dug around the school to prevent run-off and have rainwater percolate into the ground to feed the water table and enhance underground water sources.

“We are working with a local school there to save water, grow fruit trees and improve food security. Our concern was that because of the shortage of water, children especially girls were missing school, so we decided to come up with the project and involve them so that we educate them to bring practical solutions using available resources which is why we planted an orchard which is fed through rainwater harvesting at the school.

“So Bow Seat who gave us the grant to do the project kept monitoring our project and when the project cycle ended in 2022, I applied for a programme that they advertised and they were happy with it as I focused on what communities can do working together to preserve the environment and how lack of efficient electricity supply causes deforestation as people cut down trees for energy. So there were 125 applications and I am among the 14 that were selected as council members,” said Charmaine.

She said the appointment is a huge achievement for her.

Charmaine said her role will be to raise awareness about ocean challenges, contribute information to the organisation’s website, encourage planting of trees, mentor other grant winners and promote climate action.

Charmaine bemoaned a lack of appreciation of environmental issues by communities.

“It’s important to know that we are experiencing climate change hence we need to take action and eradicate food insecurity to fulfil Sustainable Development Goals. I am glad to be involved in diplomatic activities to find solutions to climate change. I wish all tourism organisations could be involved in environmental conservation,” said the girl whose father initiated a project ‘Trees for Tourism’.

The 14 young council members meet once a month on virtual platforms.