On the 22nd of April, young enthusiasts of Yanuya Primary and Malolo District Schools in the Mamanucas celebrated Dive into Earth Day. Unlike previous years where students went straight into cleaning up their school compounds, beach fronts and foreshores, this time round they did something different. The programme began with a series of power point and verbal presentations. Students sat down and listened eagerly to the presentations delivered by Diana and Ken of MES on the essence of Dive into Earth Day. Students were wide eyed and excited when they learnt that in other parts of the world children as young as they also contributed towards protecting their coral reefs by not only picking up rubbish on the beaches but snorkelled and even scuba dived to remove trash. As part of the presentation, the Kids Aware DVD by Project Aware was shown to them. The documentary was most enjoyed by the children and their teachers as they watched the beauty of a diverse, healthy and beautiful coral reef ecosystem. Following the presentation was a dynamic session of rubbish picking around the school compound and along their beach. The day’s event ended with each class receiving a certificate of participation in the Dive into Earth Day.
Project Aware contributed to the success of the event through the provision of coral reef brochures, fact sheets, stickers and posters. Certificates of participation were awarded to all who participated in the organised event.
