As organized by Yves Rugira, the CEO/Founder of Ibinkikije nkunda ltd and Radio Salus environmental presenter, the project aims to raise awareness on biodiversity conservation in secondary school students through poems and songs competition. Ten schools participated in this competition from three sectors in Huye district (Ngoma, Tumba, and Mukura) and from each school; representatives were selected to compete on district level at the final event. The Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management was among the partners in this project and student winners had the opportunity to visit the National Herbarium of Rwanda and the Arboretum at the University of Rwanda, Huye Campus.
In October 2019, we visited participating schools; talented students were identified to compete at the district level where the final event took place at Ecole Notre Dame de la Providence Karubanda (ENDP-Karubanda). Among eight schools which managed to get to the final, only six schools attended the final at E.N.D.P. Karubanda and they were well prepared for the day. First students in every category were awarded with bags, notebooks, reusable bottles and twenty thousand Rwandan francs (20,000 Rwf). The Education and Awareness Raising Officer at the CoEB gave a talk on how to beat air pollution and promote good health in line with the topic. Students were eagerly looking forward to more competition and collaboration as they want to conserve the environment while they are still young.
