WWF DRILLS YOUTH ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) recently drilled some 200 youths from the ten regions on conservation, protection and sustainable development issues to help them keep abreast with sustainable environmental exploitation.

 By Anu Paul

Addressing the youths at the International Relations Institute (IRIC), the Country Director for WWF-Cameroon, Dr. Njiforten Hanson Langmia, said nature is the provider of all human needs and so we all have the duty and responsibility to ensure that it is exploited sustainably. Dr. Njiforten said medicine, water, food and other human resource come from nature, and therefore, sustainable development and environmental conservation cannot be achieved without youths joining the crusade. This explains why WWF is seeking to develop a new partnership with youths to enhance sustainable development in all activities.

Dr. Njiforten exhorted the youths to face the challenge and come up with attractive projects.

The main objectives of the WWF Youth, Leadership and Sustainable Development conference was to sensitize stakeholders and identify focal areas for civil society organizations (CSO). Other specific targets involved the sensitization of the youths on sustainable development and green economy principles; identify current status of government initiatives and future plans.

WWF also aims to provide a platform for youth representatives to present priority problems and proposed focal areas for WWF\CSO in Cameroon and finally to seek media support in advocating youth involvement in sustainable development activities.

Guest speakers at the conference came from WWF-Cameroon, Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED), Ministry of Youths and Civic Education (MINEJESSE), Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment, Enterprises contributing to sustainable development, coordinators of youth programs and other youth representatives.