‘Little Green Hands’, an initiative rolled out by Conservation Alliance, in partnership with the Environmental Department of the US embassy, has been launched in Accra on Saturday, September 19.

The launch was held on the theme: “Stimulating Environmental Care And Ownership In Our Future Generation Today”; and was attended by many school children selected from the Armed Forces Basic School and some schools in Dansoman, all in Accra.

The pupils who were cheerful throughout the event, displayed placards which had various inscriptions such as: “Environment is our life”; “Poor Sanitation = Higher Hospital Bills”; “Keep our environment clean”, and “Join Little Green Hands”.

The Executive Director of Conservation Alliance International, Mr. Yaw Osei Owusu, in his remarks, encouraged children to use their high energy level as a driving force to contribute towards promoting better sanitation development in Ghana.

According to him, children, as the leaders of the future must be guided to inculcate good sanitation habit which can help salvage future sanitation woes of the country if the situation is not checked now.

He said it was time children were equipped with better waste management ideas and technology, so that by the time they become adult, they may continue to care for the environment.

Speaking from experience on how he had witnessed children caring for their environment through various admirable ways in countries such as South Africa, Toronto, and Canada; Mr. Osei Owusu says he believes that Ghanaian children can do more.

He called on the government, stakeholders and well-meaning Ghanaians to come on board the ‘Little Green Hands’ initiative and support it to achieve its aim of promoting a better environmental foundation for tomorrow by stimulating environmental care in children.

The guest speaker for the launch, Ms Ama Odame Okyere of the Ama Odame Okyere Foundation (AOO), reiterated the urgent need for measures to save the Ghanaian environment from its current not-too-good situation.

She lamented the unhygienic conditions at some industries, lorry parks, other public places and even individual homes which are heavily engulfed in filth due to improper disposal of waste and indiscipline.

Ms Okyere said the implications of such indiscipline and uncleanliness leads to outbreak of diseases including cholera, diarrhoea and malaria – diseases which are preventable.

She stated that programme rolled out by the government such as the National Sanitation Day was laudable but still more need to be done to rid Ghana of filth.
“The National Sanitation Day is a good programme by the government to promote good sanitation, but more need to be done”.

“We need to look at segregation of waste substances, provision of incentives for the private sector waste managing organizations, developing waste management technology and also advocacy and awareness creation,” Nana Ama Odame Okyere stated.

She therefore hailed the ‘Little Green Hands’ initiative which brings children on board, as a surer way to help promote good sanitation in the country.

She was optimistic that the initiative will attract national attention on sanitation as well as worldwide acknowledgment; and called on private and corporate institutions, and individuals to support ‘Little Green Hands’.
The main event following the launch will be held of September 25, at the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra, where there will be many child-related activities including poetry recitals.