An Environment Where Children Thrive!
It Takes a Community to Protect An Environment Where Children Can Thrive
Olturoto Shopping Centre was unusually busy on the morning of June 5, 2026.
Children carrying gloves and rubbish bags moved purposefully between groups of teachers, community members, local leaders, caregivers, and staff. Laughter mixed with conversation as they all worked side by side, united by a common goal: creating a cleaner and healthier environment for everyone.
Then came the song.
“We have to save our planet, so we can live and grow. We might only be children, but we will try, you will see.”
As the children sang, many adults paused to listen. Their words were simple, but their message was powerful. The future of Olturoto belongs to these children, and they already understand something important: caring for the environment means caring for the people who depend on it.
A Community United for Change
On World Environment Day, more than 300 learners, teachers, community members, local leaders, Community Child Protection Committee (CCPC) members, and staff came together to clean Olturoto Comprehensive School and the surrounding shopping centre. What began as a community clean-up soon became something much bigger, a demonstration of what a community can achieve when they come together around the well-being of its children.
The participation of local leadership, led by the Area Chief, set the tone for the day. Teachers worked alongside learners, community members volunteered their time, and families joined hands to improve the places where children learn, play, and grow. The atmosphere was energetic and hopeful. Everyone had a role to play, and everyone showed up.
Learning Collective Responsibility
For the children, the day offered more than an opportunity to collect litter. It was a chance to see adults leading by example and to experience first-hand what collective responsibility looks like. Through practical action, they learnt that protecting the environment is not someone else’s responsibility; it is ours.
This lesson is particularly important in Olturoto, where families live with the realities of a changing climate. Drought, flooding, water shortages, and unpredictable weather patterns affect livelihoods, access to education, and household wellbeing. When families face environmental pressures, children often feel the effects first.
A clean and healthy environment helps create the conditions children need to thrive. It supports healthier families, safer communities, stronger livelihoods, and more stable childhoods. When communities work together to care for their surroundings, they also help to safeguard the well-being of children.
A Lasting Impact
The impact of the day remained visible long after participants collected the final rubbish bag. The school compound and shopping centre appeared noticeably cleaner, awareness about environmental conservation increased, and learners, teachers, local leaders, CCPC members, and the wider community built stronger connections. More importantly, children witnessed the power of a community united around a shared purpose.
As the activity came to a close, the children’s song continued to echo in the minds of many who had participated.
“We have to save our planet, so we can live and grow. We might only be children, but we will try, you will see.”
Their words remind us that protecting childhood is not only about responding to challenges when they arise. It is about creating communities where children can grow up safe, supported, and hopeful about the future.
And sometimes, that starts with something as simple and as powerful as a community coming together to care for the place they call home.