Children learn about the environment in fifth SIF holiday camp |01 September 2014

The Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) held its fifth educational holiday camp recently at the Vallée de Mai on Praslin with the aim of making the most of the school holidays.

The camp lasted for five days and 13 children aged between 7 and 11 years old attended.

This was an opportunity for them to learn about the Vallée de Mai forest ecosystem and Aldabra Atoll, and also other aspects of the natural environment.

The camp aims to further the children’s understanding of the natural world and give them an opportunity to experience nature up close.

A variety of subjects were covered where the children were taught about them through a mixture of classroom activities such as presentations and worksheets, but also through field sessions, arts and crafts.  

The children had the opportunity to learn about the birds of Seychelles; the forest ecosystem; sustainable living and renewable energy; the marine ecosystem and invasive species.  It was a fun and action-packed week where they learned many new skills and gained a better understanding of their environment.

While learning about invasive species with the SIF invasive species team on Praslin, the children not only took a guided tour with them in the Vallée de Mai to learn about the invasive plants and animals first hand, but they also helped clear those plants from the community stewardship plot launched by the SIF earlier this year. This was a fantastic opportunity for them to have a direct involvement in the management of these species and learn how they can help protect the native biodiversity of Seychelles.

The week ended with a ceremony where the children gave a performance of some of the poems and songs they had written about the Vallée de Mai and the subjects they had learned.

There was also an exhibition of the work they had produced during the week of activities.  

To close the ceremony, the SIF invited a representative of each of the 16 organisations that took part in a fun run in June this year to raise awareness of coco-de-mer poaching for World Environment Day.  The representatives read and hanged an engraved copy of their pledge that they had given on World Environment Day to protect the coco-de-mer.

Vallée de Mai site manager Marc Jean-Baptiste delivered a closing speech for the camp where he gave certificates to the children and told them:

“I hope that this week’s holiday camp will inspire some of you to become involved in conservation and the environment within the Seychelles. I would also like to thank our sponsors, partners and facilitators for the assistance they have given us in making this camp a success. We would like to particularly thank our sponsors Raffles Hotel, Praslin, for its continued support of this event,” said Mr Jean-Baptiste.
 
The SIF holiday camp is held twice a year in August and December at the Vallée de Mai. There are 30 places available at each camp for primary school children.  

If you are interested in your child attending a future camp you can contact Maria Brioche on 4236220 at the Vallée de Mai for details of how to apply.  

Maria Brioche

Education and Outreach Programme Officer

Vallée de Mai, Praslin