Eco-warriors depart for Aldabra |29 March 2018
A group of 12 eco-warriors and four environmental leaders left Mahé yesterday to spend a week on Aldabra.
The 2017 Eco-Schools Award winners will return from Aldabra on April 4, 2018.
This trip to Aldabra is being fully sponsored by the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) as star prize to the six schools that scored the most points in the annual eco-schools programme coordinated by the environmental education unit at the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development.
It aims to promote sustainability through environmental education by engaging students, teachers and other stakeholders to work collectively to deal with different environmental issues.
Schools are awarded points for their efforts based on the general criteria of the Seychelles’ eco-schools programme and involvement in national school competitions.
The six outstanding schools who were placed first, second and third in the primary and secondary categories in 2017 are Anse Royale primary, Baie Lazare primary, Anse Etoile primary, Beau Vallon secondary, English River secondary and Plaisance secondary.
Also joining the students on the trip are teachers from the winning schools and a student from Friends of Vallée de Mai club on Praslin.
Some of the activities planned for the students are seabird identification on a lagoon cruise, guided walk around the Old Settlement to learn about the history of people on Aldabra, beach cleaning followed by exploring the mangroves and lots of snorkelling.
Weather permitting, this year’s programme will also include spending a night at Middle Camp with an evening barbecue, stargazing, singing and dancing.
SIF communications officer Lynsey Rimbault said the trip this year will be slightly longer than the previous years.
“Every year they enjoy the trip so much that they ask for it to be longer as the Aldabra lagoon is so big that the whole of Mahé could fit into it. In addition to the days travelling to and from Aldabra, the eco-schools groups will spend six full days on the atoll, giving them plenty of time to explore,” she said.
Ms Rimbault noted that the annual eco-schools trip is a highlight for the staff on Aldabra and SIF is very happy to be able to sponsor this star prize once again.
The sustainable development coordinator at the unit, Shane Emilie said Aldabra offers a greater experience compared to other Seychelles islands.
“They will see how the animals interact in their natural habitat, the level of cleanliness maintained by SIF on the island as well as experience life on the island itself and how the SIF staff go about their daily routine,” he said.
Baie Lazare primary student Anushka Payet and 11-year-old Anaira Dick from Praslin expressed how excited they are for the trip.
“I’m happy and excited to go there. I expect to see things I haven’t seen before,” said Anushka.
As for Anaira, she said: “I really want to see how the island looks like and I hope to see animals I have not encountered yet”.
Plaisance secondary student Daryl Adolphe said it is a great privilege to have received this opportunity to visit an island which most Seychellois dream of going to.
“I think it will be a good experience as it will prepare me for my career as a marine biologist. I will get first-hand experience to see those in this field at work and the daily challenges they face,” he said.