When we were children, we looked forward to going on trips in spite of the assignment that awaited us on our return. The most dreaded assignment was to narrate our experiences in an essay titled “The Day I will never Forget.” Regardless, the evening before the trip, we prepared vehemently. We made our hair; the boys got a clean shave; the girls on the other hand, got a fresh hairstyle of cornrows which was the only hairstyle allowed, or blow-dried their hair and tied it in a ponytail.
Such a day had arrived for 48 boys of Raha Kids Education Rehabilitation and Re-Integration Centre. So as custom dictates, they got a clean shave, spared their favourite uniform for the trip, and cleaned their shoes. The day of the trip finally came on October 16, 2024, and as scheduled, the Giraffe Centre picked them up from school for a day of adventure.
The boys qualified for the educational trip after showcasing an undying interest in environmental protection. Through their work with Planet Plus Kenya since the year (2024) began, the children have engaged in tree-growing and waste management activities in their school to make their school an environmentally conscious entity. The children, through the interactions they have had with the volunteers of Planet Plus Kenya, have an understanding that the environmental wellbeing depends on them.
Therefore, the boys have showcased their love through their commitment to the environmental protection process. They have been involved in tree-growing and waste management activities at the school. To make such initiatives possible, the boys have been at the forefront; pitting, planting, and watering the tree grown on their property.
Apart from these common activities, the children go a step further to learn what is required of them to increase the survival rate of the trees. For instance, during a routine monitoring visit to the centre, it was discovered that the children had put sawdust at the base of the newly planted trees as mulch.
The fact that they used the most available material, which would have otherwise been considered waste and discarded, shows just how innovative they are. This goes to show just how far they are willing to go to come up with ways of ensuring that their hard work is not in vain.
For these reasons and more, it was about time for them to be exposed to the greater world that they are contributing to positively. This is where the Giraffe Centre came in handy. The Kenyan non-profit organisation, which is dedicated to educating Kenyan schoolchildren and youth on their country’s wildlife and environment, offered the boys an opportunity to go on a day’s trip to learn further about why their actions matter.
Since the Giraffe Centre, a creation of the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (A.F.E.W. Kenya), opened its doors to the public, it has endeavoured to inculcate a love for the environment in children and Kenyans at large. The organisation has further gone ahead to support organisations spearheading sustainable development projects. Planet Plus Kenya has so far benefitted immensely from the organisation through capacity-building workshops and in-kind donations.
Hence, on the fateful day, it was the turn of the kids from Raha Kids Education Rehabilitation and Re-Integration Centre to walk where others before them have. Therefore, the 48 boys, together with two teachers, were picked up at 8 AM and taken to the Nairobi Orphanage, the Mamba Village, and the Giraffe Centre, then taken back to their school. During the trip, the children got to learn about the different habitats, wildlife, and challenges they are experiencing, both natural and manmade.
During their trip, the children were challenged to think of ways they could further contribute to reversing the challenges. They vowed to continue the good work that they have started at their school and to replicate it in the institutions nearby. This they will do hand in hand with Planet Plus Kenya.
Previously, Planet Plus Kenya has worked with the Giraffe Centre and WildlifeDirect to take underprivileged children on ecology trips for a chance to learn from experts about environmental conservation. Therefore, as the organisation looks to roll out its Education for Sustainable Development program in 10 schools within Machakos and Kajiado County. This will be made possible through partnerships with relevant organisations.