Kenya Wildlife Service has started educational tours for young conservationists within the Malindi Marine National Park to sensitise them on the importance of maintaining a clean environment.
The children have been participating in the monthly clean-ups organised by the Progress Welfare Association of Malindi.
More than 30 children benefitted from the educational trip by boat and managed to see the beauty of a clean ocean in the protected area, which had plenty of fish visible under the bottom glass boat.
Senior sergeant Abu Bocha from the KWS Malindi marine park who led the children during the tour said it was important for the younger generation to learn about environmental conservation to help in keeping the environment clean.
Speaking after the tour, he said conserving the existing marine life will help the future generation to be able to come and see the treasures of the ocean.
“It is important for us to be in the forefront in conservation, so as not to destroy our environment, If the environment is good, the community stands to benefit from the different fish species," Bocha said.
The KWS sergeant also said they normally do clean-ups frequently because any form of waste that gets to the ocean such as plastics destroy corals and threatens the lives of sea turtles.
One of the young conservationists, Emanuel Kombe, who benefited from the free educational tour, said he was happy to learn about marine environmental conservation.
“It is my first time to come here and I am very happy for the ride which we have been taken through. I have seen some types of fish which I have never seen," he said.
Sister Bentina Havaya said she brought children to tour the ocean so as to know the importance of conserving the environment.
Havaya said during their tour, they found different kinds of fish species that seem to be innocent and require protection.
“Children have really enjoyed. I can see they are very happy and are ready to conserve the environment both on the mainland and in the ocean,” she said.
Pastor Kariuki Gitiba, a member of PWAM, thanked KWS for offering the children a boat ride as it would go a long way in enlightening them about the conservation of the environment.
“These are children that have been involved in the Nyumba Kumi clean-up initiative — a cleanup that we have been doing once every month. It is important for us to pass on the message to this younger generation that a clean environment is also good for them,” he said.
Zahra Mukura, a Grade 2 student, said she was happy to tour the marine park where she saw fish and learnt more about conserving the environment.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
