The Nigerian Girl Guides Association (NGGA), Ogun State, has organised a step-down training for 50 girls on biodiversity conservation opportunities at the Women’s Development Centre Hall, Abeokuta. 

The initiative, which was part of the Biodiversity Conservation Project under the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM) scheme, aimed to equip young females with the knowledge and skills necessary to drive environmental sustainability efforts in their communities.

The State Commissioner, Nigeria Girl Guides Association, Ogun State, Mrs. Moyosore Abidemi Adeyemi, during the event disclosed that the project was a transformative step towards empowering young women to become environmental advocates, noting that biodiversity loss is a pressing concern which can be addressed  by engaging young girls in conservation efforts.  

The coordinator of Earth Cadets, Miss Abisola Akinyemi highlighted that the initiative was designed not only to raise awareness but also to create actionable change, emphasising that it was one of the means society can ensure a sustainable for all.

“We have to match our words with action whenever we say children are the leaders of tomorrow. It is important for us to educate these girls on environmental preservation, we are instilling a sense of responsibility that will extend beyond this training. The goal is for them to step down their knowledge and impact their local communities,”

"Our 5 Earth Cadets, Abisola Akinyemi, Jimoh  Omowunmi, Sowemimo Gloria, Arikewuyo OlusolaJonathan Oluwaseun  provided a robust training for the 50 participants who were carefully selected across the 11 local government areas where Guiding exists in Ogun State. Our Earth Cadets will showed them how to plant trees and each of them were  given a tree to plant in their community when they get home .

She further stated that the training aligns with global climate action efforts and Nigeria’s commitment to sustainability, adding that participants were expected to plant trees, spread awareness, and take on leadership roles in conservation.

The State Commissioner, Mrs. Moyosore Adeyemi emphasised  that Ogun State Girl Guides had been tasked with reaching 2,500 Girls and Young women and planting 230 trees across all local government areas as part of the broader conservation drive, urging participants to take ownership of the initiative and ensure they transfer the knowledge gained to their peers in their Communities. 

Speaking at the event, Mr. Shodipo Oyeneye, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, commended the Nigeria Girl Guides Association for its commitment to environmental sustainability, stressing that educating young girls on biodiversity conservation is crucial in shaping the future of environmental policies and practices in the state.

Mr. Oyeneye stressed that the Ministry of Education remained committed to supporting projects that integrate environmental awareness into the learning curriculum, while pointing out that sustainability efforts must start from schools and be embedded into the daily lives of young people.

Also speaking, Ms. Ayoola Folakunmi Ogunsola from Ecodiversifying International, who coordinated an interactive session with the girls, following the step-down training facilitated by the 5 Earth Cadets led by Abisola Akinyemi, emphasised the importance of community-driven action in conservation. 

She explained that participants were taken through practical sessions on tree planting techniques, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable resource management, encouraging the girls to see themselves as environmental change-makers and to take proactive steps in implementing the lessons learned.

Some of the beneficiaries of the training including Adekunle Famous from Abeokuta South, Jogunomi Zainab from Odeda, Balogun Tobiloba from Ijebu Ode, and Saromi Zainab from Obafemi Owode expressed their delight about the training, assuring that they would share all they had learned on biodiversity with their peers upon returning to their respective communities. 

The training also featured a visit to the Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ogun State Chapter, Oloye Kolawole Shoremi who took members of the State NGGA and the trainees to a recycling factory near the NYCN Office in Abeokuta for them to experience the concept of waste-to-wealth and some other things learned from the training.