LASEPA Empowers 160 Kids With Educative Skills
By Sheriff Salau
One hundred and sixty children between the ages of six and 15 have completed the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency’s Eco Explorers programme, an initiative that introduced them to the practical disciplines of recycling, gardening, environmental protection and sustainable living.
The just-concluded programme moved beyond abstract lessons. Participants sorted waste, cultivated small gardens, examined everyday habits that harm the environment and explored simple, realistic ways to live more sustainably in a densely populated city. For many of the children, it was their first structured encounter with the idea that individual actions can shape the collective health of their communities.
The implications for the young participants are both immediate and lasting. At an age when habits and values are still forming, the programme has given them tangible skills and a clearer sense of agency. Learning to separate recyclables, grow food and care for shared spaces fosters responsibility, patience and problem-solving. Working in groups also builds cooperation and confidence. These early experiences are likely to influence how the children view waste, green spaces and their own role in protecting the environment as they grow older. In practical terms, the knowledge gained can translate into cleaner homes, more thoughtful consumption and a readiness to influence family and peer behaviour.
The benefits for society are equally significant. Lagos continues to grapple with overflowing waste, blocked drains and diminishing green cover. By equipping a cohort of children with environmental literacy and practical habits, the programme contributes to a longer-term shift in public behaviour. Young people who understand the value of recycling and sustainable living are more likely to become adults who reduce the burden on waste-management systems, protect public infrastructure and support cleaner neighbourhoods. Over time, such education helps cultivate a culture of shared responsibility rather than passive acceptance of environmental decline.
The scale of the intake: 160 children in a single programme, suggests an intentional effort to reach a meaningful number of young Lagosians rather than a token few. While sustained reinforcement at home, in schools and through future initiatives will determine how deeply the lessons take root, the Eco Explorers programme has taken a concrete first step. It has placed practical tools and a sense of environmental duty in the hands of children who will inherit the city, offering both personal growth for the participants and a modest but valuable investment in the future quality of life for Lagos as a whole.
