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About a year ago, 100 secondary schools in 10 districts around the country were given the challenge of coming up with innovative, yet realistic strategies to lessen the effects of climate change.

The effort was the result of the cooperation between the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and Vision Group, with funding from the Swedish Embassy in Uganda.

In addition to the project work, the schools also took part in a debate about climate change. The grand finale for the debate ended on Wednesday, with Sacred Heart Secondary School, Mushanga in Sheema district taking the trophy and a cash prize of sh10m.

FAO country representative Antonio Querido interacts with Vision Group’s deputy managing director Gervase Ndyanabo during the Green Schools debate finals

The runner-up, Mengo Senior School, got sh7.5m; the second runner-up, Soroti Secondary School, got sh6m and Ntare School in the fourth place bagged sh5m.

Wakiso’s St. Kizito High School won the highest prize, sh12m, in the project category.

In second place, Kololo Senior Secondary School received sh10m, Tororo Girls School (third position) received sh7.5m and Kibubura Girls Secondary School in Ibanda (fourth) received sh6m.

Fifth and sixth place finalists; Gayaza High School and Immaculate Heart School Nakibare, respectively, received sh5m each.

State minister of primary education Joyce Moriku Kaducu (centre), talking to some of the participants in the Green Schools debate during the preliminary rounds at Kololo SSS on Tuesday

Maria Hànkasson, the Swedish Ambassador to Uganda, asked the audience to adopt practices that will help sustain a natural environment conducive to human life.

“Young people are the future leaders; you are decision makers of the future and so we have chosen to engage you because we want to build your capacities to be friendly to the environment,” Hànkasson added. The National Forestry Authority boss, Tom Okello, spoke on behalf of the Ministry of Water and Environment.

He commended the efforts of FAO, Vision Group, and the Swedish embassy for their work in promoting a worthy cause.

FAO’s country representative in Uganda Antonio Querido said climate change is a key barrier to the country’s progress.

Most of the sustainable development goals, he said, would be difficult to achieve unless action is taken on climate change.

Kololo SSS students receive a dummy cheque from the NFA executive director, Tom Okello (left), during the Green Schools debate competitions

Gervase Ndyanabo, the deputy managing director of Vision Group, emphasised that the severe consequences of climate change call for immediate and long-term action.

As an aside, Crown Beverages’ (Pepsi) commercial director, Rogers Anguzu, said: “The Green Schools project is a great initiative because it targets our youth and fosters early adoption and participation in developing solutions to our country’s environmental problems.

We appreciate the opportunity to participate and hope to form many more relationships of this nature in the future.” He stressed Crown Beverages’ commitment to sustainability, saying the company backs efforts across the country to combat climate change and safeguard the environment.

It is the children, he said, who will carry on the struggle against climate change into the future. Thirty schools competed in Tuesday’s preliminary debate rounds at Kololo Senior Secondary School.

Here are some of the photos from both Kololo Secondary School and Makerere University events.