TGS environment club named club of the year
Apr 22, 2024
Their involvement in neighbourhood clean-up efforts has yielded not just acclaim, but also support.
Students from Tororo Girls School show how plastic waste can be reused.
By Javier Silas Omagor and Gloria Namuli
Journalists @New Vision
___________________ The club hopes to continue inspiring more students to protect the environment TGS Environment Club members display their waste bins
During the annual Clubs Day celebration at Tororo Girls’ School, a dazzling array of student skills and initiative was on full display in the school’s colourful courtyard not long ago.
Out of 20 school clubs that competed for the honour, the Environment Club stood out for its steadfast dedication to community service and environmental protection.
In the middle of much commotion and green and white banners, the Environment Club came out on top, winning not just Club of the Year, but also Patron and Club President of the Year honours.
According to club patron Abdu Barabwiriza, who is also in charge of the Green School Initiative, sponsored by the Embassy of Sweden and implemented by New Vision in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the club’s many honours demonstrate their continual commitment to environmental preservation and long-term sustainability.
What set the environment club apart?
Club president Robinah Agado says the group’s success stems from everyone’s determination to do their part right from the start of the school year.
Amid other clubs’ preparations for Clubs’ Day, the Environment Club wasted no time getting to work on projects to bring attention to environmental issues and make a real difference not only within the school but also in the community.
“We have provided a platform for dialogue. We want to ensure that our peers are sensitised about the impact of littering, especially plastic waste on our environment.”
Their efforts did not go unnoticed. The club’s activities met attention not only within the school but also in the wider community, thanks to coverage in New Vision and support from development partners. Indeed, the impact of the Environment Club extends far beyond the school gates.
Their involvement in neighbourhood clean-up efforts has yielded not just acclaim, but also support.
The Environment Club’s slogan, Waste is Wealth, reflects the spirit of invention and resourcefulness, transforming obstacles into possibilities for progress.
During events such as music, dance, and drama days, other clubs look to the Environment Club for crafts and materials made from recycled waste, demonstrating the club’s resourcefulness and influence.
As the sun set on Clubs’ Day, the Environment Club stood out as a source of inspiration and hope for a greener, more sustainable future — one throwaway bottle at a time.
With a stated goal of educating both the young and old on negative behavioral attitudes that jeopardise environmental cleanliness, TGS Environment Club persuaded organisations, such as the Association of Volunteers International Services (AVSI) through its defunct SKY project, to donate waste bins for separation of plastic and other recyclable materials.
In recent years, the club has had significant success, notably in terms of mindset change among fellow students, teachers, and school visitors alike.
“Before the club revived all these activities, environment education had not gone far, people indiscriminately threw out sachets, wrappers, bottles, and other plastic materials thinking it was somebody else’s problem to collect,” Philomena Akiteng, the club’s outgoing secretary, says.
TGS Environment Club, which has over 60 members, is determined to help battle climate change by making trash separation an everyday practice and a desirable habit for families and communities.
Furthermore, the club is planting trees and reviving indigenous tree species in their school and surrounding towns.
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