Olympic champion Cheptegei named climate change goodwill ambassador

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Vision Group and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the Swedish Embassy in Uganda, have named Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei as climate change goodwill ambassador in schools.

The nomination was announced on Wednesday,  August 28, 2024,  during the Green Schools National Climate Change Debate finale and awards ceremony at Makerere University in Kampala.

Commenting on his nominations, Cheptegei accepted the move, expressing his excitement. He commended Vision Group and FAO for considering him in what he described as a noble cause.

According to Cheptegei, he has already started on the move to help schools mitigate and adapt to climate change policies.

"With me, the journey started some time back, because I  know the fight against the effects of climate change is fully ours collectively," Cheptegei said.

Cheptegei's remarks were contained in the video clip shared during the event.

On the other hand, Awiya Mukasa, a smart climate agriculture activist, was also nominated as a goodwill ambassador for smart climate agriculture in schools.

At the same event, Mengo Senior School was crowned this year’s Green Schools National Climate Change Debate after defeating Soroti Secondary School. The win came after four of the seven judges ruled in favour of Mengo SS. Accordingly, Mengo SS walked away with a trophy and a sh10m prize, whereas Soroti SS was awarded sh7.5m.

Accordingly,  Mengo SS walked away with a trophy and a sh10m prize, whereas Soroti SS was awarded a sh7.5m.

In third position was Seeta High School (main campus) and Nabisunza Girls came in the fourth position both awarded sh5m.

130 schools benefit

130 schools benefit.

The championship is under the Green Schools Project, also known as the Green Schools Initiative (GSI), which has for the last two years supported and impacted 130 secondary schools from across 10 regions of the country.

The project, which is championed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the Embassy of Sweden and Vision Group, has done wonders through the raising of awareness and understanding of climate change and environmental degradation within schools in Uganda while empowering academic institutions and schoolchildren to take an active role in the solutions to environmental challenges. 

The project's first track focuses on climate change innovations at schools and community levels, while the second involves debates at regional and national levels, according to John Eremu, the Green Schools Initiative, project manager.

Green Schools project champions

On the other hand, St Mary's Vocational School Kyamuhunga was crowned Green Schools Initiative Project champions against their close competitors Mary Hill High School- Mbarara whereas Iganga SS emerged third.

In that regard, St Mary's Vocational School was awarded sh12m, Mary Hill High School sh10m whereas Iganga SS secured sh7.5m.

Meanwhile, Fortunate Angel Jamel from Tororo Girls emerged as the overall best female and Arnold Asiimwe from Mengo SS as the overall best male student.

John Eremu, the New Vision editor. (Photo by Miriam Namutebi)

According to John Eremu, the Green Schools Initiative project, schools should use the prize money to develop innovative climate change projects in their premises.