As part of our core mandate to promote ecology and care for the Earth, Sharing Education and Learning for Life Foundation embarked on tree planting campaigns in Miya Local Government area of Bauchi State and Bauchi State metropolis on the importance of planting and protecting the trees for the good of the environment.

 The project came as a need to combat climate change by planting of trees to reduce the effect of global warming on human, provision of fresh air and to preserve the environment. It is also a need to create awareness on the environmental problems facing humanity.
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In the course of our discussion with the residents in Miya, some of them pointed out how difficult it has been for them to survive, especially in the wake of calls by heads of government, International organisations and other regional organisations to be environmentally friendly; that they too feel pity for the Earth, but do not have alternatives as their only source of energy is woods which are majorly sourced from fallen trees, cutting down of matured trees and sometimes, young trees that even provide them shades; or kerosene which is usually scarce and expensive.

Speaking at the event in Bauchi, Hajiaya Mairo Ahmad Alhasan pointed out that all her life and family have lived and survived through tree planting as source of their livelihoods. She added that tree planting has aid her and her children through education and other means of livelihoods which today she has no regrets over it.
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Miss Nancy Bitrus also emphasized that most of the trees serve as medicinal; Nancy who is battling with diabetes reiterated how mango tree has helped to remedy her ailment. She encouraged the people at the event to embrace tree planting not just as a result of climate challenge but also as medicine to some diseases.

​On the other hand, Mr. Jinjiri Garba applauded SELL Foundation for the good work and also made a clarion call to all the Civil Society Organizations present at the event to imbibe same spirit so as to combat climate change.
The campaign /tree planting brought together some selected households, Civil Society Organization and SELL Volunteers in Bauchi and Miya Local Government.


RAPHAEL OKUSAGA ON OVERSIGHT/MONITORING VISIT TO SELL FOUNDATION, NIGERIA
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 Mr. Raphael Okusaga, the Child Safeguarding  officer of St Patrick’s Missionary Society was at the SELL office for an oversight/monitoring visit on Child Safeguarding and Protection from the 20th to 21st  September, 2021.  

 During the visit, Mr. Raphael had an interactive session with the SELL Resource team and some selected SELL volunteers in Tafawa Balewa (Godwin Joseph and Matthew Solomon) on issues surrounding child/adult safeguarding and also reviewed and evaluated the progress of the implementation of the child safeguarding/protection project.
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In the course of the discussions, Mr. Raphael asked the team to share their experiences around child/vulnerable adult safeguarding as well as state areas in which SELL can incorporate in the next phase of the project.

 The team members stated that most of the abuses on children sometimes are as a result of ignorance by the parents or guardians, and lack of knowledge on the law of child safeguarding and protection. Therefore, the team agreed to explore more on Child safeguarding and protection as well as increase awareness to villages and in the metropolis.

The following report contains activities carried out by the Sharing Education and Learning for Life (SELL) Programme Ghana in the month of August 2021. It includes work of Commissioned Volunteers in the Tamale and Navrongo-Bolgatanga Zones.
 

• On 25th August, 2021, a radio discussion took place on Navrongo-based community radio station – Nabiina FM in the Upper East Region.

 
A similar discussion also occurred on URA Radio in Bolgatanga (Upper East Region) and Dasuma FM in Yendi (Northern Region) on the 26th and 29th August, 2021 respectively.
 
The separate discussions centered on the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI).
 

• A Peace Forum was organized in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region on 26th August, 2021.

 
It was on the theme: "Peaceful Coexistence for Inclusive Development."
 
It brought together various stakeholders including: representatives of the National Peace Council, Regional Chief Imam, Police Commander, Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Anglicans, Presbyterians, National Youth Authority, Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).
 
Assembly Members, Justice & Peace Commission members, Youth and Opinion Leaders also attended.
 
It was aimed at consolidating peace in Ghana.
 
Fifty-six (56) people participated.
 

• A Rising from Resilient Roots (RRR) workshop was organized in Navrongo, 27th to 28th August as part of the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI) activities.

 
Participants were drawn from Navrongo township, Doba, Vugaja, Pungu, Naaga, Nayagenia, Namolo, Nangalikinia and Muslim communities.
 
The purpose of the workshop is to help young people find internal balance, strengthen their identity and learn new coping skills in order to increase hope and well-being in themselves and their communities.
 
Seventy-two (72) youth, including five (5) Muslim brothers participated in the workshop.
 

• From 27th to 28th August, a step-down workshop was conducted for the Jirapa community in the Upper West Region.

 
It was on the Community Building unit of the SELL Programme. Participants explored various ways of building and sustaining genuine community life.
 
Forty-one (41) young people participated.
 

• Commissioned Volunteers of the Leo-Northern Cluster Team in the Tamale Zone organized a workshop for some executives of the Catholic Organization for Social and Religious Advancement (COSRA).

 
It took place in Tamale in the Northern Region on 28th August and focused on the Leadership unit of the SELL Programme.
 
Sixteen (16) leaders participated.
 
The same day in Walewale in the North-East Region, Commissioned Volunteers of the Bolga Cluster Team in the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Zone also conducted a Leadership workshop.
 
Eight (8) youth participated.
 

• On the 29th August, an introductory meeting took place in the Yendi Zone on the SPI Mentorship Programme.

 
The meeting afforded mentors who were orientated for the roll out of the programme, to create groups based on similarities and matching of individuals.
 
Following applications for recruitment, the youth were grouped and paired with seasoned mentors (identified entrepreneurs, business professionals, service providers etc) in their area of interest.
 
Sixty-eight (68) young adults from various faith backgrounds participated in the meeting.
 
The purpose of the programme is to provide the youth with mentorship and coaching support towards achieving their aspirations and dreams.
 
The Mentorship Programme is part of the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI) of the Catholic Relief Services with SELL Ghana and other stakeholders as partners in its implementation.
 
 

   

• The Resource Team conducted a first Zonal Meeting for commissioned volunteers of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Zone, July 9-11.

 
The purpose of the meeting which took place in Bolgatanga was to get the volunteers to reconnect and put together action plans for the zone as SELL volunteers.
 
Among other issues discussed, was for the cluster teams to visualize success stories they hope to achieve through sharing with other young adults what they have learned through the SELL programme.
 
The respective teams put together various activity plan they intend to undertake for the benefit of the wider community in the Upper East Region.
 

• Step-down workshops were conducted for four (4) communities in the Damongo Zone of the Savannah Region, July 16-18.

 
They focused on the Leadership unit of the SELL Programme.
 
In Lingbinsi, thirty-three (33) young adults participated, including six (6) Muslim brothers.
 
Twenty-seven (27) participated in Canteen community, twenty-two (22) in Tuna and sixteen (16) in Sawla.
 
In the Wa Zone, a workshop was held for the Jirapa community of the Upper West Region, July 23-24.
 
It took place at the McCoy College of Education and centered on the Community Building unit.
 
Participants used the opportunity to explore various ways of building and sustaining genuine community life.
Fifty-three (53) young adults, including students of the college participated.
 

• As part of activities being carried out under the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI), a Rising from Resilient Roots (RRR) workshop was organized in Bunkpurugu under the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Zone, July 16-17.

 
It brought together young adults from Bawku, Zebilla, Binduri, Garu, Bunkpurugu and Nakpanduri communities.
 
Thirty-eight (38) participated.
 
In Sawla under the Damongo Zone, it took place July 23-24.
 
Fifty-three (53) young adults, including six (6) Muslim brothers and sisters participated.
 
The RRR workshop is part of the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI) project of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) with SELL Ghana as partners, and is being implemented in five (5) regions of Northern Ghana.
 
The purpose is to help participants find internal balance, strengthen their identity and learn new coping skills in order to increase hope and well-being in themselves and their communities geared towards peace building.
 

• A one-day Peace Forum took place in Sawla in the Savannah Region of Ghana, Friday July 23.

 
The purpose was to deliberate on various ways of curbing violence and sustaining peace.
 
In Lawra in the Upper West Region, the Peace Forum was held on Friday July 30.
 
The events brought together some chiefs, queen mothers, imams, priests, security agencies, assembly members, women groups, youth leaders and opinion leaders.
 
The forum is part of a series of activities under the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI) of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
 
With the increasing rate of violent extremism in the troubled Sahel region, the SPI intervention in partnership with SELL Ghana and other key stakeholders seeks to champion the need to coexist in harmony with one another.