STEMi Fetes Ocean Day In Bamenda

The 2020 World Ocean Day in Cameroon was commemorated in Bamenda on the theme Ocean Conservation, Sustainability and Environmental Education organised by STEMi Makers Africa-Cameroon and slogan Lets say no to ocean pollution, its the ocean we need in collaboration with Social Enterprise for Environmental Development (SEED), Forest and Environmental Program for Sustainable Development (FOEPSUD) and the Institute of Forestry, Agricultural Chain and Management Technology (IFAMTech). 

The occasion is the first of its kind to be commemorated in Cameroon by STEMi and main activities realised included;

1. Sensitisation and awareness campaign on social media by writing and using flyers, banners & video messages. The awareness talk and sensitization of plastic wastes was a campaign against
2. Improper disposal of plastics which ends up in oceans causing many negative effects
3. Ocean conservation and sustainability
4. The challenges facing our oceans
5. Why we must tackle these challenges
6. The way forward
7. Removal of especially plastics from one of the tributaries of River Mezam in Bamenda. The different activities carried out include;
8. The identification of the different types of wastes causing pollution
9. Removing the plastic wastes from the river and placed in bags
10. Sorting the plastics bottles out and putting them in bags to be taken for recycling by an NGO known as NEPROF.
11. Brief presentation on health hazards to man and the environment and the different uses of plastics bottles was given by Mr. Etomes Marcel.
12. Bags of plastic wastes given to the coordinator of NEPROF who uses the plastic waste to produce flower jar, pavement tiles, wall tiles, cross and building blocks.

• Sensitization workshop at SEED Centre in Bamenda

STEMi Makers Africa Assistant Coordinator, Madam Nkwenti Claudette gave a presentation on the full meaning of STEMi, that STEMi create the next generation of problem solvers, changes the community fabric by developing young adults to embrace STEM pathways and to achieve greater impacts across Africa and work with a strategic plan towards transforming the culture narrative because STEM plays an important role in a nations wealth as well as enabling the next generation of innovators. The future plans to be executed and call for further partnerships from the NGOs to enable STEMi reach out to their desired beneficiaries their Mission, Vision and Objectives.

Mission: To foster development of stronger skills

Vision:

• Boost employment, innovation, inclusion and empower a talent base of over 1,000,000 young Africans with STEM emerging tools, real-world problem-solving skills
• They need to excel in STEM lucrative pathways and become more experienced for Africas workforce by 2025.

The Environmental Expert Mr Mbom Richard (CEO of SEED) focused on; the awareness of the ocean ecosystem, the role of oceans on service provision, threads faced by oceans and possible mitigation measures, and finally a questions and answers session.

The workshop ended with a closing remark from the Assistant Coordinator for STEMi Makers Africa-Cameroon who sincerely thanked participants for taking the courage to participate on this pioneer event organised by STEMi Makers Africa Cameroon with her partners. She told participants that STEMi will soon be planted on the ground and will work closely with Civil Society Organisations especially the organisations that have supported this pioneer event to make it successful.