Kinshasa: Students learn about agribusiness and the fight against global warming

The non-governmental organization Hope Land Congo held a forum for students in Kinshasa on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, on the theme “Eco-citizen engagement for peace, gender equality, and climate justice for all.”

The event took place at the Center for Social Action Studies (CEPAS) in Kinshasa, in the Gombe district, in the presence of Manzambi Zola Léopold, mayor of that district.

According to Esther Kalonji, the NGO’s environmental affairs officer, the programs offered by these organizations benefit both the education of young students in agribusiness and the fight against climate change.

“Hope Land Congo aims to promote entrepreneurial initiatives with a view to developing agribusiness in the Democratic Republic of the Congo among young people, especially young students. This program trains young people from all social backgrounds in agricultural techniques based on innovation, profitability, environmental protection, and sustainable development, production, and consumption,” she said.

To raise awareness among young students about the dangers posed by current climate challenges, two videos were screened.

The first video highlighted various climate justice protests that have taken place around the world in recent years.

The second video highlighted the disastrous consequences of global warming in Somalia.

The students in attendance recited several poems in support of the Earth and the climate.

A play about misinformation surrounding environmental issues was also performed.

For his part, Manzambi Zola Léopold, mayor of Gombe, took the opportunity to urge the students to practice proper plastic waste management in schools and to participate in the Kin Bopeto campaign, initiated by the governor of Kinshasa, Gentiny Ngobila.

At the conclusion of this event, organized with the aim of reversing the trend of the large number of people—including children—suffering from famine and water shortages caused in particular by this scourge, participants expressed their willingness to get involved in environmental preservation for a healthy climate.

“We are involved as students because preserving the environment benefits us first and foremost, as well as our planet. Keeping our environment clean starts at the grassroots level—that is, in our families and later at school,” explained Presci Ghamasono, a 10th-grade science student at Boboto Middle School.

For her part, Grace Ngoyi Kasangila (a 11th-grade student in the humanities track at Gombe 1 High School) believes that the commitment of young people can more effectively urge national and global leaders to act on climate issues.

“Our planet is in danger. People living on islands fear rising sea levels more than ever. Life is threatened by greenhouse gases from the fossil fuels that countries produce. Through this forum, we have realized that our commitment can urge national and global leaders to act so that the situation can improve,” she said.

It should be noted that Hope Land Congo is a Congolese organization specializing in the promotion of agribusiness and agroecological practices.