Young Generation for Migratory Bird Conservation Challenges

On April 1, the NGO ECO-CARE launched a contest with 17 questions about birds. Students can pick up the form from their teacher, fill in the answers, and bring them back to the same teacher. On April 20, we will collect the forms for correction by school. A transparent draw will be held in each school to select the top 5 students. After the draw, the top 5 students will simulate a training on the answers and a mixed team (NGO ECO-CARE and teachers of the school) will now select the top 2 students and those who explain better. 20 primary schools are taking part in this competition in the commune of Parakou and its surroundings. The two best from each school selected will participate in a training workshop that will last two days. The workshop will be led by an expert ornithologist from the University of Agriculture of Kétou, which supports the event and pays for his travel and accommodation. The latter will be well-trained to sensitize their colleagues of the schools bordering the upper Ouémé forest (Forêt de ouémé supérieur), which is still a bastion of avian biodiversity, on the importance of birds, migratory birds, and their contribution in terms of ecosystem services for well-being. The NGO ECO-CARE will be there to frame and answer any questions that cannot be answered by students. The 5 from each school will be junior ambassadors for biodiversity conservation. With the help of the NGO ECO-CARE, they will be able to set up clubs that will be solicited whenever the need arises given their expertise. Students will participate in a radio program on UP FM, the radio of University of Parakou (partner of the event) on migratory birds with the expert at the end of the training before going into the field. Thus, we are preparing to have 50 minutes of air time per month to talk about birds and their benefits in order to raise awareness about their protection.