Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

Background (Paraphrased from content provided by Philip):

The Gbawe Youth Club is registered with the National Youth Council of Ghana as a community-based youth organization and is committed to grassroots participatory projects that address environmental and human development issues. The Gbawe Youth Club and the Nicodemus Wilderness Project have formed a collaborative partnership with the goal of improving the environmental conditions in impoverished regions of West Africa. Project objectives include conducting environmental cleanup projects and promoting environmental conservation throughout the area. Projects are planned throughout the year to conduct litter cleanup campaigns in poor villages and hold conferences/rallies that educate citizens about the importance of environmental conservation. The collaborative partnership between the Gbawe Youth Club and the Nicodemus Wilderness Project has resulted in the accomplishment of numerous program objectives, including education of youth about conservation issues, removal of litter from villages and surrounding natural areas, and involvement of local citizens in cleanup campaigns.

Results of the Apprentice Ecologistâ„¢ Litter Cleanup (Paraphrased from content provided by Philip):

The first jointly sponsored Gbawe Youth Club - Nicodemus Wilderness Project cleanup campaigns were held on the 17th and 24th September 2005. We held the cleanup projects in Gbawe Town and Mallam with the project theme: Help to Clean Up the World to Avoid Malaria Infections. Educational pamphlets were provided and explained to citizens to increase their understanding of the harm that litter causes to the environment, wildlife, and humans. A total of 107 youth participated in these cleanup campaigns, which resulted in the removal of hundreds of bags of litter. A large proportion of the collected litter was comprised of plastic (polyethylene) bags and discarded papers. Volunteers explained the nature of this project to citizens to help educate them on the importance of maintaining a litter-free environment. Efforts were also made to clear litter and sediment out of clogged water drains that provide breeding habitat for malaria-bearing mosquitoes. Future plans for this region include holding a conference on environmental issues, providing garbage cans in the community at strategic public locations, and planting trees in deforested areas surrounding the villages.

As part of the Apprentice Ecologist Initiativeâ„¢ in Ghana, the Nicodemus Wilderness Project sent hundreds of leather work gloves, dust masks, brochures, and flyers to help facilitate these efforts and also to educate people about their underlying causes. Our large-scale projects that have already enlisted hundreds of volunteers in sub-Saharan Africa were made possible by providing these much needed supplies, support, and educational materials for litter cleanup efforts.