Twelve (12) students from several school regions across Jamaica, were recently awarded scholarships valued at $25,000 towards their educational development, courtesy of the Youth Environmental Advocacy Programme (YEAP) of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.
The students were winners of an essay competition, which was part of the 11th staging of the YEAP, launched in February 2024 under the theme, “Wata Brings Life”. The topic for the essay competition was “Discuss the effects of climate change on Jamaica’s water resources and food security”.
The winners were Suhari Kumar of Campion College; T-Shannae Minott of Holy Childhood High; Kyla Nightingale of Immaculate Conception High; Rashida Nelson of Browns’ Town High; Tomaya Martin of Westwood High; and Mia Vaughn, the sole eleven-year-old winner from Somerset Primary and Infant School.
Other winners included Kemar Duhaney and Sheldon Hayes from Herbert Morrison Technical; Shenae Turner of Manchester High; Akeeliah Wiggins of Glenmuir; Jadvia Grant of Bridgeport High and Ohemma Blake of Old Harbour High.
Addressing the winners, Director General in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Dr. Sharon Morrison noted that the YEAP is necessary as youth are fundamental to the process of achieving a healthier and more sustainable environment. She added that their advocacy is becoming increasingly important in a world where climate change-induced challenges as well as environmental risks are increasingly becoming the norm.
“Because they represent the future of our country, and as such, will disproportionately bear the consequences of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, the views and indeed the voices of our youths, are an important part of the discourse on how to treat with these issues, in order to ensure better, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable actions that will have long-term impacts on lives and livelihoods”, she stated.
The Youth Environmental Advocacy Programme (YEAP) which was conceptualized and spearheaded by the Environmental and Risk Management Branch (ERMB) of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, is one of the ways in which Jamaica’s youth is engaged in addressing environmental and climatic challenges.
The YEAP was officially launched on June 30, 2016, with the objectives of increasing the capacity of youth to become advocates for the environment; promoting environmental stewardship; fostering constructive dialogue and proactive engagement of the youth in the development of environment-related policies /plans and programmes and sharing strategies and best practices.
The programme is open to all young persons between the ages of 11 and 19.
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