Banco Comercial e de Investimentos (BCI) is the official sponsor of the Ambassadors’ Club, a training programme run by Kutsaca ONGD (an educational model co-created and co-managed with the community of Mahungo village, Praia do Bilene, Gaza province), aimed at young people and local activists, which trains them to be “guardians of the place”, involving and challenging the local and floating community to think about the place together, always from a regenerative development paradigm.
In a joint celebration of World Environment Day (5 June), World Oceans Day (8 June) and World Youth Skills Day (15 July), the ‘ambassadors’ are giving presentations in local schools, markets and churches, ensuring a bilingual message (Portuguese and Changana) that can reach everyone.
Also in July, beach cleaning and tree planting activities are planned.
Image is a powerful means of expression and communication, and as part of the pedifoto held in April with young people, where themes such as beauty, art, the beach, gastronomy, fruit trees, the market, ways of life, ways of playing, rubbish, burning, dangers to public health, among others, were portrayed by the ‘ambassadors’, they are now taking the message to the different focal points.
The local school boards have welcomed these activities with motivation and interest, as have the local authorities.
Next to a nature reserve, Bilene is considered a special protection area, due to its beautiful natural landscape, unique biodiversity and diverse marine fauna (endangered species of sea turtles, communities of flamingos and other birds). There is, however, rampant environmental degradation, resulting from the silting up of the lagoon by sediments transported by the rivers, the sea, the erosion of coastal dunes, deforestation of the coastal forest, degradation of infrastructures, inappropriate tourism and fishing practices, which could lead to the loss of this privileged natural ecosystem.
It is essential that this awareness reaches young people and that they feel motivated to change behaviour patterns that can guarantee the preservation and regenerative development of the area, reads a statement from Kutsaca ONGD.
