Eco-friendly children from Praslin, assisted by Ephelia staff, taking part in wetland restoration work next to the Ephelia Resort

Seychelles has, over the years, worked hard to achieve these goals and this has been successful due to the partnership between government, non-government bodies and the private sector in environmental programmes.

School groups, especially wildlife and environmental clubs, have over the years joined partners locally and carried out international projects to better complement what is being done in formal and informal education in schools.

Today, Seychellois youths are better informed and educated on a variety of environmental issues affecting our planet.
 This will in future better prepare them to take decisions that will not only benefit the country economically and socially, but also environmentally.

School holidays are times when these environmental school groups move out of their classrooms and school compounds to investigate and learn about our natural environment. This particular August holiday is no exception, and a variety of environment education activities are being organised for our children.

Even with the strong south-east monsoon wind, children from Baie Ste Anne School, Praslin – mainly those from the school’s wildlife club – crossed the rough sea to visit Port Launay wetland, a site that has now received international recognition as a Ramsar site.

The group, comprising 17 active eco-friendly children and two teachers from the school, took part in wetland restoration work next to the Ephelia Resort. This forms part of the resort's commitment to involve the community in protecting wildlife species in the wetland.
 
The visit started with a tour of the resort during which they had a chance to visit the different facilities and services provided there. The pupils were very interested and glad to see how well this resort is maintaining the wetland, a natural environment that can help boost the services provided by the resort.

Following the visit, and having learnt about the progress the resort is making, the young Praslinois, together with staff of the Ephelia, planted a variety of mangroves in the wetland. This will further increase the number of species there.

Mangrove restoration is now being carried out worldwide as a means of combating climate change as it can help protect against coastal degradation. After the tsunami that struck the Indian Ocean in 2004, mangroves have also been acknowledged as a means of protecting the coast from such frightening natural disasters.
The Ephelia also provided lunch for the visitors.

The wildlife club of Baie Ste Anne school would like to thank the resort, the President's Office and the Villa d’Or Hotel on Praslin for their generosity and sponsorship, and is calling on other partners to help educate our children on the importance of protecting our natural environment.

Joint contribution by PECO in the Department of Environment and the Wildlife Clubs of Seychelles