STUDENTS and teachers of a primary school outside Suva have formed a club to wage war on litter.
It was formed with the Partners in Community Development Fiji to raise awareness on environmental issues in schools.
PCDF worked with Ratu Latianara Primary school in Serua to come up with Anti Litter Bug Club at the start of the year.
The club consists of 20 students, aged between 11 and 14, and four teachers including the principal.
"The club members meets once a month on Saturdays to take part in creative litter session programs.
"The sessions include environmental awareness and art and craft using recycled material or what most people call rubbish," said PCDF natural resources co-ordinator Fulori Nainoca.
The club is part of PCDF's awareness programs in schools at Serua and Moturiki Island.
"The aim of the program is to educate children and create awareness on environmental issues.
"The program teaches them the importance of natural ecosystem and the link between the ecosystem and humans as well as the impact of human action on these fragile environment," said Ms Nainoca. The work of club is admirable as the students and teachers have made rubbish bins out of old kerosene drums and placed them around their school for rubbish disposal.
They monitor the amount and type of rubbish that accumulate in the bins and mapped out areas often polluted with rubbish to recommend where the bins are to be installed.
"In addition to the Saturday meeting once a month, the club has made efforts to meet every Wednesday to monitor their progress and discuss ways to improve waste management techniques in their school.
"Imagination and a dose of creativity is all that's needed to make useless stuff turn into artistic pieces," said Ms Nainoca.
PCDF, through it's program, also aims to empower children to be better informed, to create a change in attitude, behaviour and perception about the environment and to take action against environmental damage caused by man.
The program will be completed in August with an exhibition to showcase the art and craft and activities that the children have been working on or created through the year.
