By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A campaign aimed to involve kids in the climate change discussion has been launched by Cartoon Network.
The initiative called the Cartoon Network Climate Champions commenced this month across Africa and will continue to be a focus for the kids’ broadcast station throughout the year.
The multi-territory and multi-language climate change awareness initiative is mainly for viewers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and will allow the children to take on small challenges that can make a world of difference to the health of the planet.
A statement issued by the firm said the challenges are categorised by different themes – some of them recognising key climate awareness moments such as World Environment Day on June 5 and World Oceans Day on June 8.
By completing the challenges, the Climate Champions earn digital rewards for a virtual garden that they can nurture and grow.
In total, there are more than 100 small actions and challenges that kids can take part in, as well as fun quizzes, games and videos. They can keep track of their progress through a global activity map, updated live for every completed action.
The map shows how the Climate Champions are making a difference in Africa and across the world, creating a community of young people joining forces for the climate.
The initiative is supported by WWF, one of the world’s leading independent conservation organisations. Both organisations will provide simple and accessible explainer videos about the issues behind the climate-related headlines in ways that kids can understand.
As part of the campaign, Cartoon Network has also collaborated with the Digital Video team at CNN to produce a series of first-person video articles featuring young change-makers across the EMEA region to inspire the Climate Champions and motivate others to get involved.
The short vignettes spotlight some of the initiatives that young Cartoon Network fans are already involved in at a grassroots level and show how they are making a difference.
There’s a wealth of knowledge that kids all over the continent can learn from local African change-makers, Buhle Easton and Jonathan Main from SA, and Dzifa and Senam Panou from Ghana.
The 12-year-old Buhle strongly believes saving the planet starts with small and easy things for everyone to do every day like turning off the lights in the morning and not littering just as 11-year-old Jonathan is a proud Cartoon Network Climate Champion who is passionate about water conservation and looks forward to doing his part to make a change.
Widespread pollution is a concern for brothers Dzifa and Senam, aged 11 and nine years old, respectively, and spurred on by the belief that it is time for humans to give back to the planet, they have taken on the responsibility to pick up litter around their neighbourhood.
