“Our Friends the Turtles”, Environmental Awareness Begins in Faqam Classrooms

Today, Monday, the Ruaa Centre for Strategic Studies, Consultations, and Training organized an awareness lecture titled “Our Friends the Turtles… How Do We Protect Them?”, targeting students of Faqam Basic Elementary School.
At the beginning of the event—held under the sponsorship of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Small Grants Programme (SGP), and in coordination with the Office of Education in Aden—Mr. Mohammed Nasser Al-Kazmi, Deputy Head of the Centre, delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of protecting sea turtles as a vital component of marine ecological balance.
Al-Kazmi noted that preserving them is a shared responsibility requiring both official and community efforts. He added that future generations are the cornerstone of spreading environmental awareness and fostering a culture of protecting marine life and their natural habitats.
For his part, the principal of Faqam School welcomed the Ruaa Centre team, praising such awareness initiatives that enhance students’ understanding and promote positive environmental behavior. He also affirmed the school administration’s readiness to cooperate in implementing similar impactful activities.
Dr. Jamal Ba Wazir, Head of the Environmental Protection Unit at the Centre, delivered a comprehensive awareness lecture covering the importance of sea turtles and their vital role in the ecosystem. He also highlighted the major threats they face, such as pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction. In addition, he presented practical guidelines and methods for protecting turtles, especially in coastal areas.
During the lecture, Dr. Ba Wazir stressed the importance of involving the local community—particularly students—in marine environmental protection efforts through awareness and participation in environmental activities. This contributes to building a generation that is conscious of environmental issues and capable of protecting them.
This event comes as part of the “Save the Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Aden” project implemented by the Ruaa Centre, which aims to enhance environmental culture within the community and preserve biodiversity along local coastlines.
On the sidelines of the lecture, students of Faqam Basic Elementary School carried out an on-campus awareness campaign, placing informative posters throughout the school. These posters highlighted the importance of protecting sea turtles and preserving their natural environment, featuring simple and engaging messages that promote positive environmental behavior among students.
This student-led initiative reflected a high level of engagement with the lecture’s content, as students were eager to share what they learned with their peers, demonstrating their active role in spreading environmental awareness both within and beyond the school, contributing to the development of a more environmentally conscious generation.