By Fabian Ekeruche
MushinToThe World (MTTW), an environmentally friendly non-governmental organisation, has reiterated its plan to embark on continued climate change awareness programmes to achieve environmental sustainability.
Mr Babatunde Enitan, Founder, MTTW, stated this in an interview on Friday in Lagos.
Enitan spoke against the backdrop of the build-up of activities to mark the sixth anniversary of the foundation.
He said that the foundation had been involved in cleanup activities within the Mushin locality, adding that the trend would continue in the nearest future.
Enitan, an environmental changemaker who grew up at Mushin, a suburb of Lagos, said that his journey into climate change activism bagan when he realised that the practice of people within his community was inimical to environmental sustainability.
He said that activities such as charcoal burning, burning of wastes, open defecation and improper waste disposal were rampant in his community.
Enitan said that the foundation would continue to educate Mushin residents on the implications of these activities on environment sustainability.
He noted that his basic knowledge of environmental sustainability and preservation arbored unwholesome practices leading to harmful effects of climate change such as flooding and rising temperatures.
“These and many other activities spurred me into climate change advocacy.
“I volunteered for different locally-led initiatives where I was exposed to the various causes, effects, and simple solutions that are peculiar to different communities like Mushin,” Enitan said.
He said that his environmental and grassroots activism as a volunteer started at ICCDI Africa – 2016, a climate-smart, youth focused organisation.
He said that the volunteering experience changed his passion, and drive for more actions to be carried out in his community, with over 900,000 residents.
Enitan said that with the growing population in Mushin his interest grew over time which led to his efforts on campaigning, creating awareness and strategic partnerships, and simple locally-led adaptation solutions tailored to meet the needs and priorities of many of the people in his community.
He said that MTTW was established in July 2017 with the aim of transforming lives, re-engineering the mindset of its citizenry and with particular focus on the youth.
Enitan said that the foundation would want to present solutions to social problems by its own indigenous youth, thereby taking the community to a whole new height of a 21st century sustainable society driven by peaceful living and development.
He said that after his tutelage on climate action, he founded MTTW with a mission to nurture new breed of innovative changemakers.
Enitan said that MTTW faced daunting barriers at the onset due to funding.
“We are usually faced with community-related barriers. They have slowed down the process of carrying out some of our community outreaches to build climate resilience.
“However, we overcome them by applying community related solutions, using our networks of partners, such as the Community Development Association, Community Development Committee, different units of our local authorities offices, and government representatives,” Enitan said.
