Activista Climate Education Toolkit

Amina's Adventure: Discovering the Changing Climate

Zainab was a curious girl from Gwagwalada, a small village surrounded by lush green forests
and a winding river. She loved exploring the outdoors, chasing butterflies, and playing under the
shade of the mango trees in her mother's backyard.

But lately, Amina had noticed something strange.

The sun seemed to be shining brighter, and the days felt hotter than before. The river, which
used to flow gently, was now drying up in some areas. The mango fruits looked shrinked, almost
like the trees were poisoned. Amina's grandmother, Kaka, who was known for her wisdom,
noticed her concern.

"Amina, my child, the world is changing," she said, as they sat under the mango tree. "The
climate is shifting, and it's affecting our community."

Amina was curious. "What do you mean, Kaka?"

Her grandmother explained, "The Earth's temperature is rising, like a pot of stew left on the fire
for too long. This change is causing weather patterns to shift, making some areas hotter and
drier, while others experience heavy rains and floods."

Amina's eyes widened as she thought about the impact on her community. "But what about our
crops, Grandma? And the animals?"

Her grandmother nodded. "Yes, Amina. The changing climate is affecting our crops, making it
harder to grow food. And the animals, like the birds and bees, are struggling to adapt."

“Is that what happened to Baba in Kuje?, that flood that took People's homes and Baba's Dog?
Climate?” asked Amina.

“Yes” Kàkà said sadly, “The effect is not the same everywhere”.

Amina felt a sense of urgency. She wanted to help. “What can we do, Kàkà?”

Her grandmother smiled. "We can all make a difference, Zainab. We can reduce our waste, use
less water, and plant more trees to absorb the carbon dioxide."

Zainab decided to help. She shared her newfound knowledge with her friends, and together,
they started making small changes in their daily lives. They picked up trash, helped their parents
with water conservation, and even planted a small garden in the schoolyard.
She began a #plant a tree a week” campaign in her school for every student. She encouraged
both her friends and some of her teachers to join in a plant a tree somewhere, everyweek.

Before long, the tiny plans started to grow and more people joined in.

As they worked together, Zainab realized that every small action could add up to make a big
difference. And she knew that she, along with her community, could help mitigate the effects of
climate change.