The Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSS) concluded its environmental protection awareness campaign, entitled "Little Eco-Heroes," with a reforestation project at the Saly-Portudal primary school. This initiative was carried out in the host cities of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG): Dakar, Saly, and Diamniadio.

According to Maguette Touré Ngom, program officer at CNOSS, this initiative aims to ensure the sustainability of the environmental actions launched with students in recent months. She explains that after calculating the carbon footprint generated during the program's activities with the help of an expert, CNOSS decided to offset these emissions through reforestation. As a result, approximately fifty trees were planted across all the sites involved. In Saly-Portudal, the students were directly involved in the planting to strengthen their civic engagement.

Concrete results on student behavior

Ms. Ngom expressed her delight at the changes already visible at the school. She highlighted the school's cleanliness and the children's proper use of the garbage bins, spontaneously applying the lessons they have learned about waste management. The goal is to raise awareness among young people about the crucial role of trees in mitigating the effects of carbon generated by human activities, while also encouraging them to protect their immediate environment. The CNOSS (National Center for School Safety and Environment) also aims to extend this program to all schools in Senegal.

An improvement in the school living environment

For his part, Cheikh Dieng, headmaster of the Saly-Portudal school, welcomed this initiative, which he considers a major contribution to improving the students' living environment. In a school exposed to intense sunlight, the reforestation will provide much-needed shade and a healthier environment. The headmaster noted that this activity complements previous training on recycling (plastic, metal, and paper). He proudly observes that the students apply this knowledge daily, actively participating in cleaning the school grounds each morning before classes begin.