The TUI Care Foundation is marking the 10th anniversary of its global TUI Junior Academy, which has engaged more than 307,000 school-aged children from over 1,200 schools worldwide in environmental education and community action.
Since its launch in 2016, the programme has also trained
almost 9,000 teachers and educators, providing them with tools and knowledge to
incorporate sustainability and environmental education into lessons for future
generations.
Operating across destinations in Africa, the Caribbean,
Europe and Asia, the TUI Junior Academy combines classroom learning with
hands-on activities. Children participate in projects focused on restoring
coastal ecosystems, protecting wildlife, reducing waste and addressing climate
change.
The programme takes students into forests, wetlands, beaches
and marine protected areas, where they work with conservation experts, conduct
biodiversity surveys, plant trees, restore habitats and organise environmental
campaigns. The approach aims to build environmental knowledge while encouraging
young people to take responsibility for protecting nature in their communities.
To mark its 10th anniversary, the programme is also
launching a new TUI Junior Academy in The Gambia in partnership with Green-Up
Gambia. The initiative will reach 300 pupils across 30 schools through
environmental bootcamps covering deforestation, sustainable farming and waste
management.
Students will also take part in field visits to sites
including Tanji Bird Reserve and Kiang West National Park. Thirty teachers will
receive specialist training, while participating schools will establish
projects such as school gardens and tree nurseries. The initiative is expected
to indirectly reach around 7,500 additional students through peer learning and
environmental clubs.
Alexander Panczuk, Managing Director of the TUI Care
Foundation, said: "The greatest investment we can make in protecting our
planet is investing in the next generation."
He added that reaching more than 307,000 young people was an
“incredible milestone” and highlighted the role children play in influencing
families and building more resilient communities.
The academy forms part of the Foundation’s wider effort to
support sustainable tourism and protect destinations through education and
youth engagement. -TTN