NNF Books launches 17 children's stories on SDGs in Accra
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NNF Books, Frank Y. K. Segbawu, is of the view that addressing environmental factors such as climate change will improve children’s ability to survive and thrive.
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For him, children worldwide face a host of environmental hazards such as polluted air, water and food; exposure to toxic chemicals; and unsafe infrastructure resulting from climate change.
That, he believes, there is urgent need to shift focus on environmental advocacy initiatives on children due to their vulnerabilities to the impact of climate change.
Launch of Changemakers Series
Speaking at a book launch of 17 tales on the various themes of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Accra on Saturday, April 20, 2024, Mr Segbawu, said children apart from their vulnerabilities to climate change also remain key change makers in environmental initiatives.
He expressed the concern that climate change and environmental degradation threaten to reverse progress on children and adolescent’s survival, health and well-being.
The children’s series, dubbed: “SDG Changemakers; A journey through 17 tales” captures key issues that affect and threaten children’s development and growth.
The launch, held at the Goethe Institut, was on the theme: "Nurturing change makers for a sustainable world.”
The books were published by the NNF Esquire Ltd, an educational company engaged in the production of first-class teaching and learning resources for Ghanaian schools, as well as promotion and distribution of Pearson Edexcel UK curriculum and allied products.
Some of the authors and participants, particularly school children, took turns to read excerpts from the books.
Why SDGs?
Touching on why the stories were centered on the SDGs, Mr Segbawu said, “Sustainability is not just some fancy catch phrase that is thrown about when the occasion presents itself; we need to be conscious of how we treat ourselves and the planet on which we live.”
For him, “We need to create a future that our children can survive and thrive in. Everything that happens and is happening concerns all of us.”
He further noted that “as much as we can, and in the different fields we work in, let us strive to make a difference. Let us not wait for situations to move beyond our control before we start making a move.”
The NNF CEO was of the view that since children are the future leaders in any society, any adverse environmental stresses would have dire repercussions on their lives, hence the need to target them with educative environmental books such as fiction.
"The children are our future. Our generation has left things undone for a long time; we are coming to the end of our stay on this earth. It is the children who will have to carry the mantle forward," Mr Segbawu noted.
In addition, he said, "If we succeed, they are going to be the beneficiaries; if we fail, we will be consigning them to an undesired world."
"We cannot wait for them to grow up before we talk to them about the environment; the teaching has to start now, the conversation has to start now," he stated, commending all the authors in the series for their dedication and commitment to the environment.
Mr Segbawu also called on corporate bodies and non-governmental organisations to partners NNF Books by purchasing the books and distributing them to school children across the country, describing the stories as "as cutting edge, modern, young, vibrant, and exciting” that "the children can relate to them."
Also sharing her views the books, one of the authors, Mansa (Akua Serwaa Amankwah), said the Changemakers Series, weaves diverse themes into age-appropriate stories with relatable Ghanaian characters.
“We aim to increase awareness about these goals, help young people understand their context, and inspire them to become the solutionists the world desperately needs,” she said.
CSR of NNF Books
The General Manager of NNF Books, Mr Elvis Klaye, said NNF Esquire Limited has over the years sought opportunities to give back to society, saying “We offer free teacher continuous professional development training to our existing and prospective customers.”
He explained that the company also gives free school bags to underprivileged children in selected schools in the country, saying “our CSR school bag initiative, fuelled by our interests in SDGs 1, 4, and 5….we believe that when children have the essential school supplies, they can confidently participate in their studies.”