Lagos lagoon climate response project supports waterside communities

… holding art exhibition to round up community intervention

Lagos Lagoon Chronicles, an initiative aimed at empowering communities around the Lagos Lagoon through an art exhibition to be held at the National Museum Lagos, from 5 to 12 April, is making significant strides in education and healthcare.

The project aims to promote better practices in water management and sanitation, and impact the lives of children attending public schools, as well as supporting public health service provision.

According to a press statement shared with journalists on Friday, the art exhibition will showcase artworks created by 13 talented artists who participated in an immersive art experience. The exhibition highlighted the beauty of Epe and its inhabitants, promoting environmental awareness and education.

Their works will be exhibited alongside exquisite crafts and interior design objects made from water hyacinths, produced by those trained by the project.

“At the opening on 5th April, children of Ejirin will perform side by side with Crown Troup Africa and children from Bariga, alongside performance artists Uche Enechukwu and Rasheed Ibrahim. At the exhibition the documentary “Lagos Lagoon Chronicles” will also be premiered. On 12th April, children from 5 to 12 years old are welcome for a free art workshop for kids – Kids Play – from 12 to 2pm,” a statement by the initiative read.

The project has also made significant contributions to healthcare in the region since July 2024, having trained over 200 people on the use of water hyacinth for crafts and the production of biochar by MitiMeth. While 2,000 individuals received urgent health advice, with a focus on vulnerable groups, 1000 youngsters were enlightened in collaboration with Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria.

Additionally, more than 600 people received dental care, and over 300 were treated for various ophthalmological problems.

“This project is not merely about providing up-to-date books for students, or free medical assistance and training of citizens, it is about building bridges between tradition and modernity, between local aspirations and global opportunities. Lagos Lagoon Climate Response is about partnering with the people of Epe to take ownership of their development while preserving the essence of what makes their community unique. We will see the ripple effects of our work in the years to come,” said Bolaji Alonge, Project Director.

“Four years ago our exhibition ‘Greener Pastures‘ put a spotlight on the difficulties the inhabitants of coastal villages of Epe experience year in year out due to the menace of water hyacinth, impediment to their livelihoods, healthcare and education of the young ones. We are glad our clarion call for support was heeded and were delighted to work together with the people of Epe again to achieve a better life in the rainforest/tropical paradise in the east of Lagos,” he added.

The project covers the villages along the Epe axis of the Lagos Lagoon with nodal points at Oriba, Ejirin and Saga. The Lagos Lagoon Chronicles is a testament to the power of community-led initiatives in driving positive change. By empowering communities through education and healthcare, this project is creating a brighter future for generations to come.

“In Saga, during the project, we witnessed an outbreak of scabies in the whole community. We responded to this situation with medical treatment, using scabies medication, and followed up with hygiene education and subsequent visits, until the scabies outbreak was eradicated. In Oriba, Ejinrin and Saga, children were given mass deworming and vitamin supplementation.

“For the first time in the whole riverine community, sickle cell screening and education were carried out among school children and more than 1000 children were screened. Various health messages, including leaflets, banners and posters were conspicuously displayed in these communities to deepen health literacy, and encourage behavioural and attitudinal change. Routinely, urine, sugar, hepatitis, haemoglobin and malaria tests were carried out,” said Achenyo Idachaba-Obaro of MitiMeth as he reflected on the project.

The initiative added that they have to keep working on the sustenance of the project, to achieve SDG 6, where health will be available, accessible and affordable, even in these remote areas.

“For we know, good health is needed to preserve our corporeal and mental faculties in their fullest capacity. This is essential for us to enhance our talents, become empowered, and contribute to the economic growth of the nation,” the statement read.

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