On 10th October 2024, we had the time of our lives instilling the conservation narrative into the young people of Lamu. We had more than 360 students attend the festival, all from the Environmental Education Clubs in the 20 schools under our ocean literacy program, largely sponsored by Tusk Trust.
What’s the Buzz About Watoto Day?
Watoto Day is an event under the Bahari Yetu Festival that empowers children to appreciate and nurture marine resources from an early age. If we do not shape our children, our hands will be tied as the world molds them into whatever shape. Alongside our longstanding partner, East African Ocean Explorers, we take pleasure in spreading a love for the ocean among kids from a young age: it is an assurance that they will grow into adults that protect it.
We are strong believers that anything you teach in an indoor classroom can be taught outdoors in ways that are enjoyable for kids. To communicate the theme of this year’s festival, the kids showed up as ‘Guardians of the Deep’ in their interesting performances and competitions, which were highly entertaining to be honest. We did not realize that we were making memories and not just having fun. Let’s walk down memory lane and delve into what made Watoto Day the success it was.
Stalls Exhibiting at Watoto Day
Matondoni Primary School exhibited interactive art made from recycled material that can be used as house decor. Their work not only displayed artistic talents but also delivered strong environmental call-to-action messages encouraging all to keep our oceans clean and blue.
Exhibitors that came back from the previous day of the festival, Uvuvi Day, include:
Students were able to ask questions and explore different approaches to preserving marine life.
Games & Competitions - The Real Work of Childhood
Kids do not remember their best day of television, but they will remember their best day outside. To blossom and create memories that are the timeless treasures of the heart, a child needs the same things a tree needs: earth, water, sun and air. On Watoto Day, the kids engaged in games and competitions detailed below, creating core childhood memories.
Art Competition
Each school in attendance was represented by a maximum of 5 students, who were issued with a 1m x 75cm blank canvas, paints and glue to create a piece of art within an hour. To determine the winning pieces, they were judged in accordance to the following criteria:
Creativity in communicating the theme of the festival.
Representation of diverse marine life and human impact on it.
Team collaboration among the artists.
Environmental message from the art.
Aesthetic appeal.
The students outdid themselves! For instance, kids aged 5-8 yrs from Mararani Nursery School worked together seamlessly; we had guests enquiring if they had art lessons before. They totally deserved the special mention for their work, and their Elke Korschen Bahari Yetu Coloring Books award. Matondoni Primary School incorporated recycled material and their piece emphasized on human impact on marine ecosystems. Ubunifu School’s piece was so appealing, it could easily have been up for sale.
 Mararani Nursery Sch. |  Matondoni Primary Sch. |  Ubunifu School |
To encourage more young people to adopt conservation artistry, we have all the pieces of art from Watoto Day on display at The Lamu Fort, a place that holds over 200 years of history, for the whole world to see. Children really do have a way of making adults gasp!
Photography Competition
In August 2024, we held a weeklong conservation photography workshop with young people between the ages of 13 to 24, where they were taught how to do shots right and tell a story. We had students in groups, sharing cameras, competing to see who among them would take the most compelling photograph that tells a story from our waste management program.
From the judge notes made by TonyWild Foundation, the workshop facilitators, we were able to print and frame the best shot pictures for display at the festival, and the photographers were awarded. What a sight it was!
This workshop was fully funded by the Portuguesse Embassy, and the best photographs were taken to the Lamu Fort for display. These displays will help ignite the fire of conservation in the hearts of Lamu tourists, educate the public on what environmental protection is all about and encourage locals to visit the Fort more often.
Swimming Competition
This was interesting to watch. With the students divided into different categories of their ages and genders, we really loved seeing our young ones unleash their inner fish. The winners of this competition were awarded with sea animal sculptures made from recycled flip-flops, generously donated by The Ocean Sole.
Magari ya Miti
Magari ya miti are model cars made from sticks and recycled material, by the students in our environment friendliness clubs. Before the competition, you could see the kids eager to race with the ‘stick cars’ beaming with joy like you would expect from Formula 1 competitors. The winners were awarded with Flipflopi Books, generously donated by The Flip Flopi.
Zidau za Mwau
Zidau za Mwau is a model dhow race and an emulation of its big brother, the big dhow races; an icon sport in Lamu. The aim of having this competition is to instill innovation skills in kids as they had to make the model dhows from recycled material and ensure that they can float.
This competition serves as an inspiration and training ground for the next generation of sustainable dhow builders and pro sailors. Tusitiri Dhows sponsored the race as it honors Lamu’s dhow-making tradition and enables children to connect with Lamu’s maritime heritage while incorporating sustainable practices. Their sponsorship included decorative model dhow prizes for all winners and an evening sunset dhow cruise.
Sand Sculpture
Just like with the art competition, we had kids in groups of 5 working collaboratively to model. Participants in the sand sculpture competition proved to us that play is the highest form of research. As they were connecting with the ground and making sculptures of sea animals from sand, it became clear as day how invested they have been in finding out what these sea creatures look like. Among the prizes awarded to the winning group were certificates framed by The Flip Flopi.
Plays, Performances & Talent Shows - The Voices of Our Young Guardians
It felt like the whole island came to a standstill when performers from Anidan Children’s Home hit the stage. Immediately the hour elapsed for the art competition, it was time to march to the beach for games, and marching we did! The drummers and trumpet blowers led the entire village to the beach next to Peponi Hotel in such an organized manner, one would wonder if they had been to the army. They played the tunes to favorite songs from across the world.
We also had music instrument performances from students from Shamba la Shela Primary School. The passion with which they played the drums, piano and flute was evident, and the melody calmed a disturbed spirit.
The Al Noor Band graced us on Watoto Day with their talents, just as they had on Uvuvi Day. At lunch hour, we all hummed to their famous song; ‘ndharandhara,’ as we enjoyed pilau with all the kids and their patrons.
LATA (Lamu Arts & Theatre Alliance) did their thing once again. Having left us in suspense the previous day, they did a continuation of the play and customized it for the young audience. They involved the audience in coming up with solutions to unregulated fishing and poaching of sea turtles, before giving us a lasting solution to these problems; empower the young people so that they grow up knowing that marine resources are sacred.
Kids from Ubunifu School had the crowd in stitches from their 1-minute skit which was mostly them using imitated voices to dramatize fishermen at sea. We enjoyed poems, songs, dances, including an Arabic one and a ‘News Bulletin’ from the children. They came prepared to entertain and be entertained, besides learning from each other.
Additionally, we had a huge paint by numbers canvas already drawn on by the creative Korschen sisters, Elke and Kaila. Kids who were not part of the art competition were not left out; they were free to paint on the canvas guided by the numbers to yield a beautiful masterpiece!
Awards - Celebrating Young Guardians of the Deep
The sad truth is that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. That being the case, we saw it fit to award the children of today who will grow up to protect nature for the children of tomorrow. There is a Swahili proverb that goes chanda chema huvikwa pete; meaning rewards go to those who have earned it.
School Champions
From the 20 schools under our environment friendliness clubs, we awarded 2 school champions who have proven to be outstanding in the following areas:
Leadership and organization.
Impact from outreaches with the community,
Sustainability projects & initiatives held.
Collaboration & networking participation.
Maintenance of club records & documentation.
Recognition and awards received regionally.
 1st Place - Manda Maweni Primary School: The club was awarded with a football, framed certificate and an excursion trip to The Flip Flopi. |  2nd Place - Amma Primary School: The club was awarded with a football and a bird-watchin tour in the mangroves of Yawi Channel. |
We also recognized the school patrons who have been the driving force behind the students’ participation in Watoto Day and the success of our environmental education program. Our parents will die of old age, but our children will die of climate change: a painful reality that our patrons are working hard to change.
Art Competition
 1st Place - Bright Girls High School: Awarded color pencils, Bahari Yetu Coloring Books & a framed certificate. |  2nd Place - Shamba la Shela Primary School: Awarded with water colors & a certificate. |  3rd Place - Siyu Primary School: Awarded with snack boxes & a certificate. |  Special Mention - Mararani Nursery School: Awarded with Bahari Yetu Coloring Books for best in teamwork |
Photography Competition
 1st Place - Collins Muna & Athman Mohamed: Awarded with a cash prize to share, & individual TonyWild Certificates. |  2nd Place - Christine Kerubo, Omary Abdallah, & Mahajj Said: Awarded with a cash prize to share & individual TonyWild Certificates. |  3rd Place - Afraythim Nurdin, Jamila Swaleh, Hasnaa Atwaa, Nayrah Hamid, Nawarah Hamid, Rayan Atwaa, & Nihla Khalid: Awarded with a cash prize to share & individual TonyWild Certificates. |
Swimming Competition (5-10yrs Boys)
 1st Place - Feiswal Mohd: Awarded with a medal, Ocean Sole sculpture and certificate. |  2nd Place - Hajj Hamisi: Awarded with a medal, festival t-shirt & certificate. |  3rd Place - Fahad Amin: Awarded with a medal, snack box & certificate. |
Swimming Competition (11-17yrs Girls & Boys)
 1st Place - Skukuu Adballah: Awarded with a medal, Ocean Sole sculpture and certificate. |  2nd Place - Diya Hamisi: Awarded with a medal, festival t-shirt & certificate. |  3rd Place -Najma Abubakar: Awarded with a medal, snack box & certificate. |
 1st Place - Abubakar Ahmed: Awarded with a medal, Ocean Sole sculpture & certificate. |  2nd Place - Ahmed Omar: Awarded with a medal, festival t-shirt & certificate. |  3rd Place - Ali Said: Awarded with a medal, snack box & certificate. |
Magari ya Miti (Girls & Boys)
 1st Place - Muslima Ali: Awarded with a medal, Flipflopi Book & certificate. |  2nd Place - Mary Kadzo: Awarded with a medal, festival t-shirt & certificate. |  3rd Place - Penina Zawadi: Awarded with a medal, snack box & certificate. |
 1st Place - Ramadhan Kalu: Awarded with a medal, Flipflopi Book & certificate. |  2nd Place - Kassim Shahare: Awarded with a medal, festival t-shirt & certificate. |  3rd Place - Ibrahim Ali: Awarded with a medal, snack box & certificate. |
Zidau ya Mwau (Girls & Boys)
 1st Place - Amina Mohd: Awarded with a medal, Tusitiri model dhow & certificate. |  2nd Place - Sukeina Awadh: Awarded with a medal, festival t-shirt & certificate. |  3rd Place - Arafa Mohd: Awarded with a medal, snack box & certificate/. |
 1st Place - Zahir Salim: Awarded with a medal, Tusitiri model dhow & certificate. |  2nd Place - Abubakar Ahmed: Awarded with a medal, festival t-shirt & certificate. |  3rd Place - Assad Mursal: Awarded with a medal, snack box & certificate. |
Sand Sculpture
 1st Place - Kiwayu Primary School: Awarded with modelling clay & framed certificates. |  2nd Place - Bright Girls High School: Awarded with festival t-shirts & a certificate. |  2nd Place - Amma Primary School: Awarded with festival t-shirts & a certificate. |  3rd Place - Mararani Nursery School: Awarded with snack boxes & a certificate. |
Gift Bags
We gifted all students in attendance with Bahari Yetu Festival bags, each containing a drawing book and color pencils for their own pleasurable artwork. For the club patrons, they each got a festival merchandise of their choice.
At the End of the Day
At the end of the day is a beautiful sunset, one that all the children in attendance enjoyed on a dhow cruise. It was a nice, relaxing episode for them and their capable club patrons who inspire future change.
This day would never have been as successful as it turned out to be, had it not been for the generosity of all sponsors of Watoto Day; we are greatly humbled. There is hope for climate action after all, seeing that the receptive Lamu community at large allowed for their children’s imagination to meet conservation. Kids are the greatest imitators; it is our collective responsibility to give them something great to imitate.
Written by Evelyn Kimori
Photos by Shanga Photos, Elke Korschen & Evelyn Kimori
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