Photo caption: Winners- Upper Hill High School
Photo caption: Second place – State High School, Nairobi
Sahara Group’s Asharami Synergy Kenya Limited has said the insightful submissions of secondary students who participated at the company’s inaugural debate competition reinforces the need to involve young Kenyans in conversations relating to environmental sustainability.
The competition which held at the KCA University in Nairobi, featured five schools including, Upper Hill Boys High School, The Alliance High School, Alliance Girls High School, Moi Girls School, Nairobi and State House Girls School, Nairobi. Following keenly contested rounds, Upper Hills Boys High School emerged as the Best Debate Team.
State Girls High School and The Alliance High School placed second and third respectively. The schools spoke on the topics, “The wealthy are more accountable for environmental harm than the poor”, “Are energy-saving life bulbs helping the environment?”, and “Plastics should be banned immediately worldwide.”
Debola Adesanya, Country Manager, Asharami Synergy Kenya, said the Competition was designed to promote generational sustainability in the nation through the active involvement of young Kenyans in issues related to energy transition and environmental preservation. “Asharami Synergy Kenya believes the future of the planet we call home rests on the engagement and involvement of all stakeholders, especially, the youths as we work towards protecting our environment. The debate platform is our contribution to ensuring students know and understand these issues to enable them proffer possible solutions,” he said.
As part of its ongoing commitment to education and environmental stewardship, Asharami Synergy Kenya rewarded the winning teams with trophies, while outstanding speakers received laptops and tablets. Lavinah Gonah, Operations Supervisor at Asharami Synergy Kenya said the students and their teachers should be commended for the excellent performance of the schools, adding that Asharami would continue to provide platforms for youths to share their thoughts on the environment.
Lead judge, Winnie Otieno, described the event as an excellent platform to help the drive towards environmental sustainability in Kenya. “The students have learnt a lot and had the opportunity to share their views. We really thank Asharami and Sahara Group for this wonderful experience, and we hope to have many more opportunities like this for our youths,” she said.
Best Male Speaker, Ryan Theuri of Upper Hill Boys High School, said: “being the best speaker in this competition means a lot to me because being a debater is something I’ve always wanted since I was a child. I think the youths can help benefit from these debates because the environment is relevant to us as the generation that is set to take over. I believe everyone has gained something new which will help the environment. I am grateful to Sahara Group Foundation and Asharami Synergy Kenya for this laudable initiative.”
Best Female Speaker, Titiana Ogolla of State House Girls School said: “I am so grateful for the opportunity to have won this award. Preparing for the debate taught me a lot; I was able to learn about the environment, the challenges before us as well as possible solutions. I strongly believe that we, as youth, are the future of the future, and whatever we plan now, and can do today, will affect whatever is yet to come. I would like to thank the Sahara Group as well as Asharami Synergy for the opportunity.”
Outstanding speaker of the day, Obed Imbosi of Upper Hill Boys High School, said: “All the debates were very insightful. Big thanks to Sahara Group and Asharami Synergy for giving us this platform. I’d also like to say that it’s very good they’re reaching out to Kenyan children to talk about these big things that we usually just hear about, so that we can understand them for our future. I believe this is a great step toward the right direction and a great first step for Kenya.”
