Litter bins made out of brushwood were placed alongside the pathwaysVolunteers cleaning the forested areas that surround Sokyrne recreation centerThe work-camp participants in the environmentally-themed performanceCleaning a coast line of DniproFor some of the youngsters, this was the first open-air cooking experience

With these words, the participants of the volunteer camp, "Clean Hills of the Dnipro", that took place on 27-31 August, 2009 in the Cherkasy region addressed those who enjoy spending holidays in the open air.

The Cherkasy oblast has always been known for its natural resources and picturesque landscapes. People from all over the Soviet Union used to vacation there. Unfortunately, the situation is quite different today as endless mountains of plastic, as well as rivers of glass and polyethylene, pollute this once beautiful location.

What caused these changes? Could it be excessive production of polyethylene and plastic, lack of free time, or people’s lack of ecological awareness?

The organisers of the camp decided to address the latter, which has been perceived as one of the major reasons of pollution. The main aim of the volunteer camp, Clean Hills of the Dnipro, was to raise the ecological awareness of people and draw their attention to environmental problems.

The camp organisers had several objectives: to clean the forested areas that surround the Sokyrne Recreation Centre of Cherkasy National University, to prevent further pollution of the forest, to teach volunteers and camp participants, and to organise and implement similar activities.

The participants of the camp, 24 school and university students aged 16-25 from all over the Cherkasy region, not only cleaned the forested territory, but also made several ecological pathways. They put up signs asking visitors to not leave waste, as well as signs asking visitors to protect nature. They also placed litter bins alongside the paths. It turns out that in woods, ordinary brushwood can be used to make good-looking bins. While on the beach, the bins can be made by digging a pit, placing a garbage bag inside it, and putting a sign to indicate a dustbin.

Moreover, the volunteers developed their creative skills, made up and recited ecological fairy tales, wrote poems and songs about nature, enjoyed role-playing, and took part in an ecological quest to protest against pollution. To show their disapproval of pollution, the participants painted ecological bags, which they will then use instead of plastic shopping bags. The participants also had an opportunity to visit the Osokyrni Ostrovy State Nature Preserve, which is of regional importance.

The volunteers even hosted guests. They were visited by the UNDP’s Youth Social Inclusion for Civic Engagement international project manager and assistants, as well as the UNV programme officer and French intern from the Oxford Volunteer Programme. The guests visited the ecological pathways, enjoyed a real Ukrainian Cossacks lunch, and enjoyed an environmentally-themed concert!

In addition to learning skills in ecology, every camp participant learned other skills: one participant learned to cook in the open air, others made new friends, others learned the basics of teamwork, and finally, some were inspired by the atmosphere of this five-day camp to initiate new environmental projects. 

“We not only had a good time and made new friends at the youth camp, but we are also proud of the fact that we were able to do something good for our region, giving us a sense of accomplishment.” said Anna Karpenko, a participant from the city of Smila.

The organisers were most proud of the fact that the participants of the youth camp expressed the desire to continue working on solutions to ecological problems as volunteers. This gives us hope that, maybe someday, all people will realise that they need to feel a sense of responsibility for the condition of the environment.

The camp was organized by the UNDP Youth Social Inclusion for Civic Engagement in Ukraine project in partnership with the Cherkassy Regional Youth Resource Center. Other organisations that helped to organise this youth camp were Cherkassy Bogdan Khmelnitskiy National University, which kindly allowed the youth camp to use its Sokyrne Recreation Center, the regional NGO, Center for Social Partnerships, which was responsible for technical aspects of the event, the State Department of Environmental Protection in Cherkassy region, which provided necessary tools for waste collection, the State Ecological Inspection Agency in Cherkassy region, which took care of waste pick up and disposal, and Cherkassy Regional Organisation “The National Youth Centre “Ecological initiatives”.

For additional information about this event, contact Youth Development Specialist in the Cherkassy region Ms. Svitlana Sobova, 050.461.59.32.