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Small beginnings: In the early days, the group focussed on children aged
6 - 14. At this young age, a sense of belonging and respect for God's
creation were inculcated through hands-on activities. Its first activity,
in 1991, was a trip to Kuala Lumpur zoo, to see how the orang-utan lived
in captivity.
UNEP First Children's Conference on the Environment: Agenda 21,
Chapter 25 of the Rio Summit called for local Governments to listen to the
concerns of children on the Environment. Six Malaysian children and their
adult escorts attended the inaugural Children's Conference on the
Environment in Eastbourne, UK, in 1995, JEGOM decided to organise a
conference of its own.
Our First Conference: In August 1996, as a direct result of this,
we held Malaysia's first environmental children's conference at the Forest
Research Institute Malaysia and some 180 children attended. Challenges
were made by the young participants for the very first time.
We Become A Foundation: On 19 October 1996, JEGOM was granted
official Foundation status and registered as Yayasan Anak Warisan Alam,
(Children's Environmental Heritage Foundation).
Our First Conservation Study trip: To understand further the
conservation and protection of the orang-utan as an endangered species,
YAWA took its young members to Danum Valley and the Sepilok Orang-Utan
Rehabilitation Centre in Sabah in December 1996. Here they were able to
witness the efforts of the centre staff to rehabilitate orphaned
orang-utans into the wild.
Tree Planting: YAWA members were honoured to have Mrs. Nane
Annan, wife of the Secretary General to UN, to a tree-planting session in
the West Valley Park, Kuala Lumpur in 1997 during their visit to Malaysia.
In February of the following year we had another honour of planting trees
with Mrs. Elaine Wolfensohn, wife of the President of World Bank at the
same park.
YAWA Spreads its Wings: Several children attended other
conferences, in such places as, Perth, Western Australia, Kyoto, Japan and
Nairobi, Kenya. Other groups attended an Environmental School in Albany,
Western Australia.
Biennial Conferences: Were held in 1998 and year 2000. In the
year 2000, the Eco-Youth Challenge and Adventure programme, (EYCA) was set
up.
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