STATUS - completed
Community. Education. Youth.
 Cameroon .

Using Music to Raise Awareness on Sustainable Living

Placing environmental sustainability in popular discussion in Cameroon

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Using a ‘Pop Idol’ style song contest, this project challenged Cameroon’s vibrant young population to write and perform environmentally-themed songs.

Nearly 200 people auditioned, from which 10 finalists were invited to a weeklong boot camp. Here they learned about the environmental challenges facing the country and received vocal training and support composing their songs. As they drove to the grand finale, which was held at a major stadium, finalists stopped in communities to sing their songs and discuss environmental issues.

The top three performers received funds to further strengthen their musical messages. The overall winner used her prize to collaborate with some of the country’s top urban musical artists on a song about the importance of adopting a sustainable lifestyle. One runner up used his funds to help 10 aspiring musicians launch their sustainable music careers, while the other helped street children learn how to turn environmental cleanliness into a stable living. 

Listen to the winning song Stand for Peace by LesLine

 

 

Implementing team

 

Resource Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (RCESD)

 

 

 

Resource Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development is a registered non-profit organisation with head-office in Buea, Cameroon. RCESD was founded in October 2008 by 8 graduate students determined to contribute to a change in their local community under the former name “Rural Alliance for Youth Development- RAYD”. RCESD’s mission is to contribute to the sustainable development agenda through collaborative research, capacity building and project support.

RCESD carries out capacity building, interdisciplinary research projects and policy engagement activities. Bringing social and natural scientists together, the organisation works in and across the areas of environment, development and  governance. RCESD aims at generating new thinking and practical solutions by investigating how environmental integrity and social justice can be achieve in a dynamic and complex globe that we find ourselves in.