Teenage Conservationists Are Finding New Ways to Protect the Environment in Guatemala

When his neighbors in La Tuna Village, Ipala, Guatemala, complained about bad-smelling wastewater in summer, 17-year-old Guillermo and his friends used discarded recyclable materials to develop and install grey water filters. The filters clean gently used household wastewater so it can be reused for irrigation, conserving water and protecting the health of the community.

"I started getting interested in the environment when I was 10 years old and I was watching young people volunteering," says Guillermo. "I also wanted to be a part of it, but because of my young age, they wouldn't let me." Two years later, he joined Paz Joven Guatemala, a youth-led organization supported by UNICEF that encourages youth volunteerism across the country. Since then, he has participated in several projects with the group.

Guillermo particularly loves projects devoted to environmental conservation. What makes him proudest about this gray water project? "Thanks to it, the population has become more interested in caring about the environment. Now people no longer throw their garbage on the street. They participate in the reforestation days that have taken place."

"Nature is our mother and gives us life day by day," says Guillermo.

UNICEF works with partners at global and local levels to ensure that children can live in a safe and clean environment. Recognizing children and young people as agents of change is one of UNICEF's central strategies: the next generation can play a key role by promoting environmentally sustainably lifestyles and setting an example for their communities.