The Buzz About Mosquitoes Summer Camp Hosted By the Environmental Health Division Empowers Youth As Health Ambassadors

The camp, held at the Gros Islet Primary School, engaged young participants in a series of interactive sessions aimed at increasing their understanding of vector control and the dangers posed by mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. Facilitated by Environmental Health Officers and volunteers, the camp combined education with hands-on activities, ensuring that participants were empowered to become health ambassadors in their homes and communities.

Environmental Health Officer Glenda Etienne-Cepal explained the innovative approach used to bring science directly to the participants. “So we actually took the lab out of the lab and brought it to the Gros Islet Primary School. The Gros Islet Primary School was very accommodating, and they are actually hosting our first-ever camp. We brought our microscopes, the big ones, the mini ones—we brought our aspirators, that’s a great tool that you could just suck off the adult mosquito right from the wall. We also engaged them in craft, allowing them to express how they see a mosquito in their own creative way.”

Corporate partner KM2 Solutions underscored the importance of engaging children early in understanding the mosquito’s life cycle and the risks of mosquito-borne diseases. “Mosquitoes are a huge issue for us, and of course it starts from the children, not the adults. We thought it was a really great initiative, especially for this age group. They now understand how everything happens in relation to the mosquito from larvae to adulthood and they can even differentiate which mosquitoes bite during the day and which at night. I think it’s a great initiative because when they get home, this is something they could speak about with their friends, their parents, and their community.”

For many of the children, the camp was both fun and educational. Participant Shervon Eugene shared his experience: “At first I didn’t know much, my mom told me about it, so I wanted to see how it is. The first day wasn’t too exciting, but as the days went by it’s been pretty nice. We’ve done little fun games, they brought us lunch, and we met new friends. My message would be: parents should encourage their children to come, learn about mosquitoes, and help the environment.”

The Buzz About Mosquitoes Summer Camp not only introduced children to the science of vector control in a fun and interactive way, but also highlighted the critical role of community partnerships in raising awareness and building resilience against mosquito-borne diseases.