L-R: Ms. Bunmi Rotimi, Teach Nigeria Fellow, and Mrs. Mojoyinola Adewuyi, Advocacy Consultant, Breathe Life Foundation, with students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, after a respiratory health awareness session held on 23 July 2026.
Olarinde Idowu
The Breathe Life Foundation has continued its commitment to promoting respiratory health awareness among young people through an educational outreach programme organised in partnership with Teach Nigeria Fellow, Ms. Bunmi Rotimi, for over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos.
The awareness session, held on 23 July 2023, focused on equipping students between the ages of 15 and 19 with practical knowledge about the dangers associated with smoking, vaping and shisha use, while addressing the common misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes and other harmful substances.
Through an interactive and engaging discussion, the students were educated on the impact of peer pressure on lifestyle decisions and provided with practical strategies to make healthier and more informed choices regarding their wellbeing.
The programme also exposed participants to common environmental factors that can trigger asthma and other respiratory conditions. These include cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal and firewood.
The Foundation emphasised that many young people may not immediately realise that everyday habits and exposure to harmful environmental substances can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life and long-term wellbeing.
According to Breathe Life Foundation, the initiative reflects the importance of shifting attention from treatment alone to prevention through continuous awareness and health education.
By empowering young people with accurate information and the ability to recognise respiratory health risks early, the Foundation aims to nurture a generation that is more informed, health-conscious and better equipped to protect their lungs.
Breathe Life Foundation remains committed to advancing respiratory health, a critical but often overlooked public health priority. While healthy lungs are essential for quality living, respiratory diseases continue to rank among the leading causes of illness and death globally, despite the fact that many of these conditions can be prevented and managed through early awareness and appropriate care.
