Earth Protectors Team Combats Climate Change

Earth Protectors Team
Combats Climate Change

Earth Protectors Team Combats
Climate Change

Mai Ekhlaeil and Nihaya Mahareeq from Fawwar’s First Basic Girls’ School, an UNRWA School, believe each student possesses unique intelligence, and an effective teacher should identify the genuine potential of students, assist them in unleashing it, and utilize it efficiently in the education process. Following their participation in the first round of Acting As An Innovator Program and gaining insights into the innovation process, Mai and Nihaya opted to explore the hidden talents of their students. They launched a project aimed at addressing a significant global concern, climate change, and its impacts on Palestine and the world.
 
The project idea began by organizing students into various working groups to explore different aspects of climate change. They engaged in hands-on awareness activities, utilizing school and local community resources. A total of 232 students participated in the project through the Earth Protectors team. These students conducted awareness campaigns to educate the community about environmental issues and visited various sites across Palestine to observe the direct impacts of climate change on their country.
 
The project duration coincided with two important environmental events, offering additional learning opportunities for the students: Water Day and Earth Day. To commemorate these occasions, the students participated in activities aimed at raising awareness about water-related issues and their close connection to climate change. Furthermore, additional activities shed light on climate change’s often overlooked effects, such as biodiversity impacts.
 
Mai and Nihaya nurtured their students’ developmental mindset, encouraging them to delve deeper into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and make a local impact. By the project’s conclusion, the students had gained a heightened awareness of global issues affecting their community and felt a stronger sense of responsibility and confidence in their ability to make a difference in the environment. The students were so motivated that they organized a bake sale to raise funds for making their classroom eco-friendlier. This action showcases their profound learning and potential as environmentally conscious individuals.
 
The AAAI program aims to train 400 teachers from public, private, and UNRWA schools in the West Bank and Gaza over 3 years. The first round involved 24 teachers from different parts of Palestine. Forming 12 teams and supported by 8 mentors, the participants developed various creative projects under two main themes: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Integration and Application of STE(A)M Approach in Education.
 
Please click here for more information about Mai and Nehaya and their students’ project.
 
For more information about the AAAI program, please click here.