Recently the CITYNET office in Yokohama, Japan has requested SEVANATHA to implement a new project called ‘Student Based Pro Active Environment Education Project’ under the financial support by CITYNET. The main objective of this project is to educate the young students to understand, love and protect the environment through fun and curiosity. The ultimate target is to foster environment friendly action and social behavior change at the grass root level. For this purpose, it has identified 40 students who are at the age of 12 years (who are in grade 07) and 03 Teachers from the selected three schools located in the city of Colombo with the approval of the relevant Educational Administration and the Principals of those schools.

The selected Schools are;

• Sri Sanghabodhi Vidyalaya, Colombo 14
• Mahawaththa St. Anthony’s Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya, Colombo 14
• Modara Ananda Central Collage, Colombo 15

At the pre workshop survey of the Students and Teachers, It was identified that these children do not have a better understanding, knowledge and feelings about their environment. Because most of these children are from the low income communities in the city who do not have appropriate outdoor environment to experience the natural habitat. However, it was found that, a sea show with some vegetation cover is accessible for general public and for these students which is located about four (4) km North of these schools.

With the consent of the CITYNET, SEVANATHA has selected the above mentioned natural habitat which is known as Crow Island for the students to visit and observe the natural habitat. The Principals of the schools, Teachers and the Parents of the students were made aware of taking the students on a field visit to the Crow Island and provide an opportunity for the students to interact with the natural environment. A Local Resource Person was identified to guide the children on their field observations along with the CITYNET Experts who joined the workshop and the field visit on 22nd, June.

Project activities included to take practical environment education as the entry point to understand the Bio Diversity, to help students develop a vision for the future improvement of their communities that can help children to understand the natural habitat of various living organisms, protecting them and bring change of mindset about their environment and to establish a practice among school children and the community to map the surrounding environment at regular intervals (annually) and note changes in the corresponding maps. Over time, this will be a very important data based to monitor and evaluate changes.

Expected Outputs

• Enhanced knowledge on environment and its relation to climate change among children, Teachers and Parents.
• Enhanced knowledge on correct actions
• Social Inclusiveness of environment protection experience
• Closer collaboration between school, students and the community

SEVANATHA is helping to coordinate this project with the school children and the Community as it offers a great learning opportunity for the staff of SEVANATHA