Impact

Shagara at School

Global warming is among the most significant challenges that faces the planet and therefore taking action is a necessity. Meanwhile, Egyptian public schools suffer from various issues. Their overall educational environment and infrastructure is poor. Activities to empower students and improve their skills are often absent. Teachers of marginal subjects, like agriculture, receive low salaries. Nonetheless, public schools have some assets, that could be used to create value that would be shared for the public good. Schools possess relatively large spaces, including rooftops, and in some cases, have lots of empty space around them. They also have agricultural classes and teachers. And lastly, new students enter schools every year. The project aims to convert roofs into productive rooftop farms that act as a carbon sink, provide income to the school’s lowest paid staff, increase the food supply, and are a platform for student activity. Moreover, empty areas around the schools will be used grow indigenous species of plants that consume less water than exotic species, promoting healthier ecosystems and offsetting carbon emissions. Agriculture teachers could head the gardening teams—necessary to keep the project going. Through it, students could learn about climate change and, potentially, help spread the practice elsewhere.