Students in Nepal and Finland shared their experiences of influencing and exchanged thoughts on sustainability and futures in a cooperation project between Taksvärkki and ECCA.
Both NGOs support active student groups in schools to make a difference in their own school, community and environment. An idea for cooperation was born with Espoo International School (EIS), one of Taksvärkki’s Global Citizen’s Schools since 2020. ECCA selected Amity Public School from Jhapa to join with their Nature Club students.
In the one year of cooperation, the youth shared stories and drawings, experiences of advocacy for the environment and visions for the future on an online platform and via Zoom.
Meaningful participation and sustainability in student groups
In Nepal, ECCA develops rural schools by supporting student council activities and strengthening cooperation between student councils and other school actors to improve learning environments. Through trainings young people in Nature Clubs learn important skills in student council activities and advocacy, as well as knowledge about the importance of clean water, hygiene and the environment for one’s well-being. Youth also promote equality in their communities.
In Taksvärkki’s long-term school cooperation, Finnish students and teachers find different ways to support their school’s global education. In EIS, the active student group members, Global Citizen’s School Agents, have participated in workshops, training and the planning and implementation of activities that foster the meaningful participation of students and their understanding of global issues.
In this cooperation project also EIS EcoSchool students and optional studies group EcoInnovators participated with their projects towards environmental sustainability.
Connecting schools in Finland and Nepal
We believed that building the connection between Nepal and Finland fosters cultural exchange and learning between the students and teachers. Offering an online platform gives youth the opportunity to share their own local context and culture and extend their experiences and knowledge to the interconnectedness of global issues e.g. climate change.
In the introduction sessions, students expressed their wishes to learn more about global phenomena and sustainable development, the differences and similarities between their schools, and the ways in which other students influence their surroundings. They also wished to think critically about their projects and get ideas and inspiration of how to make their school even more sustainable and ecofriendly. Throughout the past year, this project has been all about sharing inspiring examples of advocacy and projects towards sustainable futures. Here’s what we have accomplished so far!
Sharing stories, sharing cultures
Storycrafting is a method in which young people have the chance to share their thoughts and ideas, without adults deciding or interfering. Creating and sharing stories is one way of making connections and building a shared culture. The building blocks of stories are also often drawn from different cultural elements.
EIS agents told their own story with the help of EIS teacher Oona Piipponen, who has used the method of storycrafting in her doctoral thesis. Construction of the story sparked important conversations of cultural differences and the nature of stories. Later the agents moderated storycrafting sessions for younger students in EIS!
The Nature Club students in Amity Public School listened to the story by EIS agents and answered with their drawings. The instructions of EIS storycrafting were also sent to Nepal so Nature Club students could tell their own story. Subarna Bhattarai, head teacher at Amity Public School, told us that after trying the method themselves, they got excited to share it with others in their school and also other schools in the area.
Advocating for the local and global environment
As part of ECCA’s One School One Heritage program, the students of Amity Public School learned about the history and cultural importance of Patalganga heritage site in Mechinagar, while also cleaning its surroundings. For the environment theme, the students shared the GLOBE activities, such as examining mosquito larva, the PH levels of the water, and the cloud conditions. A video of the trip shared with EIS students was a great way to learn more about the local issues and student activities.
In Finland, the GCS agents learned more about the environmental impacts of smartphones through Taksvärkki’s training and prepared their own workshops for their peers based on their knowledge. In these workshops, students examined the root causes and consequences of the issue and also looked at it from a personal point of view. The GCS agents reflected on their experiences on a video shared with Amity Public school.
Futures of the earth
In addition to touching the themes of culture, science and social studies, we wanted to offer the students the opportunity to learn futures thinking and share thoughts about sustainable futures. Taksvärkki provided basic information about the theme and exercises to aid students in imagining their preferred futures. These feelings and thoughts were expressed by some of the students and compiled in the form of a zine, a small magazine.
The GCS agents worked together with another Global Citizen’s School student group in Saunalahti school to get Taksvärkki’s training about futures thinking. After the training they planned and hosted workshops independently in both schools for younger students. In one of the groups some students had even become interested in joining student council.
A similar workshop was later hosted by Taksvärkki in Nepal at ECCA’s 5th National Child Club Conference, for which the president and vice president of Amity Public School’s Nature Club had the pleasure of joining, with their headmaster. Taksvärkki also had a meeting with the students and headmaster to discuss the project so far and share the produced material.
Happy to meet you!
And finally, after a year of sharing content online, the students met in a Zoom session! Amity’s students had prepared a presentation on their GLOBE activities, which turned out to be impressive for the EIS students. Especially Watasol, the solution to safe water, sparked interest. EIS also explained more about their activities, and the EcoInnovators shared their recent experience in hosting EcoWeek in their school.
Some of the stories are yet to be shared between the schools. This exchange of thoughts and experiences will continue for the following year – hopefully with more insights to come!
Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness (ECCA) is a long term partner in Taksvärkki’s development cooperation. The aim of ECCA’s work is to increase opportunities for young people to participate in the development of their own school environment and communities.
Read more about Taksvärkki’s Global Citizen’s School network (webpage in Finnish).
Text: Sanni Palomäki
Photos: ECCA Nepal and Taksvärkki