Leuser Nature School, Sumatra

The Leuser Nature School is based at the Bukit Mas restoration and permaculture site, so the school's students often learn about plants, natural ingredients and permaculture as part of their school syllabus. To ensure the teachers' and students' knowledge is up to date, the school management recently invited a trainer from IDEP Foundation to lead a one-day training session on ensuring that the school's layout and infrastructure fits the permaculture concept. The trainer advised that any fences at the school should be made of snakefruit (Salacca zalacca) and thorned-pineapple trees to prevent wild animals from entering the school, and that citronellas (Cymbopogon nardus) should be planted around the school and along the paths within the school as insect repellent.

Leuser Nature School students often have lessons outdoors, and the teachers used the citronella planting as an opportunity to teach English in an outdoor setting. As the students planted the citronella plants, the teachers asked them questions about what they were doing in English, and the students replied in English.

Further integrating permaculture with their other subjects, the students also learned about The Classification of matter and its changes in grade 7 science by learning the theoretical concepts in the classroom and then observing what happens (changing solids into gases and liquids) at the essential oil distillation unit at Bukit Mas Permaculture Centre.

Thank you for continuing to support this wonderful school and the people who benefit from it.

One of Leuser Nature School's mottos is “One student, one tree,” which means each student has to plant one tree near the beginning of their time at the school and remain responsible for the tree during the rest of their time there.

In previous years, the teachershave demonstrated how to plant the trees, covering everything from preparing seedlings to planting them out and maintaining them as they grow. In November 2020, for the first time, the school's senior pupils (grade 9) were given responsibility for guiding the grade 7 students to plant their trees in their second month at the school. 

The grade 9 students helped the grade 7 students prepare and plant their trees, and also showed them how to document the process and keep records to enable them to monitor how well their trees grow - all part of the school's drive to build leadership and responsibility through practical activities. 

The trees have now been in the ground for over a month and are growing steadily alongside the school community. Thank you for supporting this work - we hope it inspires as much hope in you as it does in us.

Links:

• Check out our website