By Adelle Lees and Bia Mesquita | Program Development
Our Eco-Kids Education Program provides opportunity to fun interactive learning methods for sustainable development. Through a tour around ROLE’s Island Sustainability Education Center (ISEC), children are immersed in understanding environmental issues such as reduce, reuse and recycle principles, waste separation (organic, recyclable and non-recyclable), composting, vermiculture, organic farming, climate change, native plants and reforestation, natural medicines (Indonesia’s traditional Jamu) and its ingredients, and marine conservation. They learn the concept that we all need a balanced and varied diet to grow strong, and that exercise and being active is essential for a healthy life. The kids also get an insight into sustainable businesses (even if they don’t understand that’s what they are learning) at our snail farm, natural dyes and weaving stations.
The half day activity has given these young students true insight on the importance of the environment and staying healthy that they might not receive in schools or at home. Since the program is very interactive and fun, the kids will retain what they learned at ROLE’s Eco-Park.
We want to instill these sustainable ideas and practices into the minds of these young students. It is important for them to be aware of eco-friendly job opportunities since so many occupations have become redundant in Bali. Educating our children about these issues is the permanent, long run solution to the detrimental waste problem in Bali, since most part of it is burned or dumped illegally into the drains, gullies, rivers and oceans, becoming a global problem. We work hard so these children will grow and act as catalysts for behavior change in their communities achieving sustainable lifestyles.
In 2013, ROLE has welcomed 1467 students into the Eco-Park, mainly from public schools and orphanages, and since 2014 started already 223 kids from Benoa, Pecatu, Jimbaran, Kuta, and Denpasar, all Balinese regions, joined our program. We have a target of 2000 students for the year.
We want to thank our partners, donors, and volunteers for providing funds and the help we need for this program. Your help has been most appreciated and rewarding! But we also want to ask, what ideas do you have to make our program even better?
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