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The GetTogether #7, organized by the ASSET H&C network, was dedicated to exploring “Green Practices” on March 6th, 2024. This event was designed to disseminate knowledge and methodologies for embedding environmental sustainability into the operations of our affiliated schools.

Green Campus Initiatives – Insights from Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE)

Quentin Bodiguel, the Environment Project Manager at PSE, took the spotlight to narrate PSE’s transformative journey into an EcoSchool. Armed with profound expertise in environmental projects and a zeal for sustainable development, Quentin offered valuable insights and actionable examples from his vast experience and the current green initiatives at PSE.

Key Achievements of the Projects:

• Educating over 2,500 students across 116 classes with more than 1,400 hours of Environmental Education
• The plantation of 438 trees in 2023 as a component of the gardening & plantations initiative
• Recycling 3.5 tons of compostable waste and 6 tons of non-organic waste
• Instituting a policy to eliminate plastic use, opting for more sustainable materials and items.

Students replaced single-use bottles with personal reusable bottles

The institution recently embraced three new policies for waste management, conserving energy, and instituting monthly vegetarian meals to curtail energy usage. Our speaker outlined these policies’ main features and their role in facilitating a smoother acceptance among students and faculty. Strategies included positive reinforcement with factual backing, competitive initiatives, and immersing the faculty in practical challenges.

PSE’s dedication to sustainability was honored with prestigious recognitions, including the FEE EcoCampus award by the United Nations in 2024, the EXO Foundation Sustainable Awards, and the Eco-Friendly Certification by the Cambodian Ministry of Education.

The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, followed by focus group discussions, which allowed participants to engage deeply with the tactics and hurdles of implementing green initiatives, boosting student involvement, and enhancing the educational curriculums with environmental subjects.

Participants exchanged their experiences and obstacles in waste reduction, energy conservation, and incorporating environmental topics into academic programs. A significant challenge identified was ensuring the continuity and effective administration of environmental projects amidst regular student changes and with limited human resources. A suggested solution was to assemble diverse project management teams, incorporating members from different departments and the student community. This strategy aims to generate innovative solutions and sustain the momentum of sustainability efforts, leveraging the diverse viewpoints and ideas of the entire educational institution.

Some key takeaways from the group discussions:

• Initiate environmental education in resource-constrained schools by offering one-hour training sessions on diverse topics either weekly or monthly, motivating students to undertake projects independently.
• Tackle the challenge of staff involvement by aligning training sessions with regulations. Given staff turnover, frequent reminders are necessary to sustain an engaging and enjoyable learning journey.

If you are interested in learning more about our previous discussions, you can find them here. For further details or resources, please contact our team:

Ha Phan (ASSET H&C Project Manager): ha.phan@iecd.org

Want to join us or partner to Get Together and grow together? Drop us a message.

Alone, we go faster. Together, we go further!