Environmental restoration & awareness community outreach project
Rural Al Quwayiyah, Saudi Arabia - 2015
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| Desert clean-up project |
Research Report
Values and human rights education is quickly becoming an important part of school curriculums worldwide. The theoretical content has been included in many a textbook, but there is a tendency to stop there. Values and rights education should have a practical component where students should be involved in a tangible manner. It is only by practically involving students in community outreaches, when they experience making a difference in the lives of others, that they truly grasp the importance of values and rights.
In my designed project, entitled: “Environmental restoration and awareness community outreach project in rural Al Quwayiyah, Saudi Arabia”, I provide background to my chosen project, focusing on the unique geopolitical location of the community, comparing it with the South African context. I provide a detailed description of the problem or need that I have identified within the community where the college is located. In addition, the aim of the project to address this need is explained; reasons for selecting this particular project are given; the detailed stages or phases of the planning process are discussed by providing a plan of action; and the implementation of the project are discussed in relation to the stages in the plan of action. Lastly, I evaluate the outcomes of the project and reflect on the successes and problems or challenges I encountered.
Background to the project
The ESG male college is located in rural Saudi Arabia mainly a Bedouin community. It is a newly established college still in its infancy. The foreign teachers employed by ESG College are from various countries, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and South Africa, which provides for an interesting cultural dynamic itself. The college is one of many that have been established as a vocational college by the Colleges of Excellence, a Saudi education authority, as an initiative to keep Saudi young people “off the streets”, a concept described by many teachers as a “glorified babysitting service”. Students enroll for a two-year programme, which is free of charge. In fact, students receive, in addition, a monthly salary to study, probably the only motivator for most to enroll. Saudi’s are among the richest people in the world and most of my students are in fact millionaires. There is thus no inherent motivation to further education, as there is no need to enter a competitive labor market to compete for the best jobs. Most students attend college to be in a social environment with peers of the same age. Academic goals are almost non-existent, although in all fairness there are exceptions to the rule. The college consists of approximately 120 male Saudi’s varying between the ages 19 and 36, with an average age of 24. There are 7 teachers providing foundation year modules in English as a foreign language, English for IT and General IT skills, and Project Based Learning (The practical or vocational element to the program). The management team consists of a principal, a HOD and a lead teacher with Admin and IT staff as support staff. There is a female college near the male college which is considerably larger.
The community is ultra-religious and conservative and there are various cultural restrictions at college and within the living environment of the teachers. Male and female teachers are restricted to living in a compound that is secured for their safety. There are a huge amount of cultural and religious rules that are to be adhered to and respected. No criticism of religious or cultural practices are tolerated, but within this, there is also a very kind and hospitable people who would go to extreme lengths to engage and entertain.
As opposed to South Africa, Saudi Arabia is a Constitution-less Theocracy with very little concept of human or animal rights from a legal perspective. Rights do not exist legally and therefore does not technically require protection. Where South Africa makes provision in its constitution for Green or environmental rights, it does not exist in Saudi Arabia.
Problem Statement
Littering is a huge problem in the community where the college is situated, as well as in the whole of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Littering poses environmental threats to the biodiversity in Saudi Arabia; health and safety risks to humans; as well health and safety risks to livestock, which is the main source of income for the Al Quwayiyah community. The Bedouin community are mainly camel and goat farmers that use the land for grazing purposes. However, pollution in the form of litter is posing huge health threats to livestock. In my presentation, I focussed on the threat that litter poses to sustainable development. Economic growth is hampered by pollution, which hampers sustainable development. I made the link that by caring for the environment in which the farmer has to produce his products, we are indirectly caring for the farmer, for his needs, since his economic survival depends on his environment.
Al Quwayiyah’s farming community, as well as the people of the town, who uses the land for recreational purposes, depends on a clean and healthy environment, for their own health and economic prosperity. By caring for the land, by restoring it, we are indeed caring for the members of the community, who depend on that land for all its resources.
The aim of the project
The aims of the project are multiple. Firstly, it aims to educate. Saudi’s have no concept of littering or recycling. It’s not legally or culturally forbidden. I have experienced that even the most educated Saudi’s don’t think twice about the detrimental effect it might have on the environment. My students needed a theoretical education first before the implementation of a community outreach. Designed a whole mini-course on littering and recycling. I focused on what Islam dictates about the environment and was careful not to bring in any Western or modern ideas. The goal was to create awareness and to encourage the students to make their community aware, to literally pay it forward.
Another aim of the project is to educate students on the valuable uses of recycled materials. In a society where there is huge wastage due to extreme wealth, this is paramount. Another aim is to get students involved in advocacy by creating materials such as posters, to get students to believe in something worthwhile, to take ownership of something, to belong to a group of people who share their belief or excitement in a worthwhile cause. The main aim is to encourage active participation in meeting a community need. The aim is to take the student out of his self-centered world that focuses only on his own needs and happiness and to force him to look away from himself and see a world out there that may be worse off. It teaches gratitude, servant-hood, meaning to life, the value of life, the importance to make a difference in the lives of others, in order to experience the human need to have a purpose and a meaning.
From the community perspective, was the aim to show the community that the college desires involvement and a good relationship. In this symbiotic relationship of interdependence, it is important for students to give back to the community that contributes toward their success. Furthermore, it is important to show the community that ESG, the company that invades it space to make profits, is not only concerned with making profits but also concerned about the community within which its business is operating, to improve the living conditions of community members, in order to build a bridge over possible divides that may arise. Good public relations and publicity are essential for any successful business.
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| The area in the desert identified for clean-up & restoration |
Reason for selecting the project
I believe it's crucial for the economic survival of the family being able to function in a clean and safe environment. All organisms depend on their environments for energy and the materials needed to sustain life, namely clean air, potable water, nutritious food, and safe places to live. An unhealthy environment can cause disease and death to both animals and people. In fact, a lack of basic necessities is a significant cause of human mortality. In 2004, was the lack of access to safe drinking water, responsible for 1.8 million deaths (mostly small children) from diarrhea. In that same year, it caused the lack of adequate sanitation and for 160 million people to become infected with schistosomiasis, which leads to malnutrition and organ damage. Furthermore, environmental hazards increase the risk of Cancer, Heart disease, Diabetes, Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Obesity, Occupational injuries, Arthritis, Parkinson disease, Malaria, Dysentery, and Depression. These hazards can be physical, such as pollution and food contaminants, or they can be social, including dangerous work conditions and poverty. Pollution is thus an environmental risk factor for disease (Resnik & Portier, 2008:59-61).
Littering is a form of pollution. Littering may thus lead to disease, malnutrition, injuries, and even death to livestock and people. Littering adversely affects livelihoods, economic well-being, and sustainable development. By cleaning up litter and eliminating dangers, for example closing up an open, unused, water well, the detrimental consequences of an unclean and unsafe environment are eliminated. By taking care of a community’s physical environment, we are taking care of them!
Another consideration I need to mention is that human rights are a very ‘touchy’ subject. I could therefore not select similar issues that plague South Africa. Orphanages, feeding schemes, HIV/Aids awareness and prevention projects, etc. are not recognized social issues. It does exist but is hidden and even international Non-Governmental Organisations tread very softly, it at all allowed to tread. It was a similar situation when working in Sudan, allowing these issues to be tackled by NGOs, means acknowledging that these problems exist. Alcoholism, prostitution, pornography have the highest incidence in the Arab world, but it is hidden. Allowing these issues to be addressed amounts to a confession that it is a problem, the very last image the predominantly Islamic Arab world wishes to portray. Issues even closer to my heart than the environment had to be ignored for this very reason, and I chose a ‘safe’ project.
This does however not diminish the value of the project or take away the importance of caring for the environment, which is crucially important for the health, wealth and sustainable development of the community in Al Quwayiyah.
Project planning
I designed a five-phase intervention strategy or action plan to address this need. As discussed previously, I had multiple aims with the entire five-phase project. I wanted to educate and create awareness before it culminated in the final phase of the desert restoration project.
The Action plan can be laid out as follow:
1. Conducting lessons on the position of Islam on waste management and environmental protection, to:
a. Inform that human and animal rights should be a value worthy to pursue;
b. Bring across the concept of Sustainable Development;
c. Teach environmental concepts in English to improve their language skills and abilities.
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| Giving a lesson on littering & recycling |
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| Giving a lesson on littering & recycling |
2. College Clean-up phase
a. Firstly to conduct lessons with students regarding:
i. What is Recycling?
ii. How to recycle?
iii. Distinguishing between & color coding different types of waste for recycling purposes
b. Secondly, to implement these taught recycling principles by:
i. Cleaning up the college; and
3. Using recycled materials in PBL projects as a module of the foundation year program.
4. Creating educational posters as a project for the module English for IT.
Students will use MS Office tools and create:
i. anti-littering posters;
ii. pro-recycling posters; and
5. Desert restoration and clean-up project, which involves:
a. The closing of a dilapidated open well/reservoir that poses a danger to picnic goers and farm animals;
b. The cleaning up and the safely discarding of waste and litter in an area frequented by Saudi picnic goers; and
c. Treating the students who participate in the clean-up project with pizza.
Project implementation
I executed this Action plan to the letter in the same chronological order. First, I created my own content with lesson plans, after doing research, and basically established a mini-course to educate Islamic Arab students about the environment, specifically about littering and recycling. These lessons had to take into consideration that their level of English is very poor and I translated important concepts into Arabic. I had to keep in mind that these lessons also had to serve to improve their English language skills as requested by the company that the teaching and learning of English had to take place. The PowerPoint presentation with lesson plans is attached in the annexures.
The next stage involved conducting lessons on recycling principles and the implementation of these principles by using a college clean-up event to collect litter, to demonstrate how recycling takes place. Again these lessons were conducted using a PowerPoint presentation that used pictures and translated concepts to ensure comprehension. I conducted a lesson where I painted four carton boxes red, green, blue and yellow respectively. I explained that red represented aluminum, green represented glass, blue represented paper, and yellow represented plastic. I explained each material and clearly labeled the boxes. Then I took litter from the wastebasket and held up an item and asked the class to identify it and to identify into which box it must go. After the class activity, I asked individuals to come to take an item from the wastebasket and to proceed to place it into the correct colored box. After they fully understood these recycling principles, I proceeded to the next step where I asked for a group of volunteers to pick up litter up on the college campus. I distributed plastic bags to place rubbish in. Afterward, we separated the waste in these bags into the right colored boxes.
I collaborated with the PBL (Project Based Learning) teacher, Shane Clugston, to use these collected recycled materials in the PBL projects. He researched the idea and came up with two ideas to use recycled aluminum soda cans to make windbreaks and paraffin stoves. He designed the lesson plans and conducted the lesson explaining the manufacturing process, and I assisted him by monitoring and assisting the different small groups who each had to create these practical items. The reason for choosing these particular items was to teach the students that practical everyday use items could be made from recycled materials. Making something practical, while at the same time conserving the environment, was the message I tried to bring across. The windbreak is used by Bedouins in the desert to keep the wind from blowing out the fire for coffee or cooking. The aluminum portable stove that could be made from a coke can, can be used to cook or boil coffee on, something that is pretty much part of the Bedouin lifestyle. This was an eye-opener to the students, that one can use scrap usefully. Photographic examples can be seen in the photo gallery.
Apart from English and PBL, the foundation year includes a module in English for IT where basis PC literacy skills and IT concepts are taught in English. As I was the teacher for this module, I decided to integrate the education of environmental concepts into their practical IT projects. I decided on a poster project where the students had to use MS Office tools. I wanted them to create awareness in their community, and they were instructed to create anti-littering posters, pro-recycling posters, and advertisements for the BBQ and Desert clean-up project event. I gave a step by step demonstration on using MS Word to create such posters and afterward moved between workstations to assist and guide students. They were then encouraged to put the posters up on campus and in their community.
The last stage of the entire project entailed a mini-project itself, a community outreach event. A group of students, representative of all the groups of students volunteered to participate in a desert restoration project. On the 27th of May 2015, after all the permissions were obtained and invitations extended, three teachers and twelve students met at my house from where we proceeded to conduct the clean-up project in an area I identified in the desert where farm animals graze and Saudi families frequent for picnics. I distributed black plastic bags and a group of students proceeded to clean up the litter. There was a landfill close by where bigger waste items such as car tires were dumped in safely. Smaller items were placed in the waste bags and later safely disposed of. Another group, who brought building materials and tools, proceeded in the meantime to close and secure a deserted unused dilapidated water well or reservoir that posed a serious danger to farm animals and small children. The area is frequented by people, and the litter and the open well caused a health and safety risk. By cleaning up the area and securing the well, the community was cared for by taking care of their living and recreation environment. The students certainly felt that they have made a difference in the lives of others by participating in this clean-up project. The photographic evidence may be viewed in the annexures.
Evaluation
Students who participated in the project were asked to complete the ‘Student Project Evaluation Questionnaire’ after their participation that culminated in the phase 5 Desert clean up and restoration project. Attached are some of the questionnaires. I excluded the open-ended questions as they lacked comprehension, due to their literacy level in English and ability to write in English. These are mostly A1 level (low-level English) students according to the Common European Framework. I selected only the Likert scale questions and had one of the Saudi Admin staff members translate as best as he could the statements into Arabic.
From these questionnaires I can draw the following conclusions:
- All respondents knew what the project entailed from the onset, and was able to identify the problem the project was intended to address.
- Most students understood and could identify what the aims of the five-step intervention strategy were, and agreed that the steps were well explained
- Most students were involved with the planning of the project and all who participated agreed that it was well planned. Different students were given specific tasks, like arranging and organize things, since they possessed the tools and resources.
- All students who completed the questionnaire agreed that they were involved with the implementation of the project and most agreed that it was implemented as planned.
- All agreed that I was involved at all stages and that I monitored the project and kept it on track.
- Only half of the students, however, felt that problems that were identified during implementation were properly addressed.
- Most students felt the projects made a difference in the college, but most felt uncertain whether it, in fact, made a difference in the lives of others, meaning the community. As verbally explained to me, the students felt unsure that it made a difference, due to the indirect link between caring for the environment and caring for others. They could not see the response of the community members and had to envision it. All learners, however, agreed that the project made a difference in their lives, that they learned certain values, such as respect, and that they felt great satisfaction in helping and contributing positively. Furthermore, all respondents agreed that they enjoyed participating in the project.
- Half of the respondents were uncertain whether the other teachers welcomed the project, whereas the other half agreed that the other teachers welcomed the project. They were, however, all in agreement that the other teachers participated. Most of the teachers were involved, but a few totally unwilling to participate.
- All respondents agreed that neither were the parents informed of the project nor involved. As this is a tertiary vocational college, there is no SGB and no parent involvement in any regulated sense.
Self-reflection
The five-step intervention strategy I designed and implemented is a pragmatic chronological mini-curriculum that provides theoretical instruction as well as practical implementation of environmental protection and restoration principles, as an effort to teach students values, one of these values being caring for others by caring for the environment. It took time and effort to design the whole strategy and all the related content. I had to sell my idea to the students. As environmentalism is a foreign concept, I faced certain challenges in persuading them that it is an important issue. Once I brought the teachings of Islam into my argument, they got on board with the idea. The other teachers eagerly participated and cooperated when asked to. Students who were asked to act as coordinators communicated well with the students they were supposed to lead, and coordinated well within the group to make it a success. They were all asked to contribute with regards to tools and making arrangements, as they possessed resources I did not have and without that the implementation would have been impossible.
Successes include the poster project where the students used various tools to create posters that showed their understanding of the importance of environmental protection. The use of recycled materials in the PBL projects produced useful everyday items and one could observe their pride in accomplishing something by manufacturing something useful. The desert clean-up project surprised me. More students participated than what I anticipated. The manner in which they participated is evidence of the growth in their understanding of caring for the environment. There was definite growth in their convictions from the point where I started with the initial lessons on littering and where it culminated in the clean-up project as the last intervention stage.
Challenges included the work ethic of Saudi men, who do not do manual labor. I had to convince students to practically pick up litter and do manual labor by closing a well, in a place where it is culturally beneath them. Huge amounts of expat laborers from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are imported to Saudi Arabia to do manual labor. Laziness and an over-relaxed attitude is a part of the culture, a culture that has been existence much longer than most Western cultures cannot be changed overnight. Motivating them to commit to times and deadlines remained a constant challenge.
Designing and implementing the project, addressing a problem I have identified has brought me great satisfaction as well. I saw the birth, experienced the birth pains, went through some challenges I had to overcome by persevering, but saw the conclusion and the general good effect it had on all stakeholders. I feel that I have made a difference in the lives of others. The project carries the potential to be implemented sustainably in the future and I have a hope that it will continue making a difference in the lives of the community, the students and even the teaching staff.
References
Resnik, D.B. and Portier C.J. 2008. Environment and Health, in From Birth to Death and Bench to Clinic: The Hastings Center Bioethics. Briefing Book for Journalists, Policymakers, and Campaigns, ed. Mary Crowley. Garrison, NY: The Hastings Center. pp. 59-62.
PROJECT DESERT CLEAN-UP: RESTORATION OF COMMUNAL RECREATION AREA
The Report I submitted to ESG at the conclusion of phase 5
Students of ESG male college in Al Quwayihah, Saudi Arabia, volunteered to take part in a community project aimed at restoring and securing an area in the desert used by the community for recreation purposes. An open reservoir posing a danger was secured, litter was picked up and disposed of, and a fun activity for the volunteers was held afterward as gratitude for their service.
The aim of the project was to teach Saudi students the value and importance of a safe and clean environment & to encourage participation in efforts to take care of the environment. The importance of taking ownership of their own living environment, and the protection thereof, was conveyed in a meaningful and practical fashion.
As part of an effort to teach tertiary students the value of respect for the environment and the safety and well-being of others and animals. I initiated an outreach project geared towards the restoration of a communal area used by the community for recreation and relaxation. It is common in Saudi culture to have BBQ’s in the desert, especially in the Al Quwayiyah region, predominantly a Bedouin area. The area I identified was property across from compound, frequented by Saudi’s for BBQ’s. The area is under development and some infrastructure like roads and street lights, but no homes are built yet. I found ruins nearby with an uncovered well or reservoir that is no longer used. As the area is also used by Bedouin camel farmers, the possibility for camels or goats to fall into this hole does exist. At night this particular area is not lit, and a person using the area for a BBQ may also fall in.
The foundation of a huge building, in ruins now, can be utilized as a landfill to dump rubbish that is strewn all over the area, ranging from car tires to glass and plastic bottles. I held English lessons with the Environment as a theme. I focused on Islam’s stance on environmental protection. Other topics covered included littering and recycling. On 27 May 2015, twelve students and two teachers went to the area. We covered the open well and picked up litter in the immediate area. The hours designated were insufficient to clean up everything, which creates the opportunity for a follow up to the area. Afterward, the students were rewarded with pizzas to thank them for their efforts.
Desert clean-up photo highlights
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| Clean-up crew |
The project was made successful due to the support of all the volunteer project participants.
To READ MORE about my teaching experience in Saudi Arabia
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