Content tagged with Sustainability

Jess Schulschenk, Director of the Sustainability Institute shared a presentation, A Promise For the Future. Lynedoch, Eco-Village was established in 1999 with the focus being on setting up a community for farmworkers in the area who were below the minimum income bracket. Three farm schools in the community united at the Sustainability Institute to provide quality education for the children. The school was government run, with poor results from students. Lynedoch then partnered with SPARK Schools which provided a better outcome for the students. The Children’s House started, followed shortly by the Infant Community and Nido. The main focus of Lynedoch Eco-Village are education, exploration and application. Lynedoch has partnered with Indaba Montessori Institute to provide quality training to teachers in a further bid to provide a holistic environment for the youngest children. At Lynedoch, children always come first. From providing a safe, secure community, where roads are designed to slow down traffic for safety, to quality education, providing a holistic community for all at Lynedoch. Jess pointed out that by forming partnerships, the ability to partner with the best in the world whilst remaining rooted in Africa becomes possible, with the example of the partnership between IMI and AMI. Education does not stop on a primary level at Lynedoch, a youth programme that provides the opportunity for local high school students to come together, many of whom are previous SPARK students. Here these students are supported and inspired to choose positive life paths enabling a better future. The Sustainability Institute also offers a university programme where Diploma’s, PGD, MPhil and PhD qualifications are available through the partnership with Stellenbosch University. Jess gave insight as to why community work at Lynedoch is so integral. Through community work, everyone becomes connected to one another through work and caring for the community.

Montessori Institute for the Science of Peace aims to establish a sequence of authentic learning experiences that explore the relationship between peace and sustainability, linking students with local and international experts, who perform research and service side by side adolescents during their country immersion.

Dr Priyanut Dharmapiya, director of the Sufficiency School Centre, Foundation of Virtuous Youth presented "Cultivating Sufficiency Mindset in Thai Schools". Starting with 137 schools in 2007, Thailandnow has 10,000 Sufficiency Schools and is working towards 30,000.