We are pleased to share the latest results of the Strengthening Education project in the Jauaperi Reserve, which apart from providing environmental education, also focuses on rebuilding and renovating the reserve’s schools.
This mission, driven by the urgency following the devastating floods of 2021-2022, is carried out by the local cooperative CoopXixuaú with the support of Amazônia and Amazon Charitable Trust, in partnership with the Rorainopolis Department of School Education and the reserve authority Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio).
Schools are not just places of learning but the beating heart of local communities, the link to education for young people. Improving their conditions is crucial to support learning within unique forest contexts while preserving precious natural resources and traditional ways of life which rooted in the Amazonian culture.
Some schools, like the one in the Bela Vista village, required more than just renovation; they needed complete reconstruction. Thanks to the joint effort of CoopXixuaú and local residents, the reconstruction is now almost complete, and the inauguration of the new school is scheduled for next June!
Schools in the communities of the Jauaperi Reserve need to be rebuilt and teaching improved after the long interruption caused by Covid-19, worsened by the record floods of 2021 and 2022, and the latest extreme drought – phenomena that have caused significant structural damage to the schools. It is necessary to repair the water and sanitation systems and rehabilitate the kitchens to support municipal and national school meal programs, such as the National School Meals Program (PNAE). Some schools are inadequate for teaching and need materials to provide a safe and suitable learning environment for students and teachers, as well as conditions to ensure adequate food and water security in the schools. Therefore, the project is essential to complement the educational strategy of local governments, which struggle to provide basic materials and renew schools in the reserve’s villages.
The project’s purpose is to strengthen the basic education of children and youngsters by improving the school environment to allow better learning conditions and contribute to the development of the students. To achieve this goal, it focuses on two more specific objectives:
- School Reconstruction: renew and rebuild, when necessary, the kindergartens and elementary schools in the reserve’s communities, providing construction materials according to their structural needs, as well as furniture and teaching equipment for the classrooms and kitchens;
- Environmental Awareness: develop environmental awareness workshops with students and teachers, focused on nature conservation, including the proper disposal of solid waste and other care for the rivers and forests in the reserve region.
We thank the partners Fosit, Rothoblas, Trentino Insieme, Riccio Giramondo, Fondazione Quarta de Matteis e Torchiani Servizi Ecologici for the valuable support.
