Supported by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, an NGO in India, the Voluntary Institute for Community Applied Science (VICAS) has been preparing an information and activity manual on water, ecology and renewable energy sources for students and teachers of standards 6-12. Under the project ‘Balancing the Needs of Water Use, Ecological Resources and Renewable Energy-Science Communication for Capacity Building of Teachers in Uttar Pradesh, India’, the objective of the manual is to encourage children to become informed, aware of, and perform various activities using no-cost or low-cost techniques and methods. The focus is on using local, easily available material to better understand environmental challenges, and to find workable solutions within reach to reduce footprint impacts.

The suggested activities will trigger several positive actions that students will be able to carry out in their schools, homes and neighbourhood, and promote in the community around them.

RCE Srinagar has been contributing to this campaign, providing their guidance to help children and the community in Uttar Pradesh reduce their footprint and increase their hand print towards promoting environmental sustainability.

The manual includes activities on water conservation, water budgeting, ground water recharge, human-water relations, plants-water relations, soil-water relations, renewable energy, ecology and ecosystem, and biodiversity-water relations. Besides giving subject knowledge and guiding various activities, the manual also suggests organising several competitions, exhibitions and fairs. Though aimed at the province of Uttar Pradesh, the manual will be useful for several other provinces of India that have Hindi as a medium of instruction in schools.

The draft manual being prepared is being field tested with school teachers through workshops. Feedback received will be incorporated before the manual is finalised and then disseminated. The manual is expected to reach over 200,000 people in the Hindi belt of India.

VICAS has been actively promoting science education amongst children, working on water, sanitation and hygiene for over the past three decades partnering with the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, UNICEF and several other donors.

Photo credit: RCE Srinagar