CHF International and Partners Celebrate the Green Apple Day of Service in Colombia

CHF International and Partners Celebrate the Green Apple Day of Service in Colombia

CHF International brought of all of its partners together to celebrate the Green Apple Day of Service to improve schools and promote environmental sustainability in northern Colombia. CHF staff  in Colombia worked with teams of volunteers in partnership with the following schools and local governments:

Department of Bolivar
Paraíso School – San Jacinto Municipality: Volunteers picked up trash and planted trees, giving each student an opportunity to plant a tree donated by the local government. CHF staff  worked side-by-side with students, teachers, parents, the Municipal Technical Assistance Unit and the Community Action Committee. 

A sign at Ema Cecilia Arnold School reminds children “Don’t throw plastic on the ground because it’s contaminating nature and the environment.”
Ema Cecilia Arnold School – El Carmen de Bolívar Municipality: The Green Apple Day of Service sponsored an entire Green Week of activities including an environmental mural contest and a reforestation initiative. Students and their relatives, teachers as well as members of different local institutions such as Servicio de Aprendizaje Nacional, a regional training institute, worked together to make the school a better place to learn.
Margarita School – Margarita Municipality: With support from the Ministry of Education, CHF International helped this school recover after devastating floods, using timber that was sustainably grown and harvested. CHF staff worked with local partners to train students, parents and teachers on the importance of properly managing sanitation and treatment of wastewater, solid waste management and safe methods to control insects and rodents.

Department of Sucre
The Sucre Departmental Government has donated 250 trees to be planted during the Green Apple Day of Service.
Flor del Monte School – Ovejas Municipality: Each student planted a donated tree, created decorative pots from recyclable materials and helped pick up garbage around the school. The municipal solid waste management company volunteered in the efforts together with students, teachers and parents.

Students and teachers from Libertad Educational Institution receiving the donated trees ready for planting. 
Libertad Educational Institution – San Onofre Municipality:  The stream that runs by the school was filled with trash. To address this, students learned about watershed management and the importance of protecting the environment,. The students also planted  trees around the school and painted pictures to illustrate the care and protection of the environment. The celebration included students, teachers, parents, the Sucre Departmental Government and the National Park Administrative Unit.
San Jose Educational Center – Sucre Municipality and La Mojana School – Majagual Municipality: CHF International helped both of these schools recover after recent flooding. In partnership with local construction firms and community organizations, students, parents and teachers participated in educational activities to learn about proper hygiene and disposal of human waste, as well as how to handle waste management and control pests at the school in order to protect and maintain the re-built schools in a healthy, environmentally sustainable way.