Opening Ceremony for the Lotus Flower School Garden
We’re so proud to have held the grand opening ceremony for the Lotus Flower School Garden, which is an important new step in our climate-related work.
The garden serves as an environmental stewardship programme for young people, and is part of our She Leads in Food Security project, which is delivered in partnership with CARE Iraq, funded by BMZ and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
This environmental stewardship scheme aims to equip more than 80 youths with the knowledge and skills needed for them to become more connected to nature, and to take the lead in changing behaviours and attitudes towards climate change and the challenges it brings.
Our School Garden aims to improve food security, with raised beds so that youths can grow fresh vegetables. There is also an educational element to the garden, with a rich and diverse botanical zone, while healing is encouraged through shaded areas and flora.
Image credit: CARE Iraq
Image credit: CARE Iraq
After August 31, the Lotus Flower School garden will be handed over to Zhivan primary school, whose students will nurture a kitchen garden and grow fresh vegetables throughout the school year. They will also attend science classes in the garden, with the plants and flora in their books brought to life in the garden.
Image credit: CARE Iraq
The garden contains more than 1,200 plants, ranging from ornamental trees, climbing plants, flowers, cacti and fruit trees. Medicinal plants will also be added later as an aspect of the environmental stewardship.
Image credit: CARE Iraq
During the opening ceremony we were joined by representatives from CARE Iraq and GIZ, as well as Barzani Charity Foundation, NRC, Harikar NGO and the Refugees Committee, plus the Directorate of Education, many of the youngsters themselves and their mothers. We’re so grateful to everyone who attended to help us celebrate the launch.
Image credit: CARE Iraq
Our She Leads in Food Security project has also seen us renovate eight large greenhouses in which displaced women will grow fresh fruits and vegetables to feed their families and earn an income.
As well as providing income-generating and agricultural initiatives, the project is additionally delivering increased awareness of the climate crisis in Iraq, and the escalating need for sustainable solutions. It is one of the founding projects of our Climate Change pillar, which we launched earlier this year.
