AECI Eco-Schools Water Education Project Report 2020

Aligning to national, continental and international agendas for systematic change

We ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities which will contribute to better socio-economic landscapes in our communities. Connecting with concrete and relevant social, environmental, economic and political issues, teachers, learners and communitymembers can take action to combat challenges like: food insecurity, climate change, well-being at all ages, gender inequality, management of water and sanitation, alternative sources of energy, sustainable economic growth and peace and justice at local and national levels. Integrating these 3 policies with the WESSA Eco-Schools programme enables ordinary South Africans to enhance connected thinking to make sense of such over-arching and complex agendas in the context of real-life situations which has meaning to them. In particular, the foci of the AECI funded water education project in Modderfontein are climate change and water conservation. Climate Change is a big focus in the National Development Plan particularly for those vulnerable to the effects of climate change on health, livelihoods, water and food, with a disproportionate impact on the poor, especially women and children . While adapting to these changes, industries and households must reduce their negative impact on the environment. This will require far-reaching changes to the way people live and work. The project is also directly linked to UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals focussing on most of the goals shown below.

The WESSA AECI Eco- Schools water education project responds to important policy frameworks and agendas such as South Africa’s National Development Plan 2030 (NDP), the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as as UNESCO’s Sustainable

well

Development Goals (SDG).

Globally, strategic developmental agendas are set to improve the quality of life of people as well as for different stakeholders to collectively work towards a common purpose and common good. The WESSA Eco-Schools programme is one such partner that focuses on teaching about these crucial plans and agendas so that people can gain a deeper understanding of how they can practically contribute to make them a reality. The agendas we particularly align ourselves with are the South African National Development Plan, the African Union’s 2063 Framework and the international 17 Sustainable Development Goals. WESSA Eco-Schools believes that our practical approach to teaching and awareness about these three agendas will foster a greater understanding about the interconnectedness between the social, economic, environmental and political facets of life on our planet. This will develop the necessary skills and competencies we require to empower ordinary citizens to take action and work towards these common goals.

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AECI Hammanskraal 2020