Growing Green Minds: Sustainable Classrooms in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

• Direct Beneficiaries: 25 teachers (one from each participating school)
• Indirect Beneficiaries: Approximately 1,200 students across Gilgit-Baltistan, who now receive structured education in environmental sustainability and agriculture

The GreenClassrooms initiative aims to cultivate a generation of environmentally conscious and agriculturally aware students in Gilgit-Baltistan. The program focuses on integrating environmental education—specifically sustainable agriculture and waste management—into school curriculums. Its core objective is to enhance students' understanding of the environmental impacts of human behavior, particularly littering and improper waste disposal, and to promote sustainable practices that contribute to ecological well-being and food security.

Main Activities:
The project is structured around capacity building, hands-on learning, and institutional engagement. Key activities include:

• Teacher Training: A comprehensive training program was conducted for 25 teachers from 25 schools. The training focused on waste segregation, recycling, composting, and core principles of sustainable agriculture.
• Educational Resources: Participating teachers were provided with customized toolkits containing visual aids, lesson plans, composting guides, and agricultural manuals to support classroom-based environmental education.
• School Gardens: Each school established a small-scale garden, where students received practical instruction on crop cultivation, soil health, water conservation, and organic farming techniques. These gardens served as interactive learning spaces and models of sustainable land use.
• Institutional Engagement: School administrations were engaged to support the installation and maintenance of waste management systems, such as compost bins and recycling stations, and to integrate agricultural activities into extracurricular programming.

The GreenClassrooms initiative has generated meaningful environmental and educational outcomes. Students have demonstrated increased knowledge of sustainable farming and waste management practices. Visible behavioral changes, such as reduced littering and increased participation in garden maintenance, reflect a growing environmental ethic. The initiative has also contributed to:

• Improved Waste Management: Enhanced school-level systems for waste separation and composting
• Increased Agricultural Literacy: Students gained practical skills in growing food and understanding the importance of soil and water health
• Health and Nutrition Awareness: Through growing vegetables in school gardens, students learned about the benefits of consuming fresh, local produce
• Sustainable Mindsets: Teachers and students alike have embraced a more holistic view of sustainability, which is now reflected in school culture and daily routines