Mulberry Academy Shoreditch students earn trip to South Africa for social action and community work
15th July 2015
Mulberry Academy Shoreditch students Mehjebi Chowdhury and Andrei Valentin Plesa are celebrating this term, after earning month-long trips to South Africa, as part of a long-term social action project. Organised by the charity Clouddog, the awards come at the culmination of a 12-month intensive project called Open Horizons. Through this, the Sixth Form students developed a range of personal skills, as well as an awareness of environmental issues and the importance of community engagement.
Mehjebi’s project focused on creating a system which would help conserve water at the academy, which ties in closely with MAS’s #iwill pledge to ensure students lead or engage with projects that make our communities better and safer places for everyone. She constructed a rainwater tank using a combination of hardware supplies. In keeping with the emphasis on conservation, Mehjebi made use of recycled materials to decorate the tank and enhance its visual appeal. The tank now takes pride of place next to the academy’s farm shed, where it is ideally placed to collect water runoff from the shed’s roof.
Fellow student Andrei was determined to raise awareness about oil disposal and its dangerous effects on the environment. His project involved collecting used cooking oil to reuse and recycle. Over the course of six months, Andrei collected 36.5 litres of used cooking oil, from which he made soaps and green lamps. During his research, he learned that most people dispose of their oil by pouring it down the sink, which causes SSO (Sanitary Sewage Overflow). Oil then escapes into the environment, damaging the natural ecosystem and habitats. Through exemplifying the various creative usages of waste oil, Andrei has been successful in raising the awareness he set out to achieve.
Clouddog were extremely impressed by the dedication both students brought to their projects and, in recognition of their achievements, have offered them both a place on the charity’s Immersion programme in South Africa. This will provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to embrace new environmental and social action initiatives, meet leading conservation professionals and explore the diversity of different cultures and communities.
On her achievement, Mehjebi commented: “I’m really surprised and proud to be invited onto the Immersion programme. The Open Horizons project has been an amazing way to learn more about the environment and the community and what we can do as young people to help. I hope my work helps to show younger students how I have taken part in social action and how they can do the same.”
Mark Keary, Principal at Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, commented: “We are extremely proud of this achievement. This result marks another exceptional outcome for Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, where our students continue to demonstrate initiative, dedication and a high level of social awareness in everything that they do. The Clouddog project and our #iwill pledges have been a resounding success this year for both Sixth Formers and Years 7-11 and we are looking forward to our continued involvement in these enriching schemes. We would like to wish Mehjebi and Andrei the best of luck.”
