In July, the Envol Vert team received four students from the French association Perunidad in Pichanaki. For five to six weeks, various activities are developed in the field with the participants, but also with colleges and primary schools. In the following, we present some of these activities.
Reforestation and awareness-raising with the students of the Colonia Huanca school
On 15 July 2021, together with Perunidad volunteers and students from the Colonia Huanca school, we reforested the school’s coffee plantation by planting 300 cedar trees (cedrela angustifolia). These trees were donated by the municipality of Pichanaki to support reforestation in the area. Each primary school pupil had to plant five seedlings and each secondary school pupil eight. Before starting the activity, the students were trained in tree planting by the agronomy teacher. These trees will help the coffee plantation by providing shade and enriching the soil and ecosystem. This activity has helped to change the idea that trees are harmful to coffee trees. This type of activity raises awareness among the farmers of Pichanaki, we show them the benefits of agroforestry systems and their economic advantages.
After the planting, Perunidad volunteers conducted a workshop on biodiversity, introducing the students to some basic concepts to understand how the world around us works, such as water cycle, what an ecosystem is and what a food chain is. This workshop was very interactive. After a brief explanation of what an ecosystem and biodiversity are, with the help of Perunidad volunteers, the students had to reconstruct the ecosystem with the available maps, including the water cycle, a food chain and even mechanisms such as photosynthesis or trees’ transpiration. The volunteers also used some of the questions to talk about issues such as global warming. This type of awareness-raising helps students to have a more general view of the world they live in and to understand it better. It also raises awareness of the importance of conservation of species and ecosystems in general.
Reforestation of the coffee plantation of the school of Colonia Huanca
Biodiversity workshop in Colonia Huanca school
Raising awareness of a well-balanced diet
In the Pichanaki district, and especially in the villages, health problems due to poor nutrition are very common. Therefore, together with volunteers from Perunidad, we organized a lecture on dietary diversification in several villages in the region. The 45-minute presentation was in two parts. The first part dealt with the most common diseases caused by poor nutrition, namely diabetes, obesity, anemia and cholesterol. For each of them, the causes, mechanisms and consequences are explained in simple terms. In the second part, the food pyramid is redone with the participants. Each time this activity took place, people seemed very interested because for many of them it was the first time that these topics were discussed in a more interactive way. One hour of awareness raising is not enough to change habits for a lifetime, but it can help them avoid health problems related to poor nutrition, and also make them and their families aware of the importance of a healthy diet and the real needs of the human body.
In July, the Envol Vert team received four students from the French association Perunidad in Pichanaki. For five to six weeks, various activities are developed in the field with the participants, but also with colleges and primary schools. In the following, we present some of these activities.
Reforestation and awareness-raising with the students of the Colonia Huanca school
On 15 July 2021, together with Perunidad volunteers and students from the Colonia Huanca school, we reforested the school’s coffee plantation by planting 300 cedar trees (cedrela angustifolia). These trees were donated by the municipality of Pichanaki to support reforestation in the area. Each primary school pupil had to plant five seedlings and each secondary school pupil eight. Before starting the activity, the students were trained in tree planting by the agronomy teacher. These trees will help the coffee plantation by providing shade and enriching the soil and ecosystem. This activity has helped to change the idea that trees are harmful to coffee trees. This type of activity raises awareness among the farmers of Pichanaki, we show them the benefits of agroforestry systems and their economic advantages.
After the planting, Perunidad volunteers conducted a workshop on biodiversity, introducing the students to some basic concepts to understand how the world around us works, such as water cycle, what an ecosystem is and what a food chain is. This workshop was very interactive. After a brief explanation of what an ecosystem and biodiversity are, with the help of Perunidad volunteers, the students had to reconstruct the ecosystem with the available maps, including the water cycle, a food chain and even mechanisms such as photosynthesis or trees’ transpiration. The volunteers also used some of the questions to talk about issues such as global warming. This type of awareness-raising helps students to have a more general view of the world they live in and to understand it better. It also raises awareness of the importance of conservation of species and ecosystems in general.
Reforestation of the coffee plantation of the school of Colonia Huanca
Biodiversity workshop in Colonia Huanca school
Raising awareness of a well-balanced diet
In the Pichanaki district, and especially in the villages, health problems due to poor nutrition are very common. Therefore, together with volunteers from Perunidad, we organized a lecture on dietary diversification in several villages in the region. The 45-minute presentation was in two parts. The first part dealt with the most common diseases caused by poor nutrition, namely diabetes, obesity, anemia and cholesterol. For each of them, the causes, mechanisms and consequences are explained in simple terms. In the second part, the food pyramid is redone with the participants. Each time this activity took place, people seemed very interested because for many of them it was the first time that these topics were discussed in a more interactive way. One hour of awareness raising is not enough to change habits for a lifetime, but it can help them avoid health problems related to poor nutrition, and also make them and their families aware of the importance of a healthy diet and the real needs of the human body.
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