Jaluit High School Students adopt a healthy lifestyle in the Marshall Islands

The GCCA+ SUPA project in the Marshall Islands is supporting Canvasback Wellness Centre and the Ministry of Health and Human Services to build climate resilience by enhancing the Community Lifestyle Programme. This is a holistic programme focusing on growing local crops, cooking and preparing the crops, conducting regular health checks, and undertaking regular exercise. 

In Jaluit Atoll, students at the High School are enthusiastically adopting this concept and have undertaken several different activities including the enhancement of planting vegetables and fruits. To tackle the issue of saltwater intrusion, raised garden beds have been constructed with the help of the agriculture teacher and other stakeholders. Vegetables that were harvested include cucumbers, beans, lettuce and cabbage. “Students were motivated and were able to celebrate their achievements with the overwhelming feeling that they are contributing to the welfare of the Jaluit High School family” said Baldwin Robert, a representative from the Canvasback Wellness Centre.

This years champion and their Coach Mr. Abbang received the US$500.00 first prize from the Principal Robert on behalf of the Tournament main sponsor, Canvasback Wellness Center.

One of the highlights of the school year was the Volleyball tournament. The one-month continuous tournament saw 24 teams participating which includes more than 300 students. The tournament concluded with the presentation of prizes ranging from US$500 for the first prize winner, US$300 for second place team and US$100 for the third-place team. 

With the help of the GCCA+SUPA project, the school volleyball and basketball courts were renovated. This renovation is expected to boost participation of boys and girls in wellness activities.

However, there remains much to be done. The school needs a proper storage facility for gardening tools and equipment to prevent continuous exposure to the rain and sun. There are some existing tools and assets that need repairing and replacement. More effort is needed to raise existing garden to a level that will counter sea level rise.

Share

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Related News

Copyright 2024 The Global Climate Change Alliance Plus - Scaling up Pacific Adaptation (GCCA+ SUPA).

Disclaimer: The Global Climate Change Alliance Plus - Scaling Up Pacific Adaptation (GCCA+ SUPA) website was created and maintained with financial Support of the European Union. It’s contents are the sole responsibility of the GCCA+ SUPA project and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.