School Lombriculture Project

Year: 2010
Country: El Salvador
Project Status: Funded
Impact Sector: Environment
Project Investment: $350.66

Project Launch:

In 2009, the Peace Corps was working with the ministry of education in El Salvador to promote environmental awareness in schools through environmental education activities. With a $350 grant from World Connect’s Kids to Kids Program, the K-9 school district in San Ramón, La Paz, El Salvador developed a lombriculture system, a system that uses earthworms in composting. The project involved constructing an outdoor rain shelter with wooden and plastic worm boxes filled with organic wastes produced by the school. Worm castings and liquid were collected and used to fertilize crops, primarily corn, beans and sorghum, grown on school-owned land and that supplement cafeteria meals served to students. Extra products were also sold to farmers in the community, providing a source of funds for the San Ramón student environmental club. Club members maintained the worm bins and the entire student body got involved in garbage collection and separation. The project was a huge success and is being sustained today at the school. Club participants hope to expand the project at the community level as students take what they learned in school home. The project, kicked off with a worm ceremony in which the students put the worms into the boxes and went over the steps and schedule for taking care of them, provided a fun, applied learning experience for students. Through this project, the kids gained a sense of responsibility, a sense of accomplishment, and became more knowledgeable about types of garbage and correct garbage management – and they are bolder in handling worms and manure.

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