- Title: WEST BANK: Palestinian students established a company to protect the environment.
- Date: 31st January 2010
- Summary: CLOSE OF SCREEN SHOWING GROW GREEN FACEBOOK PAGE
- Embargoed: 15th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Environment / Natural World,Education
- Reuters ID: LVA3MWC3YM36TG69JGHO9O3142BK
- Story Text: A group of West Bank students have set up a company aimed at raising environmental awareness amongst Palestinian children.
Palestinian school girls from the St. Joseph school in the West Bank city of Ramallah have recently established a company aimed at raising awareness of environmental and health issues among Palestinian children.
During school launch break, Tamara al-Wa'ari, head of marketing at the "Grow Green" company, carries a basket filled with fruits and vegetables which she distributes amongst students to encourage them to eat healthy, natural food instead of candy or chips.
"Our company's main aim is the environment. We are trying to encourage the young girls in our school to eat healthier food, so that is why we are selling fruits and vegetables at each lunch break. Also we are against plastic bags because they harm the environment, so we have started selling (reusable) plastic boxes, and instead of plastic water bottles we sell healthy (reusable) bottles," al-Wa'ari said.
The six-member company meets weekly with their teacher, their supervisor and a trainer to plan activities.
The Grow Green company has so far held lectures and seminars inside and outside schools to educate children about environmental issues, the CEO Faten Salem said.
"Our company is called Grow Green, it is a student environmental company. Our main aim is to increase environmental awareness in different sectors of society. Our aim is to address each sector differently in a way that appeals to their thoughts, their lifestyles and needs. We are trying to produce things to make their lives better, healthier but not more costly," Salem added.
The company is sponsored by the Palestinian mobile network Jawwal.
"This is part of the social responsibility of companies such as Jawwal. Our role is to help the students establish student companies," Jawwal Mobile Company member Fateh Umer said.
The company has a Facebook page where they advertise their campaign and the products they sell.
The school girls are also helping in an effort to plant some 15,000 trees in Ramallah, as part of the city's municipality project to turn the city more green. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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