Written by Abigail Chifusa, Global Schools Project Officer.
With great pride, the Global Schools Program (GSP) honours 5 outstanding mentors this November whose continuous commitment and creative approaches to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have had a major impact on their communities and their schools.
In 2022, Adams became a Global Schools Advocate, promoting SDG 4 (quality education), to ensure inclusive and quality education in his community. He partnered with educators to integrate sustainable development into school curricula, equipping students with the skills needed to address global challenges.
As a mentor in 2023 and 2024, Adams guided advocates from countries like Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Ghana in creating impactful local initiatives that address education and sustainability issues.
His mentorship has empowered advocates to translate global goals into actionable community projects.
As a Global Schools Mentor, Ekaterine has inspired and guided educators and students to understand and promote the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through collaborative online sessions with her Swiss mentor partner, Jackie Williams, she has facilitated activities and discussions to help mentees design impactful, SDG-integrated lessons.
Her goal is to empower educators and students to become active contributors to a more sustainable world.
In September and October, Jackie and other mentors had the opportunity to connect with the advocates through two online meetings and ongoing communication via WhatsApp whereas the third meeting is scheduled for this November. These sessions provided a platform for advocates to share their successes and challenges, with mentors offering strategic guidance and support. Suggestions, ideas, and event updates were also shared regularly by email. The meetings were purposefully scheduled just before advocates needed to submit their KPIs, ensuring they felt prepared and confident.
A PowerPoint presentation was developed as a shared resource, allowing advocates and mentors to add relevant literature for learners. Each slide highlights a book, provides a brief summary, and identifies the SDGs most prominently featured in the story. The sessions have been positive, with advocates and mentors collaborating to set goals for the following month. A senior mentor joined each session to monitor progress, and alternative times were provided for advocates unable to attend.
SILUE Fereta began his journey as a mentor to a group of eight mentees from the West Africa region.
Alongside his co-mentor Adams Ibrahim from Nigeria, he conducted sessions with mentees via Google Meet and WhatsApp. During these sessions, mentees received constructive guidance on how to succeed in their roles as Global Schools Advocates.
SILUE also offered one-on-one support, helping mentees stay motivated and knowledgeable about the implications of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiatives. He provided tips and strategies for optimal implementation of SDGs in classrooms, ensuring they could adapt the goals to their local contexts effectively.
Stephanie, the IB MYP Coordinator at Colegio Internacional Torrequebrada, has been a Global Schools Advocate since 2021.
Now in her second year as a mentor, she and her co-mentor supported new mentees in setting SMART goals for their advocacy and developing a shared resource library.
Passionate about advancing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Stephanie collaborates with teachers to encourage student agency, empowering students to make a difference in their communities and become the changemakers of tomorrow.
This year, she proudly celebrated her school’s certification from the ODS Certificado Program, authorized by CIFAL Málaga-UNITAR, recognizing their whole-school commitment to integrating ESD.
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