Over the last two weeks of November, the students of grades 5 and 6 of the Saltibus, Les Etangs and Fond St. Jacques Combined Schools and forms 4 and 5 of the Soufriere Comprehensive, Choiseul and Piaye Secondary Schools were presented to on the Saint Lucia Renewable Energy Sector Project (RESDP).
The aim of the presentations was to increase the awareness and knowledge of the students about the RESDP. These presentations formed part of the project’s stakeholder engagement strategy and were timed to coincide with the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Transport’s implementation of Energy Awareness Month.
The RESDP is a four-year Government of Saint Lucia initiative being implemented by the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Transport, and funded by the World Bank; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Canada Clean Energy and Forest Climate Facility; Clean Technology Fund and Government of Saint Lucia. Its objective is to inform the GOSL on the viability of its geothermal resource and strengthen the enabling environment to scale-up clean energy investments with the private sector. It comprises drilling three slim hole wells and a technical assistance programme. Exploratory drilling will take place in Belvedere- Fond St. Jacques, Belle Plaine- Soufriere and Saltibus.
The Community Liaison Officer and Social Development and Safeguards Officer of the RESDP addressed the students on the project’s objectives, components, drilling locations, why Saint Lucia should explore geothermal energy and other important components of the project such as its Grievance Redress Mechanism. RESDP representatives engaged with students through interactive presentations which were geared to fostering a sense of pride in the project and environmental responsibility.
Districts 6, 7 and 8 school administrators expressed gratitude for RESDP’s commitment to educational outreach about the project and with its objective of raising student awareness. According to Joel Charlemagne, District Education Officer for District 8, “The engagement’s innovative approach not only aligned with the schools’ objectives but also provided a unique opportunity for students to connect classroom learning with real-world issues.”
