The Community Science Week is an initiative of GWP-C’s partner, the National Institute of Higher Education Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST) aimed at promoting science education in rural communities in a fun and meaningful way.
GWP-C participated in the event by having an interactive booth where it displayed its Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) model and various educational material designed for students as young as age 5.
GWP-C was able to demonstrate how a RWH system works with the use of its model to more than 1000 students over the week-long period. These students mainly from rural communities in central Trinidad were from pre-schools, primary and secondary schools.
To ensure that the younger students (under 10 years) were able to grasp the concept of rainwater harvesting and how it works, GWP-C developed a simple question and answer game with cards on RWH and water conservation to engage this age group. Also, with students as young as 5 visiting the Community Science Week, GWP-C developed various stickers on RWH and water conservation that were awarded to students that asked and answered questions.
Visitors to the booth also included teachers who accompanied students. GWP-C kept a record of all the teachers that visited its display. More than 50 teachers visited the GWP-C booth during the week-long event and they were all presented with a water resources toolkit.
The Preysal Community Science Week was also open to the general public. An estimated number of over 400 persons from nearby communities visited the Science Week and GWP-C was therefore able to share information on rainwater harvesting as well as material on GWP-C and the global organisation.
Students at all levels (pre-school, primary and secondary school) were generally intrigued by the functionality of the RWH model and asked several questions about the system.
Several students expressed their familiarity with rainwater harvesting as they practice it in their homes but pointed out that their systems did not include a first-flush device like in the GWP-C RWH model.
GWP-C was able to demonstrate the process that takes place with the first-flush device as well as provide students and other visitors with information on how it works and how it can be incorporated into a rainwater harvesting system.
Visitors to the GWP-C booth expressed great interest in setting up a similar RWH system at their homes. GWP-C was able to provide these visitors with information detailing the specifications to assist them in developing a similar system. Visitors were also informed about GWP-C’s Rainwater Harvesting Toolbox for the Caribbean to be launched in early 2012. They were advised that the Toolbox would also include detailed and valuable information for anyone wanting to set-up a good RWH system.
Distinguished guests visiting the Science Week, included the Honourable Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, Minister of Education of Trinidad and Tobago, along with representatives from various government agencies.