Student Led Projects
Rural and low-income communities are the first to be seriously impacted by climate change and environmental degradation. Hero School student projects are tangible and relevant solutions to some of the all-too-common infrastructure challenges in Comalapa households.
Check out the video of Hero School graduates explaining the work that they’ve done, through the Hero School Model, in the neighboring village of Xiquin Sanai.
Through project-based learning integrated with democratic education principles, CETC students assessed health realities/needs, studied how to address these needs in school, and then went out to do the work themselves to address these realities/needs.
What these projects look like
7TH GRADE PROJECTS
Smoke-efficient stoves
The combination of excessive use of firewood in stoves with little to no ventilation and houses made from corrugated metal is lethal. Indoor smoke inhalation very commonly causes children and adults in Comalapa to suffer from respiratory illness. Smoke-efficient stoves repurpose old tires as their base and are designed with a smaller burning chamber to reduce firewood used and increase heat efficiency.
8TH GRADE PROJECTS
Water Tinacos
Longer dry seasons impact overall water supply, making access to water one of the biggest needs for Comalapan communities. The municipality tries to provide water to the families, but water runs happen once or twice a month (if even), and families need a place to store the water. Underground water tinacos allow families to hold up to 5 barrels (1,100 liters) of water, helping them to have water daily for a considerable period of time.
However, water from local sources is polluted with trash and pesticides, causing gastrointestinal illness. The water tinacos and smoke-efficient stoves are intrinsically connected, as families will need to boil their water for drinking and cooking purpose
9TH GRADE PROJECTS
Dry composting latrines
Compost latrines are built using natural materias and eco-bricks (regular plastic bottles compacted with non-biodegradable waste) and glass bottles in the walls. Latrines use little to no water and the compost generated can be used as a natural plant fertilizer afterwards.
10TH GRADE PROJECTS
Tire retaining walls
Increasing deforestation causes dangerous landslides in mountainous places like Comalapa. Tire retaining walls are not easily cracked like their concrete counterparts as they are made from used tires compacted with dirt and all sorts of non-biodegradable waste. As of 2020, Hero School students have built 2 retaining walls and repurposed repurposed about 800 tires.
