Mamoura Academy, an independent international school in Abu Dhabi, UAE, empowers its students and transforms communities through its relentless pursuit of sustainable action and a better future. Led by a team of student ambassadors aged 3 to 18, the school actively pursues the Global Goals and One Young World Summit outcomes, attracting local partnerships and achieving Eco Green flag status for its sustainability efforts.

Mamoura Academy’s environmental efforts began with simple recycling projects before growing organically over the years. From its Pile It Up Challenge and Simply Bottles to encourage responsible plastic use, it went on to place recycling bins throughout the school and incorporate sustainable practices into the curriculum. To remain engaged, students run regular House competitions aimed at reducing individual and collective carbon footprints, further allowing students to showcase their creativity.

Next, the school began to incorporate sustainable food practices through aeroponic gardens, where students take charge of crop cycles, reducing waste. Strategic partnerships with Madar Farms and Grazia Farms have supported curriculum enhancement and given the school access to invaluable resources, such as expert knowledge, cutting-edge techniques, and hands-on experiences in sustainable food production and consumption.

Other environmental projects include tree planting and installing Eshara water fountains to limit water waste. The school also focuses on energy reduction, using light motion detectors, participating in Earth Hour, and engages in community cleanups in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency and other collaborations with The Alliance for Sustainable Schools.

However, environmental sustainability is not only limited to the environment itself. Through the various initiatives, students develop essential skills like presentation, organisation, leadership, and communication. Building and fostering this social sustainability creates ownership, self-confidence, and resilience, and it is this that ultimately empowers the students to become agents of change.