Students champion clean water and conservation

Students of the West Demerara Secondary School are advancing water purification methods through a sustainability initiative, as Recover Guyana, in partnership with The Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI) and the Ministry of Education, launched the Water Purification and Sustainability Initiative on Monday.
The Clean Water for All: Water Purification Initiative will provide access to clean and refreshing drinking water through the installation of an advanced water filtration system.
The system transforms ordinary tap water into a clean, refreshing source of hydration using reverse osmosis and is uniquely designed to track saved plastic bottles, fostering a culture of responsible water use and conservation.
This innovative system will reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles and promote environmental sustainability.
It will also create a model for sustainability, improved health, and environmental responsibility that can be adopted in schools across Guyana.
The Water Purification and Sustainability Initiative was proposed in 2023 by Queen’s College (QC) student Vasana Persaud, winner of the 2023 SHOUT Competition.
This initiative was first implemented through Recover Guyana, resulting in the reduction of more than 30,000 single-use plastic bottles to date.
The Water Purification and Sustainability Initiative at the West Demerara Secondary School was developed from recognising the importance of sustainable water systems in the education sector and building on the success of the Queen’s College initiative.
Speaking at the launch, President of Recover Guyana, Dr Dave Lalltoo, explained that this transformative endeavour is not only about providing clean water but about teaching future generations how to live sustainably and take care of the planet.
GGI Lead, Alicia Bess-Anderson, emphasised the importance of collaboration in creating an environmentally sustainable future.
She noted that the collaboration between GGI, Recover Guyana, and the Ministry of Education provides a unique opportunity for GGI to expand its reach to a new category of stakeholders – secondary students.
“The need for this project was evident. We recognised that single-use plastic bottles contribute to environmental pollution, and water purification is an ideal solution,” she noted.
She further explained that the project will not only cater to the needs of the West Demerara Secondary School but will also benefit the community, representing a fundamental shift in how we approach environmental responsibility and community health.
As part of its commitment to sustainability, the transformative project encourages students, educators, and the wider community to reduce waste and embrace more eco-friendly habits, paving the way for a greener and healthier future for all.

The water purification system in action