BlinkNow Celebrates a Year of Sustainability Awards
Friday, December 29, 2023
BlinkNow is proud to announce that 2023 has been a year of green awards, particularly for the Kopila Valley School in Surkhet, Nepal. This has been an exceptional year of recognition for the school’s work in creating a sustainably-built campus, as well as integrating Education for Sustainability into the academic curriculum.
Innovating at Nepal’s Greenest School
Kopila Valley is termed the “greenest school in Nepal” because of its eco-friendly green campus, and because of its learning methods. The construction includes rammed earth walls from local materials and on-grid solar electricity that powers the campus entirely when the sun is shining. Water is captured and conserved through rainwater harvesting, and then it is reused after natural treatment through greywater and blackwater wetlands.
The school farm is a space for integrating environmental topics into the classroom while regenerating soil, integrating animal husbandry and farming to improve soil composition. Food for the healthy school lunch program comes from the campus garden or is sourced locally from the partner PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) farmers’ group.
A number of school clubs focus on sustainability and environmental action, and students and graduates are becoming local leaders in waste management initiatives.
Awards Throughout 2023
In March, Kopila Valley School received the Green Difference Award. From Project Green Schools, this award is designed to empower youth to drive positive change toward creating a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future. Kopila Valley was honored in the “Green and Healthy Schools” category for the “Greenest School in Nepal.”
Also in March, Kopila Valley’s Sustainability Coordinator Sunita Bhandari was named to the Environmental Education 30 Under 30 and now joins a cohort of young changemakers from around the world, to enhance their professional development and share ideas with others.
The Green Apple Award showcases the community effort to prioritize environmental best practices in all Kopila Valley programs. This honor in May focused on the school’s environmental education initiatives and the impact it has on the community of Surkhet.
BlinkNow Co-Founder Maggie was named a 2023 Inspiring Woman of the Year in Nepal by the Confederation of Nepalese Industries at their Women’s Leadership Forum.
In Auguts, BETT Asia chose Kopila Valley School for its Sustainability Initiative Award in its awards for innovation in education.
Kopila Valley School won the first-ever Social Welfare Education Award from the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in September.
GESS Education awarded BlinkNow the Ambassador for the Environment honor at a gala celebration in Dubai in October.
BlinkNow’s mission is to care for children and women in rural Nepal, as well as to inspire others to create social and environmental change. This recognition means that this goal is being accomplished.
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The BlinkNow Foundation provides an education and a loving, caring home for children without homes, impoverished and at-risk children. The foundation also provides community outreach to reduce poverty, empower women, improve health, and encourage sustainability and social justice - it fulfills its mission by providing financial support and management oversight to the Kopila Valley Children's Home and Kopila Valley School in Surkhet, Nepal. In addition to the home and school, Kopila Valley runs a Health & Wellness program, Women's Center, Home for At-Risk Students, Futures Career Readiness Program, and integrated Sustainability Program across all initiatives.