Gaskiya Plus+ (Sustainability + Free Education + Biomass Briquette + Augmented Reality)

Due to intermittent civil unrest which has disturbed the standard of living and educational progress, causing individuals and homes to be displaced, Gaskiya Highland Private School over the years has shown full support to  member communities who live around the school, and from far across. We've ensured that our students learn in a conducive environment and have provided various scholarships to those affected by poverty, and displacement, and to those who can not even afford any form of education at all.

However, while still at school learning, we hope to expand our scope to continue to provide useful vocational aids, skills, and educational technology that will make them useful and of great value to the community, society, Nation, and world at large wherever they find themselves. 

Hence this are the problems we aim to solve through MIT 2024 Global Learning Challenge.

Providing skills...- MIT GOAL 3 - Global Learning Challenge 2024

Our Aim has been at Sustainable craft, turning biomass, waste agricultural materials like dry leaves, corn stalks, and grain shafts to generate clean energy for cooking to replace conventional firewood which has a risk to humanity eg lung cancer, asthma, etc.

All children learning in good educational environments...- MIT GOAL 1 - Global Learning Challenge 2024

We have a school already training and helping out the less privileged, we intend to have a special class area within the school for neurodivergent learners and those disabled to better suit their educational needs, while also providing specialized learning aids to help them cope better.

Inclusive design to ensure better engagement...- MIT GOAL 1 - Global Learning Challenge 2

With augmented reality... design and implementation of educational components as part of our learning resource to help make education easier for our community and those we train.( A work in progress by one of us: https://youtu.be/oFUpJ4XefXo?si=V9oYaYk35egyzqwT)

A school educational app for students and educators to help communicate with students who May not be able to move around due to disabilities.

Product Demo  Our vision extends beyond the physical act of teaching. We embrace the power of technology, integrating augmented reality into education to spark curiosity and ignite minds. Through immersive experiences, students delve into the wonders of the world, grasping complex concepts with ease and excitement. 

Still more, Our Craft Product our initiative lies in the introduction of the art of crafting biomass briquettes to school students. Sustainability has always been our goal, and through simple yet impactful steps, we harness the potential of organic materials like corn biomass and sawdust, blending them with binders like cassava starch to create compact blocks of sustainable energy. School students, sourcing biomass materials from their communities, come together to learn the art of creation. In doing so, they simultaneously combat deforestation and air pollution. With each briquette crafted, we take a step closer to preserving our precious forests and safeguarding the health of our loved ones. It's not just about fuel; it's about forging a path towards a greener, brighter tomorrow.

With inclusive design at its core, our solution ensures that no one is left behind. We create spaces where every learner, regardless of ability, can thrive and succeed. It's about building a community where diversity is celebrated, and every voice is heard.

Our mission is simple yet profound: to inspire, educate, and empower. Through sustainable craft and innovative technology, we pave the way for a future where every individual can flourish, and our planet can thrive. Together, we're not just changing lives; we're shaping a legacy of sustainability, inclusivity, and endless possibilities.

Our solution serves a diverse array of individuals, spanning Rural Communities, Students and Students with Disabilities , Environmental Advocates, and Educators, and where traditional methods of cooking still prevail. Specifically, our product will focus on both school students and students with disability empowering them to lifelong skills.

Our product aims to directly impact both school students and students with disabilities by incorporating innovative solutions such as augmented reality (AR) and teaching sustainable craft skills like biomass briquette making.

For students with disabilities, the incorporation of augmented reality can be transformative. AR technology provides a dynamic and interactive learning experience, allowing students to engage with educational content in ways that cater to their unique needs and abilities. Visualizations, simulations, and interactive exercises can make abstract concepts more tangible and accessible, enhancing comprehension and retention. Additionally, AR can facilitate virtual field trips, bringing the world into the classroom for students who may face physical mobility challenges.

Moreover, learning sustainable craft skills such as biomass briquette making, not only provides valuable vocational training but also empowers students to contribute positively to their communities and the environment. By learning how to repurpose organic materials like corn biomass and sawdust into clean energy sources, students gain practical skills that can generate income and promote environmental sustainability. This hands-on experience fosters a sense of agency and responsibility, encouraging students to become active participants in addressing environmental challenges such as deforestation and indoor air pollution.

Compared to traditional firewood usage, biomass briquettes offer significant environmental benefits. They reduce deforestation by utilizing agricultural waste and wood residues, mitigating the loss of valuable forest ecosystems. Additionally, biomass briquettes produce less indoor air pollution when burned, improving respiratory health and reducing the risk of respiratory diseases among vulnerable populations, including women and children. By promoting the adoption of biomass briquettes, our solution aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Through sustainable craft education and the integration of augmented reality technology, we empower students to become agents of change, driving progress towards a more inclusive, sustainable, and environmentally resilient future.

Our team is well positioned to deliver to the best of our ability, we all passed through Gaskiya Highland Private School and were students from the school between 2005- 2012 we have carried out over ten sustainable projects in different communities and within and have impacted both Youths, Women and Children. Our website  our gallery of our projects.

The projects we have carried out have greatly led to positive reviews and socio-cultural balance among these communities, we also have a data bank of over 10 community leaders and heads to whom we have access. what defines us is that we are selfless and we have the "can-do spirit" that guides us against all odds, to see that schools and communities experience this sustainable growth wish is of great paramount in the world today. Our project as a team has been teaching sustainable agricultural practices to Children, Women Farmers, and Youth, also reaching out to communities that carry out tin mining activities and then teaching them alternative sustainable skills and crafts, such as biomass briquettes, turn plastic leathers into textile cloths also going to schools to teach and educate the students about climate change and the important of them being involved in this process, here we create School climate Clubes.

Project Gallary of our Website Based on the timeline of our sustainable projects and initiatives, it's evident that our solution has progressed to the Growth stage of development. We've successfully carried out various sustainable projects across different communities, showcasing our commitment to environmental sustainability and community empowerment, we have also carried this great sustainable practice in schools to teach students how they can leverage these craft skills, the school reached out was located in Chigwe in Jos South Local government a rural settlement with over 400 - 500 students present, where we taught them sustainable crafts such as turning wasted rubber tyers to make rubber shoes

Still more, One notable example is our Agroecology training program in the Bukuru Farming Community in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, conducted by our dedicated team. We trained selected farmers on agroecology practices and biofertilizer production, impacting over 50 individuals in attendance. This initiative demonstrates our ability to implement impactful projects that directly improve the lives of community members and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Additionally, our involvement in advocating for environmental services and the utilization of tools such as the Ecological Fund to combat climate change showcases our influence and engagement at a broader level. By addressing environmental challenges and promoting ecologically responsible practices, we contribute to the long-term sustainability of our planet.

Furthermore, our commitment to environmental safeguards and safety measures for women and youths in mining communities reflects our dedication to addressing complex environmental issues and protecting vulnerable populations.

Our solution has transitioned beyond the pilot stage and is now actively engaged in implementing and expanding sustainable projects across different communities. We are continuing with this energy as a team to replicate these sustainable craft skills in addition to Augmented Reality for students and students with disability.

We as a team, believe in the power of network and also having the right mentors, looking back we have done a lot of projects and we believe with Solve, the sky is just a starting place to endless possibilities our team can achieve. 

We need collaborators, right access to mentors who are passionate about our growth and those interested in our initiative to educate, create vocational skills, and help those with disabilities become future heroes.

Also apart from the mentorship and support system, the project we are going to carry out in schools regards incorporating Technology such as using augmented reality to help simplify educational concepts to both students with disability and without disability. Also teaching these children life and sustainable skills that can lead to a better community such as Biomass Briquette making, is a project that we believe will have a great impact and also revolutionize the educational system. For us to reach out to more schools, which indirectly means more access to raw materials, we believe that with Solve we can be able to do this through their support while also expanding the scope of education.

In addition to the mentorship we believe that Solve can guide us and connect us to right mentors for one-on-one mentorship, this will help us as a team, to be accountable this will go a long way in helping us reach our apex goal which is to touch all areas of humanity with a sustainable practice that has a great impact from generation to generation, we have impacted the Rural Communities, women farmers with Biofertilizers creative skills which is a sustainable practice, and is ongoing and we have gotten great feedback from our activities link, we believe that with Solve we can gain mentorship access in which this skills can be taught to these farmers on how to effectively monetize this agricultural approach, which can serve as a source of income to the farmers. We have also had an impact in Tin mining Communities teaching them sustainable skills as alternative skills to Tin mining such as biomass briquette making. We, at the moment, have a future project on our pipeline, a project that will help Tin mining Communities with skills of turning plastic waste to textile materials through weaving, but at the moment still sourcing for guidance to achieve this project.