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Background

The Shagara at School initiative was founded by Egyptian social entrepreneur Mohamed Ashraf Abdel Samad, motivated by the urgent need to address climate change and raise environmental awareness in Egypt. It initially started by installing rooftop farms and planting native trees in Egyptian public schools as a way mitigate and adapt to climate change whilst offering extra-curricular activities for school students. When the schools started to use the green rooftop spaces as outdoor classrooms, Shagara revised their approach to facilitate this, providing much-needed additional learning space. The quality of public education in Egypt is challenged by insufficient classroom space, resulting in overcrowding at many schools. Combined with a lack of extra-curricular activities, school attendance is poor.

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Approach

The Shagara initiative's approach involves creating “green roof classrooms” by constructing pergola-like structures for shade and parapet walls for safety on flat school roofs. Shagara’s proprietary green roof system is comprised of four layers in addition to the engineered soil, plants and other hard landscaping. Three of these layers are made from recycled polymers to reduce carbon emissions, and the fourth layer uses 25% less polymer than alternatives. Further, the light-weight engineered soil used in the rooftop gardens uses local agricultural waste as an alternative to peat moss, further enhancing its sustainability. Partnerships with businesses and community groups help to cover the costs of the installations. They sponsor a school as a part of their corporate social responsibility and/or shared value programs, and benefit from the resulting publicity.

Environmental Impact

By transforming rooftops into shaded green spaces, the green roof classrooms mitigate the urban heat island effect, absorb carbon dioxide, support urban biodiversity and improve air quality and the local microclimate. The open air classrooms also require fewer construction materials than additional school buildings would. Including solar photovoltaic panels contributes to green energy, which is made more efficient by the cooling effect of the rooftop plants. Educational programs on rooftop farming help to foster environmental stewardship among students and communities.

Success Factors

Key factors in the Shagara initiative's success include the leadership of founder Mohamed Ashraf Abdel Samad, strategic partnerships with organisations like IKEA, Oriflame and AstraZeneca, and support from the Egyptian Ministry of Education and the General Authority for Educational Buildings. Additionally, securing funding and resources from the Swedish Embassy in Cairo and engaging the community through innovative, newsworthy projects have significantly contributed to its impact and growth.

Evidence

The creation of five green roof classrooms has positively impacted both the environment and local communities through the creation of temporary jobs. Over 300 students are engaged in agricultural activities, building their skills and growing awareness of sustainability practices.

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Evolution

Shagara at School started in 2013 by planting indigenous plant species and installation of rooftop farms in Egyptian public schools. Food crops were later added to incentivise the school administrations to maintain the gardens on their premises. Currently Shagara at School design the rooftops as green roof classrooms with the inclusion of solar panels when the budget allows. Shagara’s Job Readiness Workshop is a recent addition, providing engineering and architectural students an opportunity to participate in the needs assessment, design and implementation phases.