The Environmental Club has been present and valued at Solidarity Teacher Training College (STTC) Yambio since the college began. At the beginning of 2023, after strengthening our commitment to reflection and action, we discovered the Laudato Sì Movement and its principles; this led us to change our name and join this Universal Movement.
It has been a journey of adventure and courage, educating ourselves and deciding on strategies. Thus, we approach experiences like: sustainability, recognizing that Water and Earth are our sisters, we call the Sun our brother… feeling family with all Creation! We take responsibility for valuing and caring for our common home. We experience more sisterhood with all women and men throughout the world.
To go beyond our campus, this semester we have formed six Laudato Sì groups in six different primary schools in which we do our professional practice, each with a teacher who accompanies the group. We have shared how to plant, how to take care of the plants and developed some activities related to our identity as Laudato Sì.
The children have planted avocado trees, acacias, other shrubs and flowers whose seedlings we already had prepared at our college. We are going to visit them with some frequency to give support and follow-up. In this way, the bonds among all teachers and schools are strengthened.
It is a challenge that is new to us, but at the same time encouraging, because we can join in the same effort with many more people around the world!
Kuol Gik Daniel, our former coordinator of the groups, says: “To take care of nature is the first duty given to human beings by God at the beginning. Disrespecting the environment is disrespecting God´s plan. If we care for the environment, it will care for us.”
Sister Guillermina Margot Vasquez Rubinos, ASCJ
