Asma Charfeddine, a young marine biologist, created a grassroots network of 30 student volunteers for cleaning up public schools. Tunisians rightly complain about the often poor conditions of public schools, but then mostly wait for the government to act. What is needed is civic leadership. The project recruited a cohort of students to meet and watch a documentary and start a discussion about the importance of clean environment.

These same students were encouraged after the documentary to recruit more volunteers and to be engaged in the cleaning campaign of Amayrya’s school campus. Students gained practical experience in taking initiative, as the activity aimed to encourage leadership skills through fun competitions during the cleaning day. The idea of teaching the good habit of having a clean environment was the ultimate motif of the project. It is an attempt to help raise children with environmental awareness and responsibility.

“We as leaders, gifted with motivation and perseverance, need to carry on this mission and transmit our skills to the future generation.”

-Asma Charfeddine, Tune in Tunisia Grantee